Australia’s consumer price inflation accelerated sharply in the first quarter of 2026, with the Consumer Price Index (CPI) rising 1.4% quarter-over-quarter, according to data updated on 29 April 2026. This marks a significant pickup from the previous quarter, when CPI growth had stood at 0.6% quarter-over-quarter.
Both the current and previous readings refer to quarter-on-quarter changes, meaning the latest 1.4% figure measures price growth in Q1 2026 compared with Q4 2025, while the earlier 0.6% reflected Q4 2025 compared with Q3 2025. The more than doubling of the quarterly inflation rate underscores a noticeable reacceleration in price pressures at the start of 2026, a development likely to draw close attention from policymakers, markets and businesses assessing the trajectory of Australia’s inflation outlook.
