Justice, Opportunity and Shared Wealth for all South Australians
This Cost of Living Update highlights problems of rental affordability in South Australia.
Drawing on data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics and the South Australian government, the report shows that the increasing cost of renting has coincided with a decline in the provision of public housing and concludes that greater investment in public housing will boost supply and help all renters.
This Update contains a summary of cost of living changes for different households in the June Quarter showing the impact of significant jumps in inflation, and the loss of the Coronavirus Supplement for many social security recipients. There was no special issue focus in this Update.
Download No.47, June Quarter 2021 - Summary
The data in this report shows the inadequacy of the recent $25 per week rise in the base rate of JobSeeker. Around one-third of the increase simply addressed the problem of inadequate indexation and the payment remains well below the poverty line.
This Update contains a summary of cost of living changes for different households in the December Quarter showing that last quarter's low inflation flowed through to only minor increases in the cost of living for age pensioners (in particular) and other social security recipients - although the situation may have been different for renters. There was no special issue focus in this Update.
This Update contains a summary of cost of living changes for different households in the September Quarter showing that last quarter's anomalous deflation had disappeared, but payments to age pensioners and other social security recipients covered cost increases this quarter (although the cut to the Coronavirus Supplement would have significant impacts for many households). This report also contains a special feature summarising the South Australian telecommunications affordability data from the recently released Australian Digital Inclusion Index.
This Update contains a summary of cost of living changes for different households in the June Quarter as the COVID-19 crisis hit. With a rare deflationary quarter, the cost of living story was entirely about income. Those who maintained their income would have found themselves better off financially, while those whose jobs disappeared or had hours reduced would obviously have struggled despite lower prices and ongoing consumer protections.
This report examines the impact of the summer’s bushfires and the coronavirus on SA households. The report shows how the coronavirus particularly has impacted differently on different households, including the fact that some households are likely to be financially better off.
Download Cost of Living Update No.42, March Qtr 2020 - COVID-19
In the wake of this summer's fires, hail storms and floods, the December 2019 report highlights the importance of insurance costs in household budgets, points to a long term trend of fast rising prices and raises concerns about the implications of lack of insurance for vulnerable households.
Download Cost of Living Update No. 41, December Qtr 2019 - Insurance
Update provides a summary of cost of living changes in the September Quarter. This is a summary only and there is no special feature in this report, but it does show (again - and in spite of a lift of the freeze on Family Tax Benefits) that Newstart income has not kept up with the cost of living.
Update provides a summary of cost of living changes in the June Quarter. This is a summary only and there is no special feature in this report, but it does note that this is the third financial year in a row where the Newstart income has not kept up with the cost of living.
Download: Cost of Living Update, No. 39, June Qtr 2019: Summary
