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Consumer Price Index, Australia

Latest release

The Consumer Price Index (CPI) measures household inflation and includes statistics about price change for categories of household expenditure

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Reference period
September Quarter 2024
Released
30/10/2024
  • Next Release 29/01/2025
    Consumer Price Index, Australia, December Quarter 2024
  • Next Release 30/04/2025
    Consumer Price Index, Australia, March Quarter 2025
  • Next Release 30/07/2025
    Consumer Price Index, Australia, June Quarter 2025
  • View all releases

Key statistics

  • The Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose 0.2% this quarter.
  • Over the twelve months to the September 2024 quarter, the CPI rose 2.8%.
  • The most significant price rises this quarter were Recreation and culture (+1.3%), Food and non-alcoholic beverages (+0.6%), and Alcohol and tobacco (+1.3%).

What's new this quarter

Energy Bill Relief Fund rebates

The extended and expanded Commonwealth Energy Bill Relief Fund rebates, and the introduction of State government rebates, applied from July 2024. These rebates had the effect of reducing electricity costs for households in the September 2024 quarter. More details on the impact and timing of these rebates are provided below. 

Measuring owner-occupied housing in the CPI

Also released today is an article explaining how owner-occupied housing is measured in the CPI. Owner-occupied housing is a significant item in the CPI basket. The article explains the different approaches to measuring housing and what Australia and other countries use in their CPI. Data is also presented on the impact the different approaches have on the CPI.

Monthly CPI Indicator

The latest monthly inflation data can be found in the Monthly CPI Indicator. For more information on how the Monthly CPI Indicator relates to the quarterly CPI see Introducing a monthly CPI indicator for Australia. 

Complete monthly measure of the CPI

The ABS will release a complete monthly CPI in late 2025, as part of its transformative program called Big Data, Timely Insights: Phase 2 (BDTI2). Information is available on the Complete monthly measure of the CPI. 

Main features

 

Weighted average of eight capital cities
 

Jun Qtr 2024 to Sep Qtr 2024 

(% change)

Sep Qtr 2023 to Sep Qtr 2024

(% change) 

All groups CPI0.22.8
Food and non-alcoholic beverages0.63.3
Alcohol and tobacco1.36.7
Clothing and footwear-0.71.7
Housing-0.12.8
Furnishings, household equipment and services0.90.7
Health-0.14.8
Transport-2.2-0.9
Communication0.5-0.1
Recreation and culture1.32.1
Education0.46.4
Insurance and financial services1.26.2
CPI analytical series 
 All groups CPI, seasonally adjusted0.12.9
 Trimmed mean0.83.5
 Weighted median0.93.8

Overview

CPI and Trimmed mean annual inflation both lower

Annual CPI inflation was 2.8 per cent in the September quarter, significantly down from 3.8 per cent in the June quarter. The major reason for lower CPI inflation was due to a fall in prices for electricity and automotive fuel.

The Trimmed mean provides a view of underlying inflation by reducing the effect of irregular or temporary price changes that can impact the CPI. This quarter the Trimmed mean excluded the significant falls in both electricity and automotive fuel, alongside other large price rises and falls. Trimmed mean annual inflation was 3.5 per cent, down from 4.0 per cent in the June quarter.

Goods inflation more than halves

Annual Goods inflation was 1.4 per cent, down from 3.2 per cent in the June quarter. The drop in annual Goods inflation was due to significant falls in electricity and automotive fuel prices.

Services inflation remains elevated

Annual Services inflation was 4.6 per cent in the September quarter, slightly higher than the June quarter and has remained around 4.5 per cent for the past 12 months. Higher prices for rents, insurance, education and medical, dental and hospital services were the main contributors to Services inflation.

New Energy Bill Relief Fund rebates reduce electricity bills

Electricity prices fell 17.3 per cent in the September quarter and 15.8 per cent in the past 12 months.

The introduction of the 2024-25 Commonwealth Energy Bill Relief Fund (EBRF) rebates and State government rebates in Queensland, Western Australian and Tasmania from July drove the fall this quarter. 

In addition to the Commonwealth rebates, electricity bills in Queensland, Western Australia and Tasmania were reduced further due to the introduction of the $1,000 Cost of Living rebate in Queensland, the first instalment of the $400 energy rebate in Western Australia and the $250 Renewable Energy Dividend payment in Tasmania. 

Excluding the rebates, electricity prices would have risen by 0.7 per cent in the September 2024 quarter. 

The following graph shows the impact the rebates have had on the Electricity series in the CPI since the September 2023 quarter.

(a) Introduction of the 2023-24 Energy Bill Relief Fund (EBRF) for concession households in NSW, VIC, SA, TAS, NT and ACT, and all households in QLD and WA, from July 2023

(b)  Introduction of the first instalment of 2024-25 Commonwealth EBRF rebates for all households, and State government rebates in QLD, WA and TAS, from July 2024

 Commonwealth $300 rebateWA $400 State rebateQLD $1,000 State rebateTAS $250 State rebate (Renewable Energy Dividend)
Rebate methodApplied directly to electricity bills as four equal $75 quarterly instalments in the 2024-25 FY (a)Applied directly to electricity bills as two equal $200 instalments from July and December 2024Applied directly to electricity bills as a one-off $1,000 rebate. Where the rebate amount exceeds the average bill size, the residual amount is treated as a credit and applied to the next quarterly bill.Applied directly to electricity bills as a one-off $250 rebate
TimingFrom July 2024 for WA (b) and QLD. For all remaining States and Territories, from August 2024. (c) and (d)From July 2024 (b)From July 2024From July 2024

(a) This applies to all States and Territories, except WA, where rebates will be applied directly to electricity bills as two equal $150 instalments from July 2024 and December 2024.

(b) In Western Australia, the first instalment of both Energy Bill Relief Fund 2024-25 and $400 Electricity Credit has been paid from 20 July 2024. The remaining proportion of households whose billing cycle is in July 2024 will receive their first instalment in October 2024.

(c) For States and Territories receiving rebates from August, the households whose billing cycle is in July 2024 will receive two instalments in October 2024.

(d) In New South Wales and Victoria, the first instalment of Energy Bill Relief Fund 2024-25 has been paid from part way through August 2024. The remaining proportion of households whose billing cycle is in August will receive their first instalment in November 2024.

Automotive fuel prices lower compared to 12 months ago

Automotive fuel prices in the September 2024 quarter were 6.2 per cent lower compared to the September 2023 quarter. Petrol prices have fallen in four of the past five months as lower global demand has seen a fall in oil and wholesale fuel prices.

The average price for unleaded petrol for the September 2024 quarter was $1.84 per litre, which is 13 cents per litre lower than the September 2023 quarter. 

Rental price growth remains high but moderated by Commonwealth Rent Assistance changes

Rental prices rose 6.7 per cent over the 12 months to the September quarter, down from 7.3 per cent in the June quarter. Rental price growth continues to reflect low vacancy rates and a tight rental market. 


Changes to Commonwealth Rent Assistance

The rate of annual growth in rental prices has been moderated by changes to Commonwealth Rent Assistance (CRA). The maximum rate available for CRA increased by 10 per cent in September 2024 in addition to the usual biannual CPI indexation on 20 March and 20 September each year. This follows an additional increase to CRA maximum rates of 15 per cent in September last year. 

Increases to CRA in 2023 and 2024 have reduced the amount of rent payable by eligible recipients. Excluding these changes to CRA, rents would have increased by 8.5 per cent over the 12 months to the September 2024 quarter.

(a) Commonwealth Rent Assistance (CRA) maximum rates increased by 15% on top of the usual biannual CPI indexation from 20 September 2023. 
(b) Commonwealth Rent Assistance (CRA) maximum rates increased by 10% on top of the usual biannual CPI indexation from 20 September 2024. 

Annual food inflation remains elevated due to higher prices for fruit and vegetables

Food prices rose 3.3 per cent over the 12 months to the September quarter, unchanged from last quarter. Prices rose strongly for fruit and vegetables, particularly in berries, grapes, tomatoes, and capsicum due to unfavourable growing conditions. 

Higher prices in other food products include chocolate due to record high cocoa prices and eggs, where prices are 9.1 per cent higher compared to 12 months ago due to supply shortages caused by the ongoing bird flu outbreak.

Main contributors to change

CPI groups

Food and non-alcoholic beverages group (+0.6%)

Alcohol and tobacco group (+1.3%)

Clothing and footwear group (-0.7%)

Housing group (-0.1%)

Furnishings, household equipment and services group (+0.9%)

Health group (-0.1%)

Transport group (-2.2%)

Communication group (+0.5%)

Recreation and culture group (+1.3%)

Education group (+0.4%)

Insurance and financial services group (+1.2%)

International trade exposure - tradables and non-tradables

Discretionary and non-discretionary inflation

Underlying inflation series

Seasonally adjusted analytical series

Capital cities comparison

All groups CPI

All groups CPI, index numbers and percentage changes
 Index number(a)Percentage change (%)
 Sep Qtr 2024Jun Qtr 2024 to Sep Qtr 2024Sep Qtr 2023 to Sep Qtr 2024
Sydney139.80.52.9
Melbourne139.30.73.0
Brisbane139.4-0.91.8
Adelaide140.60.53.2
Perth137.0-0.43.8
Hobart136.8-1.10.7
Darwin133.80.12.2
Canberra137.20.32.6
Weighted average of eight capital cities139.10.22.8

a. Index reference period: 2011-12 = 100.0.

Capital city highlights:

At the All groups level, five capital cities recorded rises, ranging from 0.1% in Darwin to 0.7% in Melbourne. Falls were recorded in Brisbane (-0.9%), Perth (-0.4%) and Hobart (-1.1%). 

Sydney (+0.5%)

Melbourne (+0.7%)

Brisbane (-0.9%)

Adelaide (+0.5%)

Perth (-0.4%)

Hobart (-1.1%)

Darwin (+0.1%)

Canberra (+0.3%)

Quarterly percentage change by capital city
GroupSydneyMelbourneBrisbaneAdelaidePerthHobartDarwinCanberraWeighted average of eight capital cities
All groups0.50.7-0.90.5-0.4-1.10.10.30.2
Food & non-alcoholic beverages0.70.70.60.70.40.60.80.40.6
Alcohol & tobacco1.61.21.21.41.60.91.01.21.3
Clothing & footwear-0.8-0.2-1.50.1-1.1-0.2-0.1-0.9-0.7
Housing1.11.3-4.90.5-3.5-4.70.81.8-0.1
Furnishings, household equipment and services0.80.51.51.10.91.41.01.40.9
Health-0.50.20.00.2-0.2-0.32.2-0.1-0.1
Transport-2.4-1.9-2.9-1.9-1.5-3.4-2.2-1.8-2.2
Communication0.50.50.50.50.50.50.50.60.5
Recreation & culture1.12.01.61.30.8-0.3-1.9-0.61.3
Education1.00.2-0.10.10.10.00.10.10.4
Insurance & financial services1.11.41.02.21.6-1.1-0.1-0.61.2

Selected tables - capital cities

All groups CPI, index numbers(a)

All groups CPI, percentage changes

Longer term series: All groups CPI, weighted average of eight capital cities, index numbers

Data downloads

Download all (5.71 MB)

Time Series Spreadsheets

Data files

  • TABLES 1 and 2. CPI: All Groups, Index Numbers and Percentage Changes

    Download xlsx [88.89 KB]

  • TABLES 3 and 4. CPI: Groups, Weighted Average of Eight Capital Cities, Index Numbers and Percentage Changes

    Download xlsx [91.69 KB]

  • TABLE 5. CPI: Groups, Index Numbers by Capital City

    Download xlsx [164.76 KB]

  • TABLE 6. CPI: Group, Sub-group and Expenditure Class Contribution to Change in All Groups Indexes, by Capital City

    Download xlsx [226.36 KB]

  • TABLE 7. CPI: Group, Sub-group and Expenditure Class, Weighted Average of Eight Capital Cities

    Download xlsx [505.15 KB]

  • TABLE 8. CPI: Analytical Series, Weighted Average of Eight Capital Cities

    Download xlsx [147.18 KB]

  • TABLE 9. CPI: Group, Sub-group and Expenditure Class, Index Numbers by Capital City

    Download xlsx [1.54 MB]

  • TABLE 10. CPI: Group, Sub-group and Expenditure Class, Percentage change from corresponding quarter of previous year by Capital City

    Download xlsx [1.34 MB]

  • TABLE 11. CPI: Group, Sub-group and Expenditure Class, Percentage change from previous quarter by Capital City

    Download xlsx [1.3 MB]

  • TABLE 12. CPI: Group, Sub-group and Expenditure Class, Points Contribution, by Capital City

    Download xlsx [309.49 KB]

  • TABLE 13. CPI: Group, Expenditure Class and Selected Analytical Series Index Numbers, Seasonally adjusted, Weighted Average of Eight Capital Cities

    Download xlsx [177.25 KB]

  • TABLE 14. CPI: Expenditure Class, Combined seasonal adjustment factors, Weighted Average of Eight Capital Cities

    Download xlsx [219.42 KB]

Article archive

CPI feature articles

CPI enhancements

CPI weight updates

Response to COVID-19

CPI 17th series review

Measuring Rents in the CPI

Using price indexes

Price indexes in contracts

Price indexes published by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) provide summary measures of the movements in various categories of prices over time. They are published primarily for use in Government economic analysis. Price indexes are also often used in contracts by businesses and government to adjust payments and/or charges to take account of changes in categories of prices (Indexation Clauses).

Use of Price Indexes in Contracts sets out a range of issues that should be taken into account by parties considering including an Indexation Clause in a contract using an ABS published price index.

Frequently asked questions

The Frequently Asked Questions page has answers to a number of common questions to do with price indexes and the Consumer Price Index in particular.

Previous catalogue number

This release previously used catalogue number 6401.0.

Methodology

Consumer Price Index, Australia methodology, September Quarter 2024

Articles

Media releases