DATA SOURCES FOR THE INFLATION CALCULATOR

Data has been compiled from various sources to produce a single long-running series that is representative of changes in consumer prices in Australia over time. From the September quarter 1948 onwards, the series used is based on the Consumer Price Index (CPI) published by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). Prior to this, a variety of different retail price indices constructed by the Australian Statistician have been used. From 1901 until the commencement of the CPI in 1948, the annual data are from the ABS 1995 Year Book Australia. The quarterly data are available from the June quarter 1922 and are from various issues of The Labour Report. The annual and quarterly data from 1922 to 1948 are not strictly comparable. Further details are as follows:

• From 1901 to 1914, the Australian Statistician's 'A Series' Retail Price Index (RPI) is used, which provides the weighted average of the RPI for six State capital cities.
• From 1914 to June quarter 1948, the Australian Statistician's 'C Series' RPI is used. This series is equivalent in coverage to the 'A Series' RPI but broader in scope insofar as it records the prices of a wider range of goods. Consumption weights for this series were not updated after 1936. Also, for annual data from the September quarter 1946 to the June quarter 1948, the 'C Series' RPI is used but with its rents component replaced by the housing group of the CPI.
• From the September quarter 1948 onwards, the series used is the CPI published by the ABS. This was introduced in 1960 and compiled retrospectively. (The annual data are based on this source from 1949 onwards.)

For further background information see:

Australian Bureau of Statistics 1965, 'Special Article - Decimal Currency', Year Book of the Commonwealth of Australia, cat no. 1301.0.

Australian Bureau of Statistics 1995, 'History of Retail Price Indexes', Year Book Australia, cat no. 1301.0.

Australian Bureau of Statistics 2005, Australian Consumer Price Index: Concepts, Sources and Methods, cat. no. 6461.0.

Commonwealth Bureau of Census and Statistics, The Labour Report, various issues.