Australia Personal Spending Bounces Back

Australian household spending rose 0.6% month-on-month in September 2026, rebounding from a downwardly revised 0.1% decline in the prior month and marking its seventh monthly increase this year. Spending recovered across clothing (0.1% vs -1.1% in August), health (1.5% vs -0.7%), and recreation (0.8% vs -1.7%). Growth also accelerated in miscellaneous goods and services (0.6% vs 0.1%), while transport spending continued to rise (1.5% vs 2.3%), alongside hotels, cafes, and restaurants (0.5% vs 0.5%). In contrast, furnishings outlays remained in decline (-0.2% vs -0.7%). Regionally, spending increased across all states and territories, led by the Northern Territory (1.2%), Western Australia (1.1%), Victoria (1.0%), South Australia (0.6%), and Tasmania (0.5%). On an annual basis, household spending growth accelerated to 6.8% from 6.5% in August.

Australian household spending was flat month-on-month in August 2026, following a 1.1% increase in the prior month and ending three consecutive months of growth. Spending continued to rise on transport (2.3% vs 0.5% in July), hotels, cafes and restaurants (0.8% vs 1.1%), and miscellaneous goods and services (0.3% vs 1.3%). However, these gains were offset by declines in food (-0.3% vs 0.9%), alcohol and tobacco (-1.0% vs 1.1%), clothing (-1.0% vs 1.5%), furnishings (-0.6% vs 0.3%), health (-0.9% vs 1.2%), and recreation (-1.4% vs 1.7%). Regionally, spending increased in New South Wales (0.3%), Queensland (0.3%), South Australia (0.1%) and the Northern Territory (0.1%), but fell in Victoria (-0.4%), Western Australia (-0.2%), Tasmania (-0.5%) and the Australian Capital Territory (-0.5%). On an annual basis, household spending rose 6.8%, easing from 7.0% in July, which was the fastest growth since June 2023.

Household spending in Australia rose 1.1% month-on-month in July 2026, following an upwardly revised 1.0% increase in June and marking the third straight monthly gain. The result far exceeded market expectations of a 0.4% rise, with spending growing for all components, including food (1.0% vs 0.3% in June), alcohol and tobacco (0.9% vs 1.3%), clothing (1.6% vs -0.6%), furnishings (0.4% vs 0.6%), health (1.2% vs 0.6%), transport (0.6% vs 3.4%), recreation (1.5% vs 1.6), hotels, cafes, and restaurants (1.1% vs 0.1%), and miscellaneous goods and services (1.3% vs -0.5%). Regionally, all states and territories recorded gains: New South Wales (0.7%), Victoria (1.3%), Queensland (1.1%), South Australia (0.7%), Western Australia (1.5%), Tasmania (1.2%), the Northern Territory (2.2%), and the Australian Capital Territory (1.2%). On an annual basis, household spending climbed 7.0%, up from 6.1% in June, pointing to the fastest pace since June 2023.