CAPITAL CITIES COMPARISON


ALL GROUPS CPI

At the All groups level, the CPI rose in all eight capital cities.

The alcohol and tobacco group (+3.2%) is the most significant positive contributor to the All groups quarterly movement, with rises in all eight capital cities. The rise is due to tobacco (+9.4%), due to the effects of the 12.5% federal excise tax increase and the further increase based on Average Weekly Ordinary Time Earnings (AWOTE), effective from 1 September 2018.

The recreation and culture group (+1.1%) is the second most significant positive contributor to the All groups quarterly movement, with rises in seven out of eight capital cities. The rise is due to domestic holiday travel and accommodation (+6.2%), due to increased demand over the October school holidays and the lead up to the peak summer holiday period.

The food and non-alcoholic beverages group (+0.9%) is the third most significant positive contributor to the All groups quarterly movement, with rises in all eight capital cities. The rise is due to fruit (+5.0%), due to seasonal growing patterns.

The most significant negative contributor to the All groups quarterly movement is the transport group (-0.7%), with falls in six out of eight capital cities. The fall is due to automotive fuel (-2.5%), due to falls in world oil prices.

The second most significant negative contributor to the All groups quarterly movement is the communication group (-1.3%), with falls in all eight capital cities. The fall is due to telecommunications equipment and services (-1.5%).

Over the twelve months to December quarter 2018, the All groups CPI (+1.8%) has risen in all eight capital cities, with Hobart (+3.0%), Canberra (+2.5%), and Melbourne (+2.0%) recording the largest movements.

All Groups CPI, All groups index numbers and percentage changes
	Index number(a)	Percentage change
	Dec Qtr 2018	Sep Qtr 2018 to Dec Qtr 2018	Dec Qtr 2017 to Dec Qtr 2018
Sydney	115.2	0.4	1.7
Melbourne	114.6	0.5	2.0
Brisbane	114.0	0.5	1.5
Adelaide	113.0	0.5	1.6
Perth	111.3	0.5	1.3
Hobart	113.6	1.2	3.0
Darwin	111.0	0.2	1.2
Canberra	113.1	0.7	2.5
Weighted average of eight capital cities	114.1	0.5	1.8
(a) Index reference period: 2011-12 = 100.0.

SYDNEY (+0.4%)

The main contributors to the rise in Sydney this quarter are tobacco (+9.5), domestic holiday travel and accommodation (+5.5%), fruit (+5.0%) and new dwelling purchase by owner-occupiers (+0.8%). The rise is partially offset by falls in automotive fuel (-3.8%) and telecommunications equipment and services (-1.5%). Sydney had the largest fall in automotive fuel of all the capital cities for the quarter.


MELBOURNE (+0.5%)

The main contributors to the rise in Melbourne this quarter are tobacco (+9.2%), domestic holiday travel and accommodation (+7.5%) and fruit (+4.7%). The rise is partially offset by falls in automotive fuel (-2.3%), wine (-2.7%), and gas and other household fuels (-3.0%). The fall in gas and other household fuels is due to the seasonal switch to off-peak pricing in Melbourne on 1 November.


BRISBANE (+0.5%)

The main contributors to the rise in Brisbane this quarter are tobacco (+9.9%), domestic holiday travel and accommodation (+4.7%) and electricity (+4.0%). The rise is partially offset by falls in automotive fuel (-3.3%). Brisbane had the second largest fall in automotive fuel of all the capital cities for the quarter.


ADELAIDE (+0.5%)

The main contributors to the rise in Adelaide this quarter are tobacco (+9.3%), domestic holiday travel and accommodation (+8.2%) and fruit (+3.6%). The rise is partially offset by falls in international holiday travel and accommodation (-2.8%) and audio, visual and computing equipment (-4.4%).


PERTH (+0.5%)

The main contributors to the rise in Perth this quarter are tobacco (+9.2%), domestic holiday travel and accommodation (+6.8%) and fruit (+4.7%). The rise is partially offset by falls in automotive fuel (-1.8%), rents (-1.2%), and audio, visual and computing equipment (-4.3%). The fall in rents is due to continued weak demand and high vacancy rates.


HOBART (+1.2%)

The main contributors to the rise in Hobart this quarter are domestic holiday travel and accommodation (+15.5%), tobacco (+9.7%), automotive fuel (+1.6%) and rents (+1.3%). The rise is partially offset by falls in audio, visual and computing equipment (-3.2%) and telecommunications equipment and services (-1.6%). Hobart's rise this quarter is due to a number of factors: strong tourism demand from both domestic and international visitors is leading to price rises in airfares; Hobart is one of only two capital cities to record a price rise in automotive fuel for the quarter; and low vacancy rates is seeing price rises in rents.


DARWIN (+0.2%)

The main contributors to the rise in Darwin this quarter are tobacco (+9.7%), wine (+11.5%), sports participation (+10.7%) and beer (+1.5%). The rise is partially offset by falls in domestic holiday travel and accommodation (-9.1%), due to reduced demand for domestic airfares during the 'wet season' in the Northern Territory. The rise in wine is driven by the implementation of a price floor of $1.30 per standard drink of alcohol by the Northern Territory Government on 1 October 2018.


CANBERRA (+0.7%)

The main contributors to the rise in Canberra this quarter are tobacco (+9.7%), domestic holiday travel and accommodation (+3.1%), and automotive fuel (+2.9%). The rise is partially offset by falls in audio, visual and computing equipment (-4.0%), telecommunication equipment and services (-1.5%), and international holiday travel and accommodation (-0.7%). Canberra is one of only two cities to record a rise in automotive fuel for the quarter due to an increase in retail fuel margins.