MAIN CONTRIBUTORS TO CHANGE
The PBLCI fell 0.2% for the December quarter 2011. Food and non–alcoholic beverages (–1.9%) made the largest contribution primarily due to decreases in fruit and vegetables.
Housing (+0.8%) contributed the most significant offset largely due to increases in rents.
The PBLCI (–0.2%) recorded a negative movement in the December quarter 2011 while the CPI recorded no change. Pensioner and beneficiary households have a relatively higher proportion (compared to the CPI population) of expenditure for food and non–alcoholic beverages and health, which both fell this quarter.
The PBLCI rose 3.2% through the year to the December quarter 2011. The PBLCI showed a larger rise compared to the CPI (+3.1%) through the year to the December quarter 2011.
GRAPHS
Graph 1. Pensioner and beneficiary living cost index, Percentage change from previous quarter
![Graph: Pensioner and beneficiary living cost index percentage change from previous quarter](/ausstats/abs@.nsf/0/b609dd8bfa9df007ca2579f100158125/Body/0.5E8!OpenElement&FieldElemFormat=gif)
Graph 2. Pensioner and beneficiary living cost index, Index numbers
![Graph: Pensioner and beneficiary living cost index, Index numbers](/ausstats/abs@.nsf/0/b609dd8bfa9df007ca2579f100158125/Body/0.13F4!OpenElement&FieldElemFormat=gif)
Graph 3. Comparison of living cost index numbers
![Graph: Comparison of living cost index numbers](/ausstats/abs@.nsf/0/b609dd8bfa9df007ca2579f100158125/Body/0.2294!OpenElement&FieldElemFormat=gif)
Table 1: Pensioner and Beneficiary Living Cost Index, All Groups, Weighted average of eight capital cities – index numbers, percentage change and points change |
|
![](/icons/ecblank.gif) | ![](/icons/ecblank.gif) | ![](/icons/ecblank.gif) | Percentage change | Points change |
Quarters | Index Numbers(a) | From previous quarter | From corresponding quarter of previous year | From previous quarter | From corresponding quarter of previous year |
|
2009 | ![](/icons/ecblank.gif) | ![](/icons/ecblank.gif) | ![](/icons/ecblank.gif) | ![](/icons/ecblank.gif) | ![](/icons/ecblank.gif) |
![](/icons/ecblank.gif) | June | 107.1 | 0.1 | 2.3 | 0.1 | 2.4 |
![](/icons/ecblank.gif) | September | 108.2 | 1.0 | 2.0 | 1.1 | 2.1 |
![](/icons/ecblank.gif) | December | 108.8 | 0.6 | 2.6 | 0.6 | 2.8 |
2010 | ![](/icons/ecblank.gif) | ![](/icons/ecblank.gif) | ![](/icons/ecblank.gif) | ![](/icons/ecblank.gif) | ![](/icons/ecblank.gif) |
![](/icons/ecblank.gif) | March | 110.1 | 1.2 | 2.9 | 1.3 | 3.1 |
![](/icons/ecblank.gif) | June | 111.2 | 1.0 | 3.8 | 1.1 | 4.1 |
![](/icons/ecblank.gif) | September | 112.3 | 1.0 | 3.8 | 1.1 | 4.1 |
![](/icons/ecblank.gif) | December | 113.1 | 0.7 | 4.0 | 0.8 | 4.3 |
2011 | ![](/icons/ecblank.gif) | ![](/icons/ecblank.gif) | ![](/icons/ecblank.gif) | ![](/icons/ecblank.gif) | ![](/icons/ecblank.gif) |
![](/icons/ecblank.gif) | March | 115.2 | 1.9 | 4.6 | 2.1 | 5.1 |
![](/icons/ecblank.gif) | June | 116.2 | 0.9 | 4.5 | 1.0 | 5.1 |
![](/icons/ecblank.gif) | September | 116.9 | 0.6 | 4.1 | 0.7 | 4.6 |
![](/icons/ecblank.gif) | December | 116.7 | -0.2 | 3.2 | -0.2 | 3.6 |
|
(a) Reference base of index: June quarter 2007 = 100.0 |
Table 2: Percentage change in analytical living cost indexes, PBLCI and CPI, by commodity group – September Quarter 2011 to December Quarter 2011 |
|
Commodity group | Age pensioner ALCI(a) | Other government transfer recipient ALCI(a) | PBLCI | CPI(b) |
|
Food and non–alcoholic beverages | -2.1 | -1.8 | -1.9 | -1.5 |
Alcohol and tobacco | 0.9 | 0.9 | 0.9 | 0.9 |
Clothing and footwear | -0.2 | -0.2 | -0.2 | -0.5 |
Housing(c) | 0.6 | 0.9 | 0.8 | 0.4 |
Furnishings, household equipment and services | -0.2 | -0.2 | -0.2 | 0.1 |
Health | -2.6 | -3.2 | -2.8 | -1.2 |
Transport | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.0 |
Communication | 1.0 | 1.1 | 1.1 | 1.1 |
Recreation and culture | 0.6 | 0.5 | 0.6 | 0.8 |
Education | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Insurance and financial services(d) | 0.8 | 0.6 | 0.6 | 0.6 |
All groups | -0.4 | 0.0 | -0.2 | 0.0 |
|
(a) As published in Analytical Living Cost Indexes for Selected Australian Household Types (cat. no. 6463.0) |
(b) As published in Consumer Price Index, Australia (cat. no. 6401.0) |
(c) House purchases are included in the CPI but excluded from the population subgroup 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: Points contribution to quarterly change, index points – September Quarter 2011 to December Quarter 2011 |
|
Commodity group | Age pensioner ALCI(a) | Other government transfer recipient ALCI(a) | PBLCI(b) | CPI(a) |
|
Food and non–alcoholic beverages | -0.55 | -0.39 | -0.45 | -0.28 |
Alcohol and tobacco | 0.06 | 0.10 | 0.09 | 0.07 |
Clothing and footwear | -0.01 | -0.01 | -0.01 | -0.02 |
Housing(c) | 0.12 | 0.25 | 0.21 | 0.12 |
Furnishings, household equipment and services | -0.03 | -0.01 | -0.02 | 0.01 |
Health | -0.26 | -0.11 | -0.17 | -0.07 |
Transport | 0.01 | 0.01 | 0.01 | 0.01 |
Communication | 0.04 | 0.05 | 0.04 | 0.04 |
Recreation and culture | 0.08 | 0.06 | 0.07 | 0.11 |
Education | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
Insurance and financial services(d) | 0.04 | 0.04 | 0.04 | 0.05 |
All groups | -0.5 | 0.0 | -0.2 | 0.0 |
|
(a) Re–referenced to base of June quarter 2007 = 100.0 |
(b) Reference base of index: June quarter 2007 = 100.0 |
(c) House purchases are included in the CPI but excluded from the population subgroup 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: Contribution to total index, by commodity group, index points – September Quarter 2011 to December Quarter 2011 |
|
![](/icons/ecblank.gif) | Age pensioner ALCI(a) | Other government transfer recipient ALCI(a) | PBLCI(b) | CPI(a) |
Commodity group | Sep Qtr 2011 | Dec Qtr 2011 | Sep Qtr 2011 | Dec Qtr 2011 | Sep Qtr 2011 | Dec Qtr 2011 | Sep Qtr 2011 | Dec Qtr 2011 |
|
Food and non–alcoholic beverages | 25.76 | 25.21 | 22.44 | 22.05 | 23.79 | 23.34 | 19.01 | 18.73 |
Alcohol and tobacco | 7.78 | 7.84 | 11.46 | 11.56 | 9.96 | 10.05 | 8.04 | 8.11 |
Clothing and footwear | 5.73 | 5.72 | 5.76 | 5.75 | 5.75 | 5.74 | 4.57 | 4.55 |
Housing(c) | 20.54 | 20.66 | 27.34 | 27.59 | 24.57 | 24.78 | 25.71 | 25.83 |
Furnishings, household equipment and services | 12.87 | 12.84 | 9.02 | 9.01 | 10.58 | 10.56 | 10.33 | 10.34 |
Health | 9.98 | 9.72 | 3.52 | 3.41 | 6.15 | 5.98 | 5.93 | 5.86 |
Transport | 10.88 | 10.89 | 11.29 | 11.30 | 11.12 | 11.13 | 13.09 | 13.10 |
Communication | 4.25 | 4.29 | 4.87 | 4.92 | 4.62 | 4.66 | 3.45 | 3.49 |
Recreation and culture | 13.39 | 13.47 | 11.06 | 11.12 | 12.01 | 12.08 | 14.35 | 14.46 |
Education | 0.33 | 0.33 | 2.76 | 2.76 | 1.77 | 1.77 | 3.61 | 3.61 |
Insurance and financial services(d) | 4.78 | 4.82 | 7.88 | 7.92 | 6.62 | 6.66 | 5.79 | 5.84 |
All groups | 116.3 | 115.8 | 117.4 | 117.4 | 116.9 | 116.7 | 113.9 | 113.9 |
|
(a) Re–referenced to base of June quarter 2007 = 100.0 |
(b) Reference base of index: June quarter 2007 = 100.0 |
(c) House purchases are included in the CPI but excluded from the population subgroup 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: Percentage change in analytical living cost indexes, PBLCI and CPI, Commodity group – December Quarter 2010 to December Quarter 2011 |
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Commodity group | Age pensioner ALCI(a) | Other government transfer recipient ALCI(a) | PBLCI | CPI(b) |
|
Food and non–alcoholic beverages | 2.7 | 2.0 | 2.3 | 2.5 |
Alcohol and tobacco | 3.0 | 4.5 | 4.0 | 3.1 |
Clothing and footwear | 2.0 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 2.6 |
Housing(c) | 5.8 | 5.3 | 5.4 | 4.0 |
Furnishings, household equipment and services | -0.1 | -0.1 | -0.1 | 0.2 |
Health | 3.0 | 1.8 | 2.7 | 3.6 |
Transport | 5.2 | 5.6 | 5.5 | 4.0 |
Communication | 1.8 | 1.7 | 1.7 | 1.6 |
Recreation and culture | 0.6 | 0.1 | 0.3 | 0.5 |
Education | 5.8 | 5.5 | 5.6 | 5.8 |
Insurance and financial services(d) | 4.8 | 5.1 | 5.0 | 5.6 |
All groups | 3.0 | 3.3 | 3.2 | 3.1 |
|
(a) As published in Analytical Living Cost Indexes for Selected Australian Household Types (cat. no. 6463.0) |
(b) As published in Consumer Price Index, Australia (cat. no. 6401.0) |
(c) House purchases are included in the CPI but excluded from the population subgroup 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. |
The following tables have been temporarily suspended, until data becomes available to calculate through the year estimates of points contributions and contributions to All Groups:
- Table 6: Points contribution to annual change, index points
- Table 7: Contribution to total index, Commodity group, index points