EXPENDITURE ON CULTURE

In 2009-10, Australian households spent 4% of their total expenditure on cultural goods and services. Households spent the largest amounts on televisions ($3,350m), pay TV fees ($2,295m), books ($2,032m), and newspapers ($1,178m).

3.1 EXPENDITURE ON CULTURE BY AUSTRALIAN HOUSEHOLDS - 2009-10
		Average household expenditure	Total household expenditure
		$/week	$m/year
Literature
	Books	4.64	2 031.8
	Newspapers	2.69	1 177.9
	Magazines and comics	1.89	827.6
	Books, newspapers, magazines and other printed material nec	0.16	70.1
	Total	9.38	4 107.5
Music
	Pre-recorded compact discs and records (audio)	0.92	402.9
	Audio cassettes and tapes	-	-
	Total	0.92	402.9
Performing arts
	Live theatre fees and charges	*1.04	*455.4
	Music concert fees and charges	1.89	827.6
	Total	2.93	1 283.0
Visual arts and crafts
	Studio and other professional photography	*0.56	*245.2
	Paintings, carvings and sculptures	*1.25	*547.4
	Art and craft materials	0.57	249.6
	Total	2.38	1 042.2
Broadcasting, electronic media and film
	Hire of video cassette tapes and TV/computer games	0.73	319.7
	Pre-recorded video cassettes and video discs	2.60	1 138.5
	Cinema fees and charges	2.29	1 002.8
	Pay TV fees	5.24	2 294.6
	Total	10.86	4 755.6
Other arts
	Musical instruments and accessories	*0.46	*201.4
	Culture course	2.00	875.8
	Cultural fees and charges nec	*0.07	*30.7
	Total	2.53	1 107.9
Heritage
	Art gallery and museum fees and charges	0.14	61.3
	National park fees and charges	*0.09	*39.4
	Zoo fees and charges	0.20	87.6
	Total	0.43	188.3
Other culture
	Portable players (non-CD) and radios	0.76	332.8
	CD players	0.10	43.8
	Integrated sound systems	*0.18	*78.8
	Other audio equipment(a)	*0.73	*319.7
	Televisions	7.65	3 349.9
	Home entertainment systems	**0.87	**381.0
	Television aerials nec	*0.15	*65.7
	Video players and recorders	0.86	376.6
	Video cameras	*0.46	*201.4
	Other video equipment(b)	*0.45	*197.1
	Audiovisual equipment and parts nec	*0.88	*385.4
	Hire of televisions	**0.07	**30.7
	Blank video cassettes and digital media	0.85	372.2
	Repair and maintenance of audiovisual equipment and personal computers	0.85	372.2
	Audiovisual equipment and personal computer repairs insurance	0.24	105.1
	Photographic equipment (excluding film and chemicals)	*0.22	*96.3
	Photographic film and chemicals (including developing)	0.64	280.3
	Total	15.96	6 988.8
Total expenditure on culture		45.39	19 876.2
* estimate has a relative standard error of 25% to 50% and should be used with caution.
** estimate has a relative standard error greater than 50% and is considered too unreliable for general use.
- nil or rounded to zero (including null cells)
(a) Includes amplifiers and tuner-amplifiers, speakers, and audio equipment nec.
(b) Includes set top boxes and video equipment nec.
Source: Household Expenditure Survey, Australia: Summary of Results, 2009-10 (cat. no. 6530.0).

Changes in Spending Patterns

Between 2003-04 and 2009-10, average household expenditure on cultural goods and services rose from $36.40 to $45.39 per week, an increase of 25%. Over the same time prices, as measured by the consumer price index (CPI), increased by 19%.

3.2 AVERAGE WEEKLY HOUSEHOLD EXPENDITURE AT CURRENT PRICES(a) - 1984 to 2009-10
	1984	1988-89	1993-94	1998-99	2003-04	2009-10
	$/week	$/week	$/week	$/week	$/week	$/week
Literature	4.16	5.82	7.54	7.56	8.43	9.38
Music	0.68	1.21	1.29	2.07	1.65	0.92
Performing arts(b)	0.81	0.92	1.92	1.48	1.59	2.93
Visual arts and crafts(c)	0.42	0.58	0.72	1.09	1.66	2.38
Broadcasting, electronic media and film(d)	1.28	2.01	3.13	4.13	7.87	10.86
Other arts(e)	0.95	1.22	1.41	1.28	1.86	2.53
Heritage	0.09	0.13	0.25	0.17	0.39	0.43
Other culture(f)(g)	6.94	7.94	9.13	8.90	12.94	15.96
Total(c)(e)	15.33	19.83	25.39	26.74	36.40	45.39
(a) Not adjusted for inflation.
(b) Comprises Live theatre fees and charges and Music concert fees and charges.
(c) Excludes Art and craft materials which were allocated to a category that was not predominantly cultural prior to 1998-99.
(d) Excludes the hire of TV games for surveys prior to 1998-99.
(e) For 1998-99, includes Cultural fees and charges nec which were included in other cultural categories in previous surveys.
(f) Includes the Hire of TV games for surveys prior to 1998-99.
(g) For 1998-99 and 2003-04, includes Other audiovisual equipment and parts which were included in other cultural categories in previous surveys.
Source: Household Expenditure Survey, Australia: Summary of Results, 2009-10 (cat. no. 6530.0).

The graph below shows the change in expenditure on selected cultural goods or services between 2003-04 and 2009-10. With the exception of Pre-recorded CDs and records and Home entertainment systems, householders spent more in 2009-10 than they did in 2003-04. A noticeable increase was expenditure on Televisions which rose from an average of $3.41 per week in 2003-04 to $7.65 in 2009-10. Similarly expenditure on Pay TV fees rose from $2.69 per week to $5.24 per week over the same period. .

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