Australian
Bureau of Statistics (ABS),
media release, 27 July 2022:
SOURCE: Consumer Price Index, Australia, June 2022
The
Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose 1.8 per cent in the June 2022 quarter
and 6.1 per cent annually, according to the latest data from the
Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).
Head
of Prices Statistics at the ABS, Michelle Marquardt, said "The
quarterly increase of 1.8 per cent was the second highest since the
introduction of the Goods and Services Tax (GST), following on from a
2.1 per cent increase last quarter."
The
most significant contributors to the rise in the June quarter CPI
were new dwellings (+5.6 per cent) and automotive fuel (+4.2 per
cent).
"Shortages
of building supplies and labour, high freight costs and ongoing high
levels of construction activity continued to contribute to price
rises for newly built dwellings. Fewer grant payments made this
quarter from the Federal Government's HomeBuilder program and similar
state-based housing construction programs also contributed to the
rise," said Ms Marquardt.
"The
CPI's automotive fuel series reached a record level for the fourth
consecutive quarter. Fuel prices rose strongly over May and June,
following a fall in April due to the fuel excise cut."
The
price of goods (+2.6 per cent) continued to rise more strongly than
that of services (+0.6 per cent). Notable rises were recorded across
the food group (+2.0 per cent) and the furnishings, household
equipment and services group (+2.5 per cent). Main contributors to
the rise in food prices included vegetables (+7.3 per cent), meals
out and takeaway foods (+1.4 per cent), and fruit (+3.7 per cent).
Supply chain disruptions due to flooding events, labour shortages,
and rising freight costs contributed to higher prices. Furniture
prices rose (+7.0 per cent) due to increased transport and material
costs, and stock shortages.
Services
recorded a smaller rise compared with goods. Financial services (+1.2
per cent) and holiday travel and accommodation (+2.3 per cent) rose.
Child care (-7.3 per cent) fell as the full effect of additional
child care subsidies for families with two or more children under the
age of 6, which commenced on 7 March, flowed through into this
quarter. Before and after school care vouchers offered by the NSW
Government also contributed to the fall in child care costs. Urban
transport fares (-4.4 per cent) fell due to free travel periods
introduced by the NSW and Tasmanian State Governments within the
quarter.
Annually,
the CPI rose 6.1 per cent, with new dwellings (+20.3 per cent) and
automotive fuel (+32.1 per cent) the most significant contributors.
"The
annual rise in the CPI is the largest since the introduction of the
goods and services tax (GST)."
"Annual
price inflation for new dwellings was the strongest recorded since
the series commenced in 1999," said Ms Marquardt.
Underlying
inflation measures reduce the impact of irregular or temporary price
changes in the CPI. Trimmed mean inflation increased to 1.5 per cent
over the quarter and 4.9 per cent over the year. The price of goods
(+8.4 per cent) continued to rise more strongly through the year than
that of services (+3.3 per cent).
"Annual
trimmed mean inflation was the highest since the series commenced in
2003 and annual goods inflation was the highest since 1987, as the
impacts of supply disruptions, rising shipping costs and other global
and domestic inflationary factors flowed through the economy,"
said Ms Marquardt.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~