The table compares the proportion of expenditure in various categories ( Food, Electricity & Water, Clothing, Housing, Transport, Healthcare, Education, Recreation, Communication, Insurance, Other goods and services) per capita in Australia in 1986 and 2008. Figures are expressed in percentages.
Overall, Housing and Food expenditure represented the leading categories among others, with the exception of the Communication and Education sectors, which recorded the lowest figures. Of particular note is the allocation to the Clothing and Transport which witnessed a slight decline, whereas the remaining categories showed an upward trend.
Focusing on major spending categories, housing expenditure recorded the largest proportion of per Capita in both years, in 1986, it represented 22%, while in 2009 it climbed to 26% and reached a peak among other sectors. Similarly, food and transport remained the dominant categories despite a slight decline. The former ( Food) represented 18% in 1986, while in 2009 it decreased to 15%. The latter ( Transport) accounted for 14%, while by the end of the year, expenditure in this category reduced marginally to 15%. Looking at the other goods &services and recreation showed an upward trend of 9% and 10% respectively in 2009.
Subsequently, spending per Capita in Electricity & Water and Insurances & Financial Services increased steadily 10% and 7% respectively by the end of the period. When it comes to expenditure in Clothing, this category initially constituted at 6% in 1986, when compared to 2009, it experienced a slight reduction of 4%. With respect to spending in Education and Communication, although at the beginning of the period, they recorded the lowest figures, making up merely 4% and 3%, they rose moderately to 6%.