---
title: "The Rising Struggle: Cost-of-Living Crisis in Australia"
author: Rahmah Khaleel
output:
  reveals::reveals_presentation:
    theme: simple
    transition: slide
    self_contained: true
    
---

## What is the Cost-of-Living Crisis?

- Rapid increase in prices for essentials like rent, groceries, fuel
- CPI used to measure price changes
- 2019–2024: Significant inflation in Australia
- Impacts every household differently

---

## What is Inflation?

- Inflation = general rise in prices over time
- Measured by **Consumer Price Index (CPI)**
- CPI includes housing, food, transport, health, etc.
- Mild inflation = normal; rapid = damaging

---

## Inflation in Numbers (2019–2024)

```{r cpi-line, echo=FALSE, message=FALSE, warning=FALSE}
library(ggplot2)
cpi_data <- data.frame(
  Year = c(2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024),
  CPI = c(1.6, 0.9, 3.5, 7.8, 5.6, 3.5)
)

ggplot(cpi_data, aes(x = Year, y = CPI)) +
  geom_line(color = "darkred", size = 1.2) +
  geom_point(size = 3, color = "darkred") +
  labs(title = "Australia CPI, 2019–2024", y = "CPI (%)", x = "") +
  theme_minimal()
```

- CPI peaked at **7.8% in 2022**
- Driven by fuel, housing, global shocks

---

## Renting in Crisis

```{r rent-bar, echo=FALSE}
city_rent <- data.frame(
  City = c("Sydney", "Melbourne", "Brisbane", "Adelaide", "Perth"),
  Increase = c(28, 25, 30, 27, 26)

ggplot(city_rent, aes(x = City, y = Increase, fill = City)) +
  geom_col() +
  labs(title = "Rent Increases in Major Cities (2019–2024)", y = "% Increase") +
  theme_minimal() +
  theme(legend.position = "none")
```

- Rent rose **25–30%** in major cities
- Low vacancy rates, high demand

---

## Grocery Prices: Food Insecurity

```{r food-bar, echo=FALSE}
food <- data.frame(
  Category = c("Fruit & Veg", "Dairy", "Meat", "Bread"),
  Increase = c(19, 14, 15, 12)
)

ggplot(food, aes(x = Category, y = Increase, fill = Category)) +
  geom_col() +
  labs(title = "Price Increase by Food Category", y = "% Increase") +
  theme_minimal() +
  theme(legend.position = "none")
```

- Families cutting meals to save
- Climate & logistics raised costs

---

## Fuel and Transport Stress

- Petrol surged above **$2/litre**
- Public transport usage up
- Rural areas hit hardest

---

## Mortgage Pressure & Interest Rates

- RBA raised rate **13 times** (2022–2024)
- Repayments doubled
- First-home buyers delaying entry

---

## Wage vs Inflation Gap

```{r wage-gap, echo=FALSE}
gap_data <- data.frame(
  Year = c(2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023),
  CPI = c(1.6, 0.9, 3.5, 7.8, 5.6),
  Wages = c(2.2, 1.8, 2.1, 3.2, 4.1)
)

ggplot(gap_data, aes(x = Year)) +
  geom_line(aes(y = CPI, color = "CPI"), size = 1.2) +
  geom_line(aes(y = Wages, color = "Wages"), size = 1.2) +
  labs(title = "CPI vs. Wage Growth", y = "% Growth") +
  scale_color_manual(values = c("CPI" = "red", "Wages" = "blue")) +
  theme_minimal()
```

- **Wages lag CPI** for 4+ years
- Real income shrinking

---

## What Can Be Done?

- Increase social housing
- Index welfare to inflation
- Improve wage growth policy
- Fuel & food subsidy reform

---

## Conclusion

- CPI tells a **data-driven** story
- Real lives: rent stress, food insecurity
- Government has options
- We all deserve a fairer economy

---

## References

- ABS (2024). *Consumer Price Index, Australia*. https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/economy/price-indexes-and-inflation
- RBA (2024). *Cash Rate Statistics*. https://www.rba.gov.au/statistics/cash-rate/
- ABC News (2023). *Cost of Living Special Report*
- OECD (2023). *Inflation Outlook*