SunshineCoastRegionalReport2ndQtr2004

                                                                                                                         In the year to the June Quarter 2004,
PRICES, INFLATION &                                                                                                      Brisbane recorded an inflation level 0.7
                                                                                                                         percentage points above the national
FINANCIAL MARKETS                                                                                                        average.
WAGES & INFLATION

INFLATION

                                                  Consumer Price Index
                              7.0
                                                        Brisbane       Australia

                              6.0
                                                                                                           The Australian Consumer Price Index (CPI) climbed by 0.5% in the June
                                                                                                           Quarter 2004, to stand 2.5% above that recorded in the June Quarter 2003.
 annual % change, quarterly




                              5.0                                                                          Meanwhile, the Brisbane CPI expanded by 0.6% in the June Quarter 2004
                              4.0
                                                                                                           to be 3.2% higher in annual terms.
                              3.0


                              2.0


                              1.0


                              0.0
                                Jun-01   Dec-01     Jun-02     Dec-02          Jun-03    Dec-03   Jun-04

Source: ABS 6401.0


          Brisbane Wages and Inflation
Brisbane Inflation   Index % change % change
                    Jun-04 on Mar-04 on Jun-03                                                             The largest price increases in the year to the June Quarter 2004 were
                                                                                                           recorded in the housing (7.4%), health (7.1%), education (5.4%) and
Food                                                  153.3                 -1.5         1.5
Alcohol & Tobacco                                     217.4                  1.0         4.4
                                                                                                           alcohol & tobacco (4.4%) price groupings. Recreation (-2.1%), household
Clothing & Footwear                                   106.2                  2.4        -0.1               furnishings (-0.2%) and Clothing & Footwear (-0.1%) were the only price
Housing                                               132.0                  1.2         7.4               groupings to record a decline in prices in annual terms.
Household Furnishings                                 122.4                  0.4        -0.2
Health                                                203.4                  3.2         7.1
Transportation                                        142.6                  1.7         3.9
Communication                                         113.9                  0.4         1.4
Recreation                                            126.4                 -0.4        -2.1
Education                                             248.9                  0.1         5.4
Miscellaneous                                         196.3                  0.5         3.5

All Groups                                            146.3                 0.6         3.2

Note: 1989/90=100 for CPI, September Quarter 1997=100 for WCI
Source: ABS 6401.0


WAGES

                                                                                                           The Queensland Wage Cost Index (WCI) increased by 0.4% in the June
                                                    Wage Cost Index                                        Quarter 2003, to be 3.6% higher when compared to a year earlier.
                              4.5
                                                       Queensland       Australia
                                                                                                           Similarly, the Australian WCI rose by 0.5% in the quarter to be 3.5%
                                                                                                           higher than in the June Quarter 2003.
                              4.0
 annual % change, quarterly




                              3.5




                              3.0




                              2.5
                                Jun-01   Dec-01     Jun-02         Dec-02      Jun-03    Dec-03   Jun-04

Source: ABS 6345.0




©0, Sunshine Coast Regional Economy, Second Quarter 2004                                                                                                                    - 45 -