Inflation Australia 1979

Average inflation: 9.1%

Current Inflation

Inflation is very high at 9.1%, far above the ECB target.

Peak and Trough

The highest inflation was in November at 10.2%. The lowest inflation was in February at 8.0%.

Highest month
November: 10.2%
Lowest month
February: 8.0%
Difference
2.2 percentage points
Months with data
4 of 12

Historical Context

Current inflation is 2.5% lower than the 5-year average of 11.6%.

5-year average
11.6%
10-year average
9.8%
All-time high (1974)
15.4%
All-time low (1962)
-0.3%

Trend

Inflation shows a downward trend. Compared to 1978, inflation has fallen by +1.1 percentage point.

Change vs. previous year
+1.1 percentage points
Largest monthly swing
November: +2.6 percentage points

ECB Target

Inflation is 7.1% above the ECB target of 2.0%. This means purchasing power is declining faster than intended.

Purchasing Power

At this high inflation rate, purchasing power rapidly decreases. This has a major impact on households, especially without adequate salary increases.

What you could buy for €100 this year will cost approximately €109.10 next year at this inflation rate.

Multi-year trend

Monthly figures 1979

Month overview

Month Inflation Difference vs. 1978
February 8.0% -0.7
May 8.8% +0.8
August 9.5% +1.7
November 10.2% +2.6
Average 9.1%

Data source

Data from OECD. Last updated: 24/11/2025.Not all months available yet.

See also