6463.0 - Analytical Living Cost Indexes for Selected Australian Household Types, Mar 2010  
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 17/05/2010   
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RESULTS BY HOUSEHOLD TYPE



There are conceptual differences in the way that the housing and financial and insurance services groups are treated in the ALCI and CPI. See the Explanatory Notes for further detail.


Employee households

The index for employee households increased 1.3% for the March quarter 2010 due to increases in interest charges, automotive fuel, pharmaceuticals, vegetables, electricity, hospital and medical services, secondary education, tertiary education and insurance. The major offsetting decreases were provided by furniture, fruit, domestic holiday travel and accommodation and audio, visual and computing equipment.

The ALCI for employee households showed a larger increase than the CPI (+0.9%) for the March quarter 2010.

The index for employee households increased 2.0% for the year to March quarter 2010 mainly due to increases in automotive fuel, electricity, insurance, rents, hospital and medical services and beer. The major offsetting decreases were provided by interest charges, audio, visual and computing equipment, fruit and women's outerwear.

The ALCI for employee households showed a smaller increase compared to the CPI (+2.9%) for the year to March quarter 2010. Employee households have a relatively higher proportion of expenditure on financial and insurance services than the wider CPI population group (which comprises total metropolitan households). The interest charges paid by employee households recorded a significant decrease for the year to March quarter 2010. Interest charges are out of scope and therefore excluded from the CPI.


Age pensioner households

The index for age pensioner households increased by 1.0% for the March quarter 2010 due to increases in pharmaceuticals, electricity, vegetables, automotive fuel, hospital and medical services and insurance. The major offsetting decreases were provided by fruit, furniture, domestic holiday travel and accommodation, men's outerwear and women's outerwear.

The ALCI for age pensioner households showed a slightly larger increase than the CPI (+0.9%) for the March quarter 2010.

The index for age pensioner households increased by 3.1% for the year to March quarter 2010 due to increases in electricity, automotive fuel, insurance, hospital and medical services, water and sewerage, rents, and property rates and charges. The major offsets were provided by audio, visual and computing equipment, fruit, telecommunication, women's outerwear and milk.

The ALCI for age pensioner households showed a larger increase than the CPI (+2.9%) for the year to March quarter 2010. Compared to the wider CPI population group, age pensioner households have a relatively higher proportion of expenditure on health.


Other government transfer recipient households

The index for other government transfer recipient households increased by 1.2% for the March quarter 2010 due to increases in interest charges, electricity, pharmaceuticals, automotive fuel, vegetables, tobacco and rents. The major offsetting decreases were provided by fruit, furniture, children's and infants' clothing, men's outerwear, audio, visual and computing equipment, women's outerwear and domestic holiday travel and accommodation.

The ALCI for other government transfer recipient households showed a larger increase than the CPI (+0.9%) for the March quarter 2010.

The index for other government transfer recipient households increased by 2.8% for the year to March quarter 2010 due to increases in electricity, rents, automotive fuel, insurance and tobacco. The major offsets were provided by interest charges, audio, visual and computing equipment and fruit.

The ALCI for other government transfer recipient households showed a slightly smaller increase than the CPI (+2.9%) for the year to March quarter 2010. Compared to the wider CPI population group, other government transfer recipient households have a relatively higher proportion of expenditure on food and alcohol and tobacco - which only recorded moderate annual increases to March quarter 2010.


Self-funded retiree households

The index for self-funded retiree households increased by 0.7% for the March quarter 2010 due to increases in pharmaceuticals, automotive fuel, vegetables, hospital and medical services, electricity, insurance and interest charges. The major offsetting decreases were provided by domestic holiday travel and accommodation, fruit, furniture and audio, visual and computing equipment.

The ALCI for self-funded retiree households showed a smaller increase than the CPI (+0.9%) for the March quarter 2010. Self-funded retiree households have a relatively lower proportion of expenditure on financial and insurance services, which had a large increase for the March quarter 2010. Self-funded retiree households also have a relatively higher proportion of expenditure on recreation which recorded a decrease for the March quarter 2010.

The index for self-funded retiree households increased by 2.9% for the year to March quarter 2010 due to increases in electricity, automotive fuel, hospital and medical services, insurance, domestic holiday travel and accommodation, water and sewerage and property rates and charges. The major offsets were provided by interest charges, overseas holiday travel and accommodation and audio, visual and computing equipment.

The ALCI for self-funded retiree households showed the same increase for the year to March quarter 2010 as the CPI (+2.9%).


GRAPHS

Graph 1: Index numbers for Employee households, June quarter 1998 = 100.0
Graph: Graph 1. Employee households and CPI (re-referenced), index numbers


Graph 2: Index numbers for Age pensioner households, All groups, June quarter 1998 = 100.0
Graph: Graph 2. Age pensioner households and CPI (re-referenced), index numbers


Graph 3: Index numbers for Other government transfer recipient households, All groups, June quarter 1998 = 100.0
Graph: Graph 3. Other government transfer recipient households and CPI (re-referenced), index numbers


Graph 4: Index numbers for Self-funded retiree households, All groups, June quarter 1998 = 100.0
Graph: Graph 4. Self-funded retiree households and CPI (re-referenced), index numbers


Graph 5: Employee households and CPI, All groups, Percentage change (from previous quarter)
Graph: Graph 5. Employee households and CPI, All Groups - Percentage change (from previous quarter)


Graph 6: Age pensioner households and CPI, All groups, Percentage change (from previous quarter)
Graph: Graph 6. Age pensioner households and CPI, All groups - Percentage change (from previous quarter)


Graph 7: Other government transfer recipient households and CPI, All groups, Percentage change (from previous quarter)
Graph: Graph 7: Other government transfer recipient households and CPI, All groups, Percentage change (from previous quarter)


Graph 8: Self-funded retiree households and CPI, All groups, Percentage change (from previous quarter)
Graph: Graph 8: Self–funded retiree households and CPI, All groups, Percentage change (from previous quarter)

Table 1: Percentage change in Analytical Living Cost Indexes and CPI, Commodity group, December quarter 2009 to March quarter 2010
Weighted average of eight capital cities
Employee ALCI(a)
Age pensioner ALCI(a)
Other government transfer recipient ALCI(a)
Self-funded retiree ALCI(a)
CPI(b)
Food
1.1
1.0
1.2
1.0
1.1
Alcohol and tobacco
1.2
1.1
1.6
1.1
1.3
Clothing and footwear
-4.2
-3.8
-4.6
-3.7
-4.3
Housing(c)
1.3
1.8
1.6
1.3
1.5
Household contents and services
-1.4
-1.0
-1.3
-1.2
-1.3
Health
4.5
6.9
7.7
4.4
4.7
Transportation
1.4
1.7
2.0
1.4
1.3
Communication
-0.1
-0.1
-0.1
-0.1
-0.1
Recreation
-1.1
-1.0
-0.9
-1.2
-1.0
Education
5.4
5.5
5.3
5.3
5.6
Financial and insurance services(d)
6.6
2.6
5.1
2.9
2.0
All groups
1.3
1.0
1.2
0.7
0.9
(a) Reference base of index: June quarter 1998 = 100.0.
(b) Re-referenced to base of June quarter 1998 = 100.0.
(c) House purchases are included in the CPI but excluded from the other indexes.
(d) 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.

Table 2: Points contribution to quarterly change, December quarter 2009 to March quarter 2010 - index points
Weighted average of eight capital cities
Employee ALCI(a)
Age pensioner ALCI(a)
Other government transfer recipient ALCI(a)
Self-funded retiree ALCI(a)
CPI(b)
Food
0.28
0.33
0.34
0.25
0.24
Alcohol and tobacco
0.14
0.13
0.23
0.11
0.12
Clothing and footwear
-0.24
-0.24
-0.28
-0.18
-0.21
Housing(c)
0.24
0.49
0.51
0.21
0.42
Household contents and services
-0.19
-0.16
-0.18
-0.19
-0.17
Health
0.30
0.71
0.34
0.56
0.32
Transportation
0.28
0.27
0.28
0.27
0.22
Communication
0.00
-0.01
-0.01
0.00
0.00
Recreation
-0.18
-0.15
-0.13
-0.27
-0.15
Education
0.23
0.01
0.14
0.05
0.22
Financial and insurance services(d)
1.07
0.20
0.46
0.20
0.26
All groups
1.9
1.5
1.7
1.0
1.3
(a) Reference base of index: June quarter 1998 = 100.0.
(b) Re-referenced to base of June quarter 1998 = 100.0.
(c) House purchases are included in the CPI but excluded from the other indexes.
(d) 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.

Table 3: Contributions to total index, Commodity group, December quarter 2009 to March quarter 2010 - index points
Employee ALCI(a)
Age pensioner ALCI(a)
Other government transfer recipient ALCI(a)
Self-funded retiree ALCI(a)
CPI(b)
Commodity group
Dec qtr 2009
Mar qtr 2010
Dec qtr 2009
Mar qtr 2010
Dec qtr 2009
Mar qtr 2010
Dec qtr 2009
Mar qtr 2010
Dec qtr 2009
Mar qtr 2010
Food
24.44
24.72
31.47
31.80
28.29
28.63
24.76
25.01
22.95
23.19
Alcohol and tobacco
11.68
11.82
10.43
10.56
14.72
14.95
10.82
10.93
9.89
10.01
Clothing and footwear
5.46
5.22
6.37
6.13
6.05
5.77
4.99
4.81
4.89
4.68
Housing(c)
18.28
18.52
26.85
27.34
30.82
31.33
16.70
16.91
29.71
30.13
Household contents and services
13.16
12.97
14.98
14.82
13.77
13.59
16.48
16.29
12.49
12.33
Health
6.88
7.18
10.31
11.02
4.45
4.79
12.54
13.10
6.79
7.11
Transportation
19.82
20.10
15.60
15.87
15.03
15.31
19.42
19.69
17.62
17.85
Communication
4.50
4.50
4.92
4.91
5.77
5.76
3.82
3.82
4.13
4.13
Recreation
16.74
16.56
15.16
15.01
13.27
13.14
22.48
22.21
15.19
15.04
Education
4.39
4.62
0.23
0.24
2.71
2.85
0.97
1.02
4.05
4.28
Financial and insurance services(d)
16.24
17.31
7.55
7.75
8.94
9.40
6.88
7.08
12.36
12.61
All groups
141.6
143.5
143.9
145.5
143.8
145.5
139.9
140.9
140.1
141.4
(a) Reference base of index: June quarter 1998 = 100.0.
(b) Re-referenced to base of June quarter 1998 = 100.0.
(c) House purchases are included in the CPI but excluded from the other indexes.
(d) 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.

Table 4: Percentage change in Analytical Living Cost Indexes and CPI, Commodity group, March quarter 2009 to March quarter 2010
Weighted average of eight capital cities
Employee ALCI(a)
Age pensioner ALCI(a)
Other government transfer recipient ALCI(a)
Self funded retiree ALCI(a)
CPI(b)
Food
0.9
0.2
0.4
0.5
0.7
Alcohol and tobacco
3.6
3.5
3.4
3.3
3.5
Clothing and footwear
-1.6
-1.7
-1.8
-1.1
-1.8
Housing(c)
7.3
7.5
6.9
8.3
6.1
Household contents and services
1.5
1.5
1.5
1.5
1.4
Health
5.0
4.5
4.2
5.1
5.1
Transportation
4.3
5.0
5.5
4.3
4.1
Communication
0.1
0.2
0.1
0.2
0.2
Recreation
1.3
1.9
1.4
1.4
1.2
Education
5.5
5.6
5.4
5.5
5.7
Financial and insurance services(d)
-4.8
5.2
-1.0
3.7
2.0
All groups
2.0
3.1
2.8
2.9
2.9
(a) Reference base of index: June quarter 1998 = 100.0.
(b) Re-referenced to base of June quarter 1998 = 100.0.
(c) House purchases are included in the CPI but excluded from the other indexes.
(d) 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.

Table 5: Points contribution to annual change, March quarter 2009 to March quarter 2010 - index points
Weighted average of eight capital cities
Employee ALCI(a)
Age pensioner ALCI(a)
Other government transfer recipient ALCI(a)
Self-funded retiree ALCI(a)
CPI(b)
Food
0.21
0.06
0.12
0.13
0.17
Alcohol and tobacco
0.42
0.36
0.49
0.35
0.34
Clothing and footwear
-0.09
-0.11
-0.11
-0.05
-0.08
Housing(c)
1.26
1.90
2.01
1.30
1.73
Household contents and services
0.19
0.22
0.20
0.24
0.18
Health
0.34
0.48
0.19
0.63
0.34
Transportation
0.83
0.76
0.80
0.81
0.70
Communication
0.00
0.01
0.01
0.01
0.00
Recreation
0.22
0.28
0.19
0.31
0.18
Education
0.24
0.01
0.15
0.05
0.23
Financial and insurance services(d)
-0.87
0.39
-0.10
0.25
0.25
All groups
2.8
4.4
3.9
4.0
4.0
(a) Reference base of index: June quarter 1998 = 100.0.
(b) Re-referenced to base of June quarter 1998 = 100.0.
(c) House purchases are included in the CPI but excluded from the other indexes.
(d) 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.

Table 6: Contributions to total index, Commodity group, March quarter 2009 to March quarter 2010 - index points
Employee ALCI(a)
Age pensioner ALCI(a)
Other government transfer recipient ALCI(a)
Self-funded retiree ALCI(a)
CPI(b)
Commodity group
Mar qtr 2009
Mar qtr 2010
Mar qtr 2009
Mar qtr 2010
Mar qtr 2009
Mar qtr 2010
Mar qtr 2009
Mar qtr 2010
Mar qtr 2009
Mar qtr 2010
Food
24.50
24.72
31.74
31.80
28.51
28.63
26.03
25.01
23.02
23.19
Alcohol and tobacco
11.40
11.82
10.20
10.56
14.47
14.95
11.07
10.93
9.68
10.01
Clothing and footwear
5.31
5.22
6.24
6.13
5.88
5.77
5.08
4.81
4.76
4.68
Housing(c)
17.25
18.52
25.42
27.34
29.31
31.33
16.33
16.91
28.40
30.13
Household contents and services
12.78
12.97
14.61
14.82
13.39
13.59
16.80
16.29
12.15
12.33
Health
6.84
7.18
10.54
11.02
4.60
4.79
13.04
13.10
6.77
7.11
Transportation
19.26
20.10
15.11
15.87
14.51
15.31
19.75
19.69
17.14
17.85
Communication
4.52
4.50
4.98
4.91
5.83
5.76
4.01
3.82
4.12
4.13
Recreation
16.34
16.56
14.73
15.01
12.96
13.14
22.91
22.21
14.86
15.04
Education
4.38
4.62
0.23
0.24
2.70
2.85
1.01
1.02
4.04
4.28
Financial and insurance services(d)
18.17
17.31
7.36
7.75
9.49
9.40
7.15
7.08
12.36
12.61
All groups
140.8
143.5
141.2
145.5
141.6
145.5
143.2
140.9
137.3
141.4
(a) Reference base of index: June quarter 1998 = 100.0.
(b) Re-referenced to base of June quarter 1998 = 100.0.
(c) House purchases are included in the CPI but excluded from the other indexes.
(d) 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.