Household spending increased by 0.8% in October, according to fresh data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).
This follows a 0.2% decline in September and a 0.3% rise in August, indicating a return to stronger growth.
Robert Ewing, ABS head of business statistics, noted: “Spending rose across all nine categories in October. This was led by Recreation and culture, with households snapping up tickets for several major international music concerts and sporting events in 2025.
“A 1.5 per cent rise in Services spending drove the overall increase, as households spent more on recreational and cultural services and air travel. In contrast, Goods spending growth was relatively subdued, rising only 0.2% in October.”
The spending indicator now includes seasonally adjusted estimates for each state and territory. Spending rose across all regions, with the highest increases recorded in New South Wales and South Australia, up 1% apiece, followed closely by Tasmania, which added 0.9%.
Queensland experienced the smallest rise, with household spending up 0.4%.