NO.023

CONSUMER PRICE INDEX – MARCH QUARTER 2003

Today’s Consumer Price Index (CPI) shows that the All Groups

CPI increased by 1.3 per cent in the March quarter 2003 to be 3.4 per cent higher

over the year, largely reflecting the effects of higher world oil prices and

the impact of the drought. Abstracting from the increase in petrol and fruit

and vegetables prices, the CPI increased by 0.8 per cent in the quarter and

by 2.7 per cent over the year.

Petrol prices increased by 8.6 per cent in the March quarter

to contribute 0.4 percentage points to the overall increase in the CPI. The

increase in petrol prices is likely to be temporary, with prices already having

fallen this month.

The drought continues to affect large parts of Australia, contributing

to higher food prices, with vegetables prices up 11.7 per cent, meat and seafoods

prices up 1.0 per cent and the price of eggs up 13.9 per cent in the March quarter.

Price rises were also recorded for pharmaceuticals (up 11.8 per cent), reflecting

seasonal influences on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme’s safety net.

Price falls occurred for a number of items including clothing

and footwear (down 1.4 per cent), audio, visual and computing equipment (down

4.4 per cent), and motor vehicles (down 0.5 per cent).

Looking forward, the medium-term influences on inflation point

to more moderate outcomes in the period ahead. In particular, wages growth remains

steady, productivity continues to grow solidly and most measures of input price

inflation have been low over recent quarters. These conditions are consistent

with the Government’s forecasts that inflation will fall to within the medium-term

inflation target in coming quarters.

Today’s data confirm that the Australian economy continues to

enjoy a healthy combination of solid growth and moderate inflation, despite

a difficult global environment.

Canberra

23 April 2003

Contact: David Wawn    Office of the Hon Nick Minchin

(02) 6277 7400

David Alexander    Office of the Treasurer

(02) 6277 7340