1308.8 - In fACT - Statistical Information on the ACT and Region, May 2010  
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 11/05/2010   
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Contents >> Key facts >> Commentary on key Indicators

COMMENTARY ON KEY INDICATORS

Population

  • The preliminary ERP of ACT at 30 September 2009 was 353,626 persons, an increase of 6,511 persons (+1.9%) since 30 September 2008.
  • Of this increase, natural increase accounted for 3,151 persons (48.4%) and net overseas migration for 3,982 persons (61.2%), while negative net interstate migration was recorded with a loss of 622 persons (-9.6%).
  • Natural increase comprised 4,826 births and 1,675 deaths, net overseas migration comprised 8,751 arrivals and 4,769 departures and net interstate migration comprised 18,089 arrivals and 18,711 departures.


Tourism
  • In the December quarter 2009, accommodation takings for ACT hotels, motels and serviced apartments with 15 or more rooms decreased by 0.3% to $54.3 million, compared to the previous quarter.
  • The December quarter 2009 room occupancy rate of 71.7% for ACT hotels, motels and serviced apartments with 15 or more rooms was 0.9 of a percentage point lower than the previous quarter.
  • For ACT hotels, motels and serviced apartments with 15 or more rooms, the average takings per room night occupied in the December quarter 2009 increased to $163 from the previous quarter's takings of $160.


Consumer Price Index (CPI)
  • The All Groups CPI for Canberra rose 0.6% in the March quarter 2010, compared to a rise of 0.4% in the previous quarter.
  • Over the year to March 2010, the All Groups CPI for Canberra rose 2.6%, compared to an annual rise of 2.7% to March 2009.
  • The most significant price rises for Canberra in the March quarter 2010 were for Pharmaceuticals (+13.1%), Children's footwear (+9.4%), Vegetables (+8.2%), Secondary education (+6.1%), and Pork (+5.8%). The most significant offsetting price falls were for Fruit (-11.9%), Audio visual and computing equipment (-5.7%) and Domestic holiday travel and accommodation (-5.6%).


National accounts
  • State final demand for the ACT increased by 2.5% (trend terms) between the September quarter 2009 and the December quarter 2009 - the third quarterly increase in a row. This increase was largely as a result of a rise of 7.1% in private gross fixed capital formation.
  • Over the year to the December quarter 2009, state final demand for the ACT increased by 6.9% (trend terms), mainly due to a rise of 23.5% ($233m) in private gross fixed capital formation.


Labour Force
  • The trend estimate of employment in ACT increased by 1000 to 200,400 persons from February 2010 to March 2010. Full-time employment decreased by 200 to 147,300 persons and part-time employment increased by 1,200 to 53,100 persons.
  • From March 2009 to March 2010, the trend estimate of employment for ACT increased by 5,400 with part-time employment accounting for the entire increase.
  • The trend estimate of unemployment in ACT decreased by 200 to 7,300 persons from February 2010 to March 2010 and by 1,300 persons from March 2009 to March 2010.
  • The trend unemployment rate for ACT decreased by 0.1 of a percentage point to 3.5% from February 2010 to March 2010 and increased by 0.5 of a percentage point from March 2009 to March 2010. From February 2010 to March 2010, the male unemployment rate remained steady at 4.2% while the female unemployment rate decreased by 0.1 of a percentage point to 2.8%.
  • The trend participation rate for the ACT increased by 0.3 of a percentage point to 73.6% from February 2010 to March 2010. The male participation rate increased by 0.1 of a percentage point to 77.9% and the female participation rate increased by 0.4 of a percentage point to 69.4%.


Retail Trade
  • In seasonally adjusted terms, total retail turnover in the ACT decreased by 0.8% from January 2010 ($379m) to February 2010 ($375m). Nationally, there was a decrease of 1.4% over the same period.
  • Cafes, restaurants and takeaway food services (+3.9%) and Other retailing (+1.9%) increased in February 2010, while Household goods retailing (-5.5%), Clothing, footwear and personal accessory retailing (-2.6%) were the largest decreases.


Building Approvals
  • The trend estimate for the number of dwelling units approved in the ACT was 276 in February 2010, a decrease of 5.8% from the previous month.
  • Over the year to February 2010, there were 3,419 dwelling units approved in the ACT, an increase of 35.6% over that for the year to February 2009 (2,522).


Housing Finance
  • In trend terms, the value of owner occupied housing finance commitments (excluding alterations and additions) in the ACT decreased by 1.0% from January 2010 ($289m) to February 2010 ($286m).
  • The number of commitments for owner occupied housing finance in the ACT decreased by 2.1% from January 2010 (1,053) to February 2010 (1,031), in trend terms.
  • In trend terms over the year to February 2010, there were 13,179 owner occupied housing finance commitments in the ACT, an increase of 25.5% over that for the year to February 2009 (10,505).
  • In original terms, the number of commitments for owner occupied housing finance in the ACT for February 2010 was 934. Of this, 12.0% related to the construction of dwellings, 6.5% to the purchase of new dwellings and 81.5% to the purchase of established dwellings (including refinancing).


House Price Index
  • Preliminary estimates show the price index for established houses in Canberra increased by 5.4% in the March quarter 2010 and 20.6% over the year to March 2010.
  • The Canberra project home price index increased 0.3% in the March quarter 2010 and 2.5% over the year to March quarter 2010.




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