Australia Yearbook - 2001

Chapter 8—Housing 311
Capital cities
In 1997–98, the mean weekly housing costs for
households in all capital cities was $122 (table
8.14). However, there was considerable variation
between capital cities. Hobart had the lowest
mean housing costs at $83 per week. Sydney and
Canberra had the highest mean housing costs at
$138 and $136 per week respectively.
Housing costs for home owners without a
mortgage were similar across all capital cities,
ranging from an average of $18 a week in Perth
and Adelaide to $27 per week in Brisbane.
For home owners with a mortgage, mean weekly
housing costs were highest in Sydney and
Canberra ($269 and $241 respectively), while they
were lowest in Hobart ($142).
For households renting from private landlords,
housing costs were significantly higher in Sydney,
where private rents averaged $210 per week. The
lowest rent was recorded in Hobart at an average
of $129 per week.
Mean weekly housing costs for households
renting from State or Territory housing
authorities ranged from $54 in Hobart to $80 in
Canberra.
House prices
House price indexes enable the comparison of
price changes between cities, though not the
price levels themselves.
From 1998–99 to 1999–2000, the price index of
established houses increased in all capital cities
(table 8.15).
For the third year in a row, Melbourne recorded
the greatest rise in established house prices,
increasing by 14.0% in 1999–2000. Other capital
city price rises were in Sydney (11.0%), Adelaide
(8.0%), Canberra (6.9%), Perth (5.9%), Hobart
(4.7%), Darwin (2.9%) and Brisbane (0.9%). The
weighted average of eight capitals index rose by
9.1%.
In 1999–2000, project home prices (cost of new
dwellings excluding land) also rose in all cities
(table 8.16). Adelaide (8.7%) recorded the largest
increase, followed by Melbourne (8.4%), Perth
(8.2%), Sydney (6.9%), Canberra (6.0%), Brisbane
(4.2%), Darwin (3.0%) and Hobart (2.4%). The
weighted average of eight capitals index rose by
6.7%.
The price index of materials used in house
building is discussed in Chapter 20, Construction.
8.15 PRICE INDEX NUMBERS FOR ESTABLISHED HOUSES(a)
Sydney Melbourne Brisbane Adelaide Perth Hobart Darwin Canberra
Weighted
average of
eight capital
cities
INDEX NUMBER
1997–98 128.5 114.3 138.9 112.1 113.3 125.4 198.9 126.2 122.8
1998–99 137.9 126.8 141.0 114.1 118.9 123.2 193.6 128.2 130.4
1999–00 153.1 144.6 142.2 123.2 125.9 129.0 199.2 137.0 142.3
CHANGE FROM PREVIOUS YEAR (%)
1997–98 8.1 12.7 1.2 3.6 3.8 –2.4 1.0 –0.2 6.7
1998–99 7.3 10.9 1.5 1.8 4.9 –1.8 –2.7 1.6 6.2
1999–00 11.0 14.0 0.9 8.0 5.9 4.7 2.9 6.9 9.1
(a) Reference base year 1989–90 = 100.0.
Source: House Price Indexes: Eight Capital Cities (6416.0).