The Carbon Price and the Cost of Living - The Climate Institute

AECOM
The Carbon Price and the Cost of Living
9 November 2011
37
Figure 19: Couples with dependent children, impact of carbon price (dollars per week) and total impact as a share of expenditure (%),
selected households (2012-13)
$
20.0
2.5%
18.0
16.0
2.0%
14.0
12.0
10.0
8.0
1.5%
1.0%
%
6.0
4.0
0.5%
2.0
0.0
Low Moderate Middle High
0.0%
Electricity Mainsgas Food&nonalcoholicbeverages Other Impact(%)
Source: AECOM and CSIRO calculations.
5.3.2 Assistance
The impacts on living costs will be offset to varying degrees by Australian Government financial assistance,
depending on income levels and other household characteristics. As shown in Figure 20, this financial
assistance is substantially higher than estimated cost impacts for low income households, and provides some
financial assistance to the middle income household shown, but provides little financial assistance to high income
households.
- A couple with dependent children receiving the illustrative high income ($303,651) is eligible for financial
assistance of between $0.1 and $5.90 a week which will not cover the average cost impact for this
household.
- A couple with dependent children receiving the illustrative middle income ($113,308) is eligible for financial
assistance of between $7.20 and $11.70 a week which will cover most of the average cost impact for this
household.
- A couple with dependent children receiving the illustrative moderate income ($81,640) is eligible for financial
assistance of between $7.90 and $23.60 a week which will more than offset the average cost impact for this
household.
- A couple with dependent children receiving the illustrative low income ($44,800) is eligible for financial
assistance of between $11.10 and $24.10 a week, equivalent to at least 30% more than the average cost
impact.