CAPITAL CITIES COMPARISON


ALL GROUPS CPI

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

The recreation and culture group (+1.6%) is the most significant positive contributor to the All groups quarterly movement, with rises in all eight capital cities. The rise is due to international holiday travel and accommodation (+4.3%), due to the peak summer seasons in Europe and America.

The alcohol and tobacco group (+1.3%) is second most significant positive contributor to the All groups quarterly movement, with rises in all eight capital cities. The rise is due to tobacco (+1.8%) with the effects of the 12.5% federal excise tax increase and the further increase based on the Average Weekly Ordinary Time Earnings (AWOTE) effective 1 September 2018.

The housing group (+0.4%) is the third most significant positive contributor to the All groups quarterly movement, with rises in seven out of eight capital cities. The rise is due to property rates and charges (+2.3%) which are reviewed annually in September quarters.

The most significant offsetting negative contributor to the All groups quarterly movement is the furniture, household equipment and services group (-1.2%), with falls in all eight capital cities. The fall is due to child care (-11.8%) following the introduction of the Child Care Subsidy from 2 July 2018, which replaced the Child Care Benefit and Child Care Rebate. All eight capital cities recorded falls in child care this quarter ranging from -19.8% and -19.1% in Canberra and Melbourne respectively, to -7.6% and -7.4% in Sydney and Darwin respectively. Differences in the movements across the eight capital cities is due to a combination of changes in gross child care fees and varying impacts of the Child Care Subsidy due to differences in average household incomes.

The second most significant negative contributor to the All groups quarterly movement is the communications group (-1.4%), with falls in all eight capital cities. The fall is due to telecommunications equipment and services (-1.5%).

Over the twelve months to September quarter 2018, the All groups CPI has risen in all eight capital cities, with Hobart (+2.7%), Canberra (+2.5%), Melbourne (+2.2%) and Sydney (+2.0%) recording the largest movements.

All Groups CPI, All groups index numbers and percentage changes
	Index number(a)	Percentage change
	Sep Qtr 2018	Jun Qtr 2018 to Sep Qtr 2018	Sep Qtr 2017 to Sep Qtr 2018
Sydney	114.7	0.6	2.0
Melbourne	114.0	0.2	2.2
Brisbane	113.4	0.4	1.8
Adelaide	112.4	0.3	1.8
Perth	110.8	0.5	1.2
Hobart	112.2	0.6	2.7
Darwin	110.8	0.6	1.3
Canberra	112.3	0.6	2.5
Weighted average of eight capital cities	113.5	0.4	1.9
(a) Index reference period: 2011-12 = 100.0.

SYDNEY (+0.6%)

The main contributors to the rise in Sydney this quarter are international holiday travel and accommodation (+4.4%), domestic holiday travel and accommodation (+2.8%) and tertiary education (+3.2%). The rise in tertiary education is due to increases in vocational education. The rise is partially offset by falls in child care (-7.6%), audio, visual and computer equipment (-3.1%) and telecommunications equipment and services (-1.6%).


MELBOURNE (+0.2%)

The main contributors to the rise in Melbourne this quarter are international holiday travel and accommodation (+3.3%), tobacco (+1.9%), property rates and charges (+3.6%) and automotive fuel (+1.5%). The rise is partially offset by falls in child care (-19.1%) and new dwelling purchase by owner-occupiers (-0.7%). The fall in new dwelling purchase by owner-occupiers is due to increased competition in the detached dwellings market.


BRISBANE (+0.4%)

The main contributors to the rise in Brisbane this quarter are international holiday travel and accommodation (+5.3%), and domestic holiday travel and accommodation (+4.4%). The rise is partially offset by falls in child care (-9.7%) and electricity (-5.1%). The fall in electricity is due to the Affordable Energy Plan where households received a $50 electricity rebate.


ADELAIDE (+0.3%)

The main contributors to the rise in Adelaide this quarter are international holiday travel and accommodation (+6.5%), tobacco (+1.8%) and automotive fuel (+1.4). The rise is partially offset by falls in child care (-12.8%) and property rates and charges (-6.9%). The fall in property rates and charges is due to a rebate being introduced for the Emergency Services Levy.


PERTH (+0.5%)

The main contributors to the rise in Perth this quarter are electricity (+7.3%), international holiday travel and accommodation (+3.6%) and water and sewerage (+4.9%). The rise in electricity is in line with announced increases in electricity tariffs. The rise is partially offset by falls in child care (-11.5%) and rents (-1.6%). The fall in rents is due to an excess of housing stocked continuing to lead to high vacancy rates.


HOBART (+0.6%)

The main contributors to the rise in Hobart this quarter are automotive fuel (+3.9%), international holiday travel and accommodation (+4.8%), property rates and charges (+5.3%) and rents (+ 1.6%). The rise is partially offset by falls in child care (-11.4%) and motor vehicles (-1.9%).


DARWIN (+0.6%)

The main contributors to the rise in Darwin this quarter are domestic holiday travel and accommodation (+11.4%), international holiday travel and accommodation (+5.1%) and automotive fuel (+2.1%). The rise is partially offset by falls in child care (-7.4%) and sports participation (-15.7%). The fall in sports participation is due to the biannual $100 sport voucher provided to school aged children in the Northern Territory.


CANBERRA (+0.6%)

The main contributors to the rise in Canberra this quarter are electricity (+9.4%), domestic holiday travel and accommodation (+4.7%), property rates and charges (+7.9%) and international holiday travel and accommodation (+3.9%). The rise is partially offset by falls in child care (-19.8%) and other financial services (-1.6%). The fall in other financial services is due to the reduction in stamp duty on property sales.