Higher tobacco taxes and the reintroduction of childcare fees saw consumer prices rise by 0.9 per cent in the December quarter. Tobacco prices jumped 10.9 per cent and childcare prices 37.7 per cent after the federal government ended its free childcare policy and increased the tobacco excise tax. Domestic travellers were also stung by a 6.3 per cent rise in holiday travel prices as state and territory borders briefly reopened, while consumers copped a 2.5 […]