CONSUMER PRICE INDEX

Introduction

Change from previous year

Change from previous quarter

Information papers on topical issues relating to state and national accounts


Introduction

The Consumer Price Index (CPI) is a widely used economic indicator, that provides a general measure of changes in prices of consumer goods and services purchased by Australian households. Prices are measured in each of the eight state and territory capital cities. The CPI 'basket' is split into 11 major groups:

• Food
• Alcohol and tobacco
• Clothing and footwear
• Housing
• Household contents and services
• Health
• Transportation
• Communication
• Recreation
• Education
• Financial and insurance services.

These groups contain the 90 expenditure classes, which in turn contain a selection of the individual items which are priced each quarter.

Further information about the CPI is contained in Australian Consumer Price Index: Concepts, Sources and Methods, 2005 (cat. no. 6461.0).


Change from previous year

In the year to June 2010, the All Groups Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose by 2.3% for Canberra and 3.1% nationally (weighted average of the eight capital cities). The most significant price rise occurred in Alcohol and tobacco, up 7.9% in Canberra and 8.7% nationally. The most significant fall occurred for Clothing and footwear, down 3.0% in Canberra and 3.8% nationally.

Change from previous quarter

In the June quarter 2010 the All Groups CPI rose by 0.3% for Canberra, and 0.6% nationally (weighted average of eight capital cities). The most significant price rise occurred in Alcohol and tobacco, up 5.1% in Canberra and 5.9% nationally. The most significant fall occurred for Food, down 0.7% in Canberra and Recreation, down 1.8% nationally.

The largest contributor to the increase of 0.3% in the CPI for Canberra in June quarter 2010 was Alcohol and tobacco (+5.1%). Within the Alcohol and tobacco group, the key driver of the increase was the price for Tobacco, which rose by 15.9% in the quarter.

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