In brief
Australian household spending grew 0.6% in September, after a 0.1% fall in August, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics. Transport and health spending each rose 1.5%, driven by higher fuel prices and increased medical service use. The rise marked the fourth consecutive quarter of growth in household spending.
Canberra, Nov. 4 – Australian household spending rose 0.6 % in September after a 0.1 % fall in August, says the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).
The data release, issued Wednesday by the ABS, shows the increase spread across essential and discretionary categories. Transport and health each saw 1.5 % growth, while recreation and culture added 0.8 % to overall spending.
The sharpest rise came from transport, where expenditures jumped 1.6 % on a quarterly basis. Tom Lay, head of business statistics at the ABS, explained that the spike was largely due to higher fuel costs, vehicle repairs and maintenance, and domestic air travel as Australians travelled to attend major sporting events.
In the month‑to‑month comparison, fuel spending climbed 5.4 %, a reflection of rising global oil prices and the end of fuel excise relief on Aug. 3. However, experimental ABS data indicate that the volume of fuel purchased fell 2.2 % in September, following a 0.6 % decline in August.
Health spending grew 1.5 % as well, driven by greater outlays on doctor visits, dental and optometric services, pharmaceuticals and toiletry goods. Lay noted that late flu activity likely pushed demand for medical consultations and medicines higher than usual.
On a quarterly basis, household spending grew 0.7 % in the September quarter, marking the fourth consecutive quarter of growth, with seven of the nine spending categories recording increases, according to the ABS.
These figures suggest that Australian consumers remain resilient, continuing to increase purchases across nearly all areas despite recent fluctuations in key input costs.
