NSW: Prices of essentials racing ahead of CPI: NCOSS

AAP General News (Australia)
12-17-2003
NSW: Prices of essentials racing ahead of CPI: NCOSS

SYDNEY, Dec 17 AAP - Low-income households are being hit hard by price hikes for essential
goods and services, a new study has found.

The Council of Social Services of NSW (NCOSS) tracks the prices of 30 key commodities
in health, education, transport and utilities and found 25 were racing ahead of inflation.

They found that in 2002-03 water rates in NSW had increased by 12.6 per cent, phone
line rentals by 10 per cent, gas by 9.4 per cent and electricity by six per cent.

NCOSS director Gary Moore said the price increases were hurting NSW's 80,000 low income earners.

"For many low-income households, price increases for basic necessities which run much
faster than CPI make for a meaner Christmas, and a much harder road to pay off even modest
credit card debt and personal loans in 2004," he said in a statement.

Of the 30 items tracked by NCOSS this year, 25 had increased by between 3 per cent
and 20 per cent, while inflation had been steady at 2 per cent, Mr Moore said.

AAP apw/sd/sjb/bwl

KEYWORD: ESSENTIALS

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