Page 89 - Week 01 - Tuesday, 15 February 2011
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In terms of the cost of living pressures, there is no denying that cost of living is increasing right around the country and, indeed, right around the world. It is an issue for those less fortunate than ourselves and for whom meeting cost of living increases presents significant challenges. There is no denying that there is a level within our community that face financial hardship. That community has always been in the hearts of the Labor Party, always been in our thoughts and always been in our policies and our decision making to make sure that we look after those who need that extra bit of assistance. It is probably an element of our community that has not, until recently, experienced the focused attention of the Canberra Liberals, but we are pleased to welcome them to an area that, in a sense, formed the basis of our political party so many years ago.
Mr Hanson interjecting—
MS GALLAGHER: When we just take some of the emotion of today’s speech—
Mr Hanson interjecting—
MR ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Mr Hargreaves): Mr Hanson, I remind you about the warning.
Mr Hanson: There were constant interjections when I was speaking.
MR ASSISTANT SPEAKER: And I protected you, and I will not do it again.
MS GALLAGHER: It is important to look at some of the hard, cold data around this. It is very clear that Canberra’s annual consumer price inflation remained the lowest in the country and has so since the June quarter 2010. Actual annual consumer price inflation in Canberra in the last three quarters was 0.7 percentage points lower than the national average. I know this data is impersonal; it is not emotional; it does not say that there is no-one experiencing financial hardship. But what it does acknowledge is that we are seeing prices go up everywhere. Canberrans are not experiencing the highest increases in that area.
The latest ABS publication on cost of living indexes suggests that the cost of living is increasing right across Australia. Our expectation is that costs might even increase in Victoria and WA, even though they have got new Liberal governments in place. It is just a feeling I have. I think that the cost of living increases might stretch right across the country, regardless of what political flavour a state or territory government is.
When we look at the CPI data for the December quarter, food prices in Canberra increased by two per cent compared to an increase of 2.5 per cent across Australia. Alcohol and tobacco prices increased by 9.6 per cent compared to an increase of 11.4 per cent across Australia. Clothing and footwear prices declined by 5.5 per cent in Canberra while the Australian rate of decline was 4.8 per cent.
Housing costs in Canberra increased by 3.3 per cent compared to an increase of five per cent across Australia. Health costs increased by 4.8 per cent in Canberra, also lower than the national inflation rate of five per cent. Transportation costs increased
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