MAIN CONTRIBUTORS TO CHANGE
PENSIONER AND BENEFICIARY HOUSEHOLDS
The PBLCI rose 1.1% in the March quarter 2014. The main contributors to the rise were health (+7.0%) and alcohol and tobacco (+3.9%). The rise in health prices was mainly due to the cyclical reduction in the proportion of patients who qualify for subsidies under the Medicare Benefits Scheme (MBS) and the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) at the start of each calendar year. The rise in alcohol and tobacco was mainly due to flow on effects of the federal excise tax rise on tobacco from 1 December 2013 and the March 2014 biannual indexation based on the ABS' Average Weekly Ordinary Time Earnings (AWOTE) rate. Housing (+0.7%) and transport (+1.5%) also contributed to the rise in the PBLCI.
Furnishings, household equipment and services (-1.5%) contributed the most significant partial offset, largely due to falls in furniture and personal care products.
The PBLCI recorded a larger rise than the CPI (+0.6%) in the March quarter 2014. Pensioner and beneficiary households have a relatively higher proportion of expenditure on health and alcohol and tobacco, which both rose this quarter.
The PBLCI rose 3.0% through the year to the March quarter 2014 compared to the CPI which rose 2.9% through the year to the March quarter 2014.
EMPLOYEE HOUSEHOLDS
The living cost index for employee households rose 0.7% in the March quarter 2014. The main contributors to the rise were alcohol and tobacco (+2.7%), education (+5.2%) and transport (+1.4%). The rise in alcohol and tobacco was mainly due to the scheduled indexation of the federal excise tax. The rise in education coincide with the commencement of the school year. The rise in transport was mainly due to increases in automotive fuel prices. The rise in interest charges, which is not included in the CPI, also contributed to the larger rise.
The most significant partially offsetting fall was recorded for furnishings, household equipment and services (-1.3%), largely due to falls in furniture and personal care products.
The LCI for employee households recorded a larger rise than the CPI (+0.6%) in the March quarter 2014. This was mainly due to the rise in interest charges, which is not included in the CPI.
The LCI for employee households rose 2.1% through the year to the March quarter 2014 compared to the CPI which rose 2.9% through the year to the March quarter 2014.
AGE PENSIONER HOUSEHOLDS
The living cost index for age pensioner households rose 0.9% in the March quarter 2014. The main contributors to the rise was health (+6.5%), mainly due to the cyclical reduction in the proportion of patients who qualify for subsidies under the MBS and PBS at the start of each calendar year. Alcohol and tobacco (+2.7%), housing (+0.9%) and transport (+1.3%) also contributed to the rise.
The most significant partially offsetting fall was in furnishings, household equipment and services (-1.5%), largely due to falls in furniture and personal care products.
The LCI for age pensioner households recorded a larger rise than the CPI (+0.6%) in the March quarter 2014. Age pensioner households have a relatively higher proportion of expenditure on health, which recorded a rise this quarter.
The LCI for age pensioner households rose 3.0% through the year to the March quarter 2014 compared to the CPI which rose 2.9% through the year to the March quarter 2014.
OTHER GOVERNMENT TRANSFER RECIPIENT HOUSEHOLDS
The living cost index for other government transfer recipient households rose 1.1% in the March quarter 2014. The main contributors to the rise were alcohol and tobacco (+4.6%) and health (+8.1%). The rise in alcohol and tobacco was mainly due to the scheduled indexation of the federal excise tax. The rise in health was mainly due to the cyclical reduction in the proportion of patients who qualify for subsidies under the MBS and PBS at the start of each calendar year. Housing (+0.8%) and transport (+1.6%) also contributed to the rise.
The most significant partially offsetting falls were in clothing and footwear (-2.3%), mainly due to post Christmas sales.
The LCI for other government transfer recipient households recorded a larger rise than the CPI (+0.6%) in the March quarter 2014. Other government transfer recipient households have a relatively higher proportion of expenditure on alcohol and tobacco, which rose this quarter.
The LCI for other government transfer recipient households rose 3.1% through the year to the March quarter 2014 compared to the CPI which rose 2.9% through the year to the March quarter 2014.
SELF-FUNDED RETIREE HOUSEHOLDS
The living cost index for self-funded retiree households rose 0.3% in the March quarter 2014. The main contributors to the rise were health (+2.7%) and alcohol and tobacco (+2.9%). The rise in health was mainly due to the cyclical reduction in the proportion of patients who qualify for subsidies under the MBS and PBS at the start of each calendar year. The rise in alcohol and tobacco was mainly due to the scheduled indexation of the federal excise tax. Transport (+1.2%) also contributed to the rise.
The most significant partially offsetting falls were in recreation and culture (-1.0%), mainly due to falls in domestic and international holiday travel and accommodation, and furnishings, household equipment and services (-1.5%), largely due to falls in furniture and personal care products.
The LCI for self-funded retiree households recorded a smaller rise than the CPI (+0.6%) in the March quarter 2014. Self-funded retiree households have a relatively higher proportion of expenditure on recreation and culture and furnishings, household equipment which both fell this quarter. They also have relatively lower proportion of expenditures on education and housing, which both rose this quarter.
The LCI for self-funded retiree households rose 2.9% through the year to the March quarter 2014 compared to the CPI which rose 2.9% through the year to the March quarter 2014.
Percentage change, Commodity group - December Quarter 2013 to March Quarter 2014 |
|
 | Pensioner and beneficiary LCI | Employee LCI | Age pensioner LCI | Other government transfer recipient LCI | Self-funded retiree LCI | Consumer Price Index (CPI) |
| Weighted average of eight capital cities | | | | | | % |
|
| Food and non-alcoholic beverages | 0.2 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.4 | 0.2 | 0.3 |
| Alcohol and tobacco | 3.9 | 2.7 | 2.7 | 4.6 | 2.9 | 2.9 |
| Clothing and footwear | -2.4 | -2.2 | -2.3 | -2.3 | -2.0 | -2.1 |
| Housing(a) | 0.7 | 0.7 | 0.9 | 0.8 | 0.7 | 0.6 |
| Furnishings, household equipment and services | -1.5 | -1.3 | -1.5 | -1.3 | -1.5 | -1.5 |
| Health | 7.0 | 2.2 | 6.5 | 8.1 | 2.7 | 2.6 |
| Transport | 1.5 | 1.4 | 1.3 | 1.6 | 1.2 | 1.1 |
| Communication | 0.3 | 0.2 | 0.6 | 0.1 | 0.5 | 0.2 |
| Recreation and culture | 0.0 | -0.4 | -0.3 | 0.1 | -1.0 | -0.5 |
| Education | 5.3 | 5.2 | 5.4 | 5.4 | 5.3 | 5.1 |
| Insurance and financial services(b) | 0.6 | 0.8 | 0.4 | 0.7 | 0.4 | 0.4 |
| All groups | 1.1 | 0.7 | 0.9 | 1.1 | 0.3 | 0.6 |
|
| (a) House purchases are included in the CPI but excluded from the other indexes. |
| (b) Includes interest charges and general insurance, except for the CPI. Interest charges are excluded from the CPI and general insurance is calculated on a different basis. |
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