| Weighted average of eight capital cities, All groups | Sep Qtr 2021 to Dec Qtr 2021 % change | Dec Qtr 2020 to Dec Qtr 2021 % change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Selected Living Cost Indexes (LCIs) - Household type: | |||
| Pensioner and beneficiary LCI (PBLCI) | 0.8 | 3.0 | |
| Employee LCI | 0.8 | 2.6 | |
| Age pensioner LCI | 0.8 | 3.4 | |
| Other government transfer recipient LCI | 0.9 | 2.7 | |
| Self-funded retiree LCI | 0.9 | 3.3 | |
| Consumer Price Index (CPI) | 1.3 | 3.5 | |
In the December quarter 2021, all five LCIs rose:
- Transport was the main contributor for all five population sub-groups. The Automotive fuel series reached record levels in the December 2021 quarter, due to higher global oil prices amid economic recovery and limited oil supply.
- Recreation and culture was a main contributor for three of the five population sub-groups: Employee, Age pensioner and Self-funded retiree households. This was due to price increases for Domestic holiday travel and accommodation following the re-opening of state and territory borders and the commencement of the peak summer holiday period.
- Alcohol and tobacco was a main contributor for two of the five population sub-groups: Pensioner and beneficiary and Other government transfer recipient households. This was due to increases in Tobacco prices driven by the flow-on effect of the Average Weekly Ordinary Time Earnings (AWOTE) excise increase of 1.4% applied on 1 September 2021.
Over the past twelve months all LCIs rose annually by between 2.6% and 3.4%:
- Transport was the main contributor for all five population sub-groups, with the price of Automotive fuel rising 32%.
- The Age pensioner household sub-group had the highest annual increase (+3.4%). Food makes up a higher proportion of this sub-group compared to the others. This household group also had the highest annual increase in housing costs.
- The Employee household sub-group had the lowest annual increase (+2.6%) due to Mortgage interest charges falling over the year. Excluding Mortgage interest charges, this household group would have risen 3.1%.