Australia Inflation Rate (CPI YoY %) - Historical Data
Year-on-year percentage change in the headline Consumer Price Index (CPI) for Australia from 1923 to 2026, compiled from the BIS Long Consumer Prices archive (WS_LONG_CPI). The latest inflation rate is 3.94% (Jun 2026) compared with the Reserve Bank of Australia official target of 2.0%-3.0% Medium-Term Band.
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Current Statistics & Historical Records
Latest Reading (Jun 2026)
3.94%
Prev (May 2026): 3.94%0.00 pp
Highest Recorded (Oct 1951)
23.91%
Peak consumer price inflation rate in Australia (Reserve Bank of Australia mandate: 2.0%-3.0% Medium-Term Band).
Lowest Recorded (Jul 1931)
-11.11%
Lowest recorded CPI inflation / deflation reading in Australia.
Long-Run Mean (1923–2026)
4.02%
104 annual observations · Monthly
Reserve Bank of Australia · AUD
Australia Inflation Rate (CPI YoY %) (1923-2026)
% YoYDrag to pan, scroll to zoom, or toggle between full archive (1923–2026) and recent monthly observations.
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Source: Bank for International Settlements (BIS) & National Statistical Office (WS_LONG_CPI:M:AU:771)
Latest: 3.94% (Jun 2026)
Australia Inflation Rate Averages by Decade
Decadal mean, peak, and trough across the 1923–2026 archive
| Decade | Years Covered | Decade Mean | Decade High (Year) | Decade Low (Year) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1920s | 1923–1929 | 0.93% | 3.66% (1923) | -0.83% (1927) |
| 1930s | 1930–1939 | -0.98% | 4.08% (1938) | -9.16% (1931) |
| 1940s | 1940–1949 | 4.54% | 10.31% (1949) | 0.00% (1944) |
| 1950s | 1950–1959 | 6.45% | 19.31% (1951) | 0.70% (1958) |
| 1960s | 1960–1969 | 2.50% | 3.73% (1960) | -0.32% (1962) |
| 1970s | 1970–1979 | 9.82% | 15.26% (1975) | 3.74% (1970) |
| 1980s | 1980–1989 | 8.42% | 11.21% (1982) | 3.97% (1984) |
| 1990s | 1990–1999 | 2.51% | 7.31% (1990) | 0.26% (1997) |
| 2000s | 2000–2009 | 3.17% | 4.44% (2000) | 1.80% (2009) |
| 2010s | 2010–2019 | 2.12% | 3.38% (2011) | 1.28% (2016) |
| 2020s | 2020–2026 | 3.71% | 6.61% (2022) | 0.85% (2020) |
Complete Annual Historical Ledger (1923–2026)
Unit: % YoY · Source: Bank for International Settlements (BIS) & National Statistical Office (WS_LONG_CPI:M:AU:771)
| Year | Annual Value (% YoY) | Intra-Year Range (Min – Max) | Monetary Regime & Historical Context |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 4.02% | 3.94% – 4.09% | - |
| 2025 | 2.84% | 2.10% – 3.63% | Post-tightening monetary recalibration across advanced and emerging central banks |
| 2024 | 3.17% | 2.41% – 3.81% | G10 policy rates peak and pivot toward gradual monetary normalization |
| 2023 | 5.60% | 4.05% – 7.01% | - |
| 2022 | 6.61% | 5.11% – 7.86% | Global inflation surge triggers fastest synchronized rate hiking cycle in four decades |
| 2021 | 2.87% | 1.07% – 3.81% | - |
| 2020 | 0.85% | -0.33% – 2.23% | COVID-19 pandemic emergency rate cuts and record balance sheet expansion |
| 2019 | 1.59% | 1.30% – 1.84% | - |
| 2018 | 1.92% | 1.76% – 2.09% | - |
| 2017 | 1.95% | 1.80% – 2.14% | - |
| 2016 | 1.28% | 1.02% – 1.47% | Bank of Japan introduces Yield Curve Control (YCC); post-Brexit BoE easing |
| 2015 | 1.50% | 1.31% – 1.69% | - |
| 2014 | 2.50% | 1.72% – 3.07% | ECB and European peers introduce Negative Interest Rate Policy (NIRP) |
| 2013 | 2.43% | 2.21% – 2.68% | - |
| 2012 | 1.73% | 1.18% – 2.21% | - |
| 2011 | 3.38% | 3.09% – 3.62% | European Sovereign Debt Crisis and Swiss franc safe-haven surge |
| 2010 | 2.87% | 2.67% – 3.05% | - |
| 2009 | 1.80% | 1.23% – 2.41% | - |
| 2008 | 4.34% | 3.67% – 4.97% | Global Financial Crisis drives major central banks to the zero lower bound and QE1 |
| 2007 | 2.35% | 1.89% – 2.96% | - |
| 2006 | 3.54% | 3.00% – 4.01% | - |
| 2005 | 2.67% | 2.33% – 3.06% | - |
| 2004 | 2.33% | 2.00% – 2.55% | - |
| 2003 | 2.76% | 2.41% – 3.41% | - |
| 2002 | 3.01% | 2.84% – 3.26% | - |
| 2001 | 4.43% | 2.53% – 6.07% | Dot-com bust and synchronized G10 monetary easing cycle |
| 2000 | 4.44% | 2.80% – 6.01% | - |
| 1999 | 1.47% | 1.09% – 1.83% | Launch of the Euro and establishment of the European Central Bank (ECB) |
| 1998 | 0.86% | -0.15% – 1.55% | - |
| 1997 | 0.26% | -0.32% – 1.26% | Asian Financial Crisis triggers emergency EM currency defense hikes |
| 1996 | 2.62% | 1.53% – 3.74% | - |
| 1995 | 4.63% | 3.89% – 5.09% | - |
| 1994 | 1.89% | 1.38% – 2.54% | Global bond market selloff and pre-emptive Federal Reserve tightening cycle |
| 1993 | 1.82% | 1.20% – 2.24% | - |
| 1992 | 0.98% | 0.26% – 1.71% | European Exchange Rate Mechanism (ERM) crisis and Black Wednesday |
| 1991 | 3.23% | 1.51% – 4.84% | - |
| 1990 | 7.31% | 6.08% – 8.63% | German reunification tightening and Japanese asset bubble peak |
| 1989 | 7.53% | 6.78% – 7.97% | - |
| 1988 | 7.25% | 6.86% – 7.62% | - |
| 1987 | 8.51% | 7.13% – 9.42% | Louvre Accord and Black Monday central bank liquidity provision |
| 1986 | 9.07% | 8.46% – 9.75% | - |
| 1985 | 6.74% | 4.44% – 8.20% | Plaza Accord coordinated G5 currency intervention depreciates USD |
| 1984 | 3.97% | 2.61% – 5.88% | - |
| 1983 | 10.09% | 8.62% – 11.37% | - |
| 1982 | 11.21% | 10.61% – 12.46% | - |
| 1981 | 9.59% | 8.75% – 11.23% | Volcker disinflation peak pushes benchmark policy rates to postwar highs |
| 1980 | 10.21% | 9.20% – 10.86% | - |
| 1979 | 9.05% | 8.12% – 10.06% | Second oil shock; Paul Volcker appointed Federal Reserve Chair |
| 1978 | 7.97% | 7.76% – 8.21% | - |
| 1977 | 12.42% | 9.22% – 13.94% | - |
| 1976 | 13.30% | 11.93% – 14.21% | - |
| 1975 | 15.26% | 12.17% – 17.54% | - |
| 1974 | 15.21% | 13.62% – 16.41% | First OPEC oil shock triggers global stagflation and steep policy rate hikes |
| 1973 | 9.26% | 5.73% – 13.00% | - |
| 1972 | 6.06% | 4.72% – 7.14% | - |
| 1971 | 5.95% | 4.63% – 7.23% | Nixon Shock suspends USD gold convertibility; Bretton Woods system ends |
| 1970 | 3.74% | 3.08% – 4.69% | - |
| 1969 | 2.99% | 2.69% – 3.32% | - |
| 1968 | 2.61% | 2.07% – 3.41% | - |
| 1967 | 3.48% | 2.33% – 4.65% | - |
| 1966 | 3.31% | 2.35% – 4.88% | Credit crunch of 1966 and monetary tightening |
| 1965 | 3.40% | 2.50% – 3.75% | - |
| 1964 | 2.86% | 2.53% – 3.80% | - |
| 1963 | 0.64% | 0.00% – 1.28% | - |
| 1962 | -0.32% | -1.27% – 0.00% | - |
| 1961 | 2.31% | 0.00% – 4.00% | - |
| 1960 | 3.73% | 2.74% – 4.11% | - |
| 1959 | 2.08% | 1.39% – 2.78% | - |
| 1958 | 0.70% | 0.00% – 1.41% | Eisenhower recession and global monetary easing |
| 1957 | 2.91% | 1.41% – 5.97% | - |
| 1956 | 5.67% | 3.08% – 7.58% | - |
| 1955 | 1.54% | 0.00% – 3.08% | - |
| 1954 | 1.57% | 0.00% – 3.17% | Post-Korean War Federal Reserve policy rate normalization |
| 1953 | 4.53% | 1.59% – 6.78% | - |
| 1952 | 17.51% | 10.53% – 22.92% | - |
| 1951 | 19.31% | 14.29% – 23.91% | - |
| 1950 | 8.68% | 7.32% – 12.20% | - |
| 1949 | 10.31% | 7.89% – 11.43% | - |
| 1948 | 8.93% | 6.06% – 11.76% | - |
| 1947 | 3.88% | 3.03% – 6.25% | - |
| 1946 | 0.78% | 0.00% – 3.12% | - |
| 1945 | 0.00% | 0.00% – 0.00% | - |
| 1944 | 0.00% | 0.00% – 0.00% | - |
| 1943 | 3.28% | 0.00% – 6.67% | - |
| 1942 | 9.73% | 7.14% – 10.71% | - |
| 1941 | 4.67% | 3.57% – 7.69% | - |
| 1940 | 3.85% | 0.00% – 7.69% | - |
| 1939 | 2.00% | 0.00% – 4.00% | - |
| 1938 | 4.08% | 4.00% – 4.17% | - |
| 1937 | 2.09% | 0.00% – 4.17% | - |
| 1936 | 2.18% | 0.00% – 4.35% | - |
| 1935 | 2.18% | 0.00% – 4.35% | - |
| 1934 | 0.00% | 0.00% – 0.00% | - |
| 1933 | -2.09% | -4.17% – 0.00% | - |
| 1932 | -5.01% | -7.69% – -4.00% | - |
| 1931 | -9.16% | -11.11% – -7.14% | - |
| 1930 | -6.04% | -10.34% – -3.45% | - |
| 1929 | 0.00% | 0.00% – 0.00% | - |
| 1928 | 2.68% | 0.00% – 3.57% | - |
| 1927 | -0.83% | -3.45% – 3.57% | - |
| 1926 | 1.78% | 0.00% – 3.57% | - |
| 1925 | 0.00% | 0.00% – 0.00% | - |
| 1924 | -0.80% | -3.45% – 3.70% | - |
| 1923 | 3.66% | 0.00% – 7.41% | - |
Frequently Asked Questions - Australia Inflation Rate
What is the current inflation rate in Australia?
As of Jun 2026, headline consumer price inflation in Australia is 3.94% year-on-year, compared to the Reserve Bank of Australia target of 2.0%-3.0% Medium-Term Band.
What was the highest inflation rate recorded in Australia?
In the 1923-2026 series, Australia CPI inflation peaked at 23.91% in Oct 1951 and reached a low of -11.11% in Jul 1931.
Statistical Provenance
Source Metadata & Methodology Notes
- Primary Institution:
- Bank for International Settlements (BIS) & National Statistical Office
- Dataset / Dataflow:
- BIS Long Series on Consumer Prices (WS_LONG_CPI)
- Canonical Series ID:
- WS_LONG_CPI:M:AU:771
- Reuse & License:
- Terms of permitted use of BIS statistics
- Unit of measure: Year-on-year percentage change in headline consumer price index (UNIT_MEASURE=771).
- Central bank benchmark target: 2.0%-3.0% Medium-Term Band (Reserve Bank of Australia).
- Annual table values represent annual average inflation across each calendar year.
Academic & Media Attribution
Cite This Dataset (APA & BibTeX)
APA 7th Edition
CentralBankData.com. (2026). Australia Inflation Rate (CPI YoY %), compiled from Bank for International Settlements (WS_LONG_CPI:M:AU:771). https://centralbankdata.com/australia-inflation-rate
BibTeX
@misc{cbd_cpi_australia,
author = {CentralBankData.com},
title = {Australia Consumer Price Inflation Rate},
note = {Compiled from Bank for International Settlements WS_LONG_CPI:M:AU:771},
year = {2026},
url = {https://centralbankdata.com/australia-inflation-rate}
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