Inflation Australia 1989

Average inflation: 7.5%

Current Inflation

Inflation is very high at 7.5%, far above the ECB target.

Peak and Trough

The highest inflation was in August at 8.0%. The lowest inflation was in February at 6.8%.

Highest month
August: 8.0%
Lowest month
February: 6.8%
Difference
1.2 percentage points
Months with data
4 of 12

Historical Context

Current inflation is around the 5-year average of 7.8%.

5-year average
7.8%
10-year average
8.4%
All-time high (1974)
15.4%
All-time low (1970)
3.5%

Trend

Inflation shows a downward trend. Compared to 1988, inflation has fallen by +0.3 percentage point.

Change vs. previous year
+0.3 percentage points
Largest monthly swing
August: +0.7 percentage points

ECB Target

Inflation is 5.5% 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 €107.50 next year at this inflation rate.

Multi-year trend

Monthly figures 1989

Month overview

Month Inflation Difference vs. 1988
February 6.8% 0.0
May 7.5% +0.3
August 8.0% +0.7
November 7.8% +0.2
Average 7.5%

Data source

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

See also