Australian household spending maintained its upward trajectory in February, climbing 0.3% according to the latest seasonally adjusted figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics.
The steady growth mirrors the 0.3% rise seen in January and signals a resilient recovery following a modest 0.5% dip in December.
On an annual basis, nominal expenditure remains robust, sitting 4.6% higher than February 2025.
ABS Head of Business Statistics, Tom Lay, noted that discretionary spending jumped 0.5%, largely fuelled by a surge in recreational and cultural activities.
The spike was driven by ticket sales for major concerts and musicals, alongside increased demand for air travel and accommodation.
The ABS records these transactions at the point of purchase, capturing advanced ticket sales for future events.
Essential spending also played a pivotal role in the monthly gain, with food expenditure rising 1%.
Conversely, transport costs provided a slight reprieve for families, falling 0.4%. Lay attributed this decline to lower fuel prices recorded prior to recent Middle East conflicts.
The Northern Territory led the nation with a 3.4% monthly surge, while Western Australia followed at 0.9%.
While six of the eight states and territories saw growth, Tasmania bucked the trend with a 0.3 per cent contraction.
Despite the regional variations, the overall data suggests that Australians are continuing to spend, balancing rising costs for essentials with a persistent appetite for live entertainment and domestic travel.