In brief
Australian household spending rose 0.6 percent in September, the fourth straight quarterly expansion, according to Xinhua reporting on ANZ data. Transport and health each increased by 1.5 percent, driven by higher fuel prices and medical service use, while recreation and culture also saw gains. The rise came after a modest 0.1 percent decline in August and follows a 0.7 percent uptick in the September quarter.
Australian household spending grew 0.6 percent in September after a 0.1 percent decline in August, according to data released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) as reported by Xinhua on November 4, 2026.
The rise was spread across both essential and discretionary categories, with transport and health each recording a 1.5 percent increase and recreation and culture adding 0.8 percent, the ABS spokesperson said.
Transport expenditures increased in response to higher fuel costs, vehicle repairs and maintenance, and domestic air travel, as people traveled to attend major sporting events, the ABS said. Fuel spending, for instance, rose 5.4 percent in September, citing higher global oil prices and the removal of fuel excise relief that had begun on August 3.
Despite the higher unit price, ABS experimental data indicated that the total volume of fuel purchased fell 2.2 percent during September, following a 0.6 percent decline in the previous month.
Health spending rose because of greater expenditure on doctor visits, dental and optometric services, pharmaceuticals and toiletry goods, the ABS added. Late flu activity was also said to have contributed to the rise by driving demand for medical consultations and medicines.
On a quarterly basis, household spending grew 0.7 percent in the September quarter. This marks the fourth consecutive quarter of growth, the ABS noted. Seven of the nine spending categories recorded increases during that quarter.
Transport again posted the strongest growth of any category, rising 1.6 percent and led by higher spending on air travel, the ABS highlighted.
While the data signal continued fiscal resilience among Australian households, the ABS did not provide a forecast for the following month, leaving uncertainty over whether the trend will persist beyond September.
