3 RESEARCH & EXPERIMENTAL DEVELOPMENT STATISTICS
3.1 RELEASE OF THE AUSTRALIAN AND NEW ZEALAND STANDARD RESEARCH CLASSIFICATION (ANZSRC)
3.2 RECENTLY RELEASED RESEARCH AND DEVLOPMENT STATISTICS
3.3 CAPITALISATION OF RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT IN THE AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL ACCOUNTS
3.1 RELEASE OF THE AUSTRALIAN AND NEW ZEALAND STANDARD RESEARCH CLASSIFICATION (ANZSRC)
The ANZSRC 2008 (ABS cat. no. 1297.0) was released on 31st March 2008, replacing the previous Australian Standard Research Classification 1998. The ANZSRC was developed to meet the dual needs for a comprehensive description of today's research environment, as well as the ability to compare R&D statistics internationally.
ANZSRC 2008 was developed in collaboration with Statistics New Zealand after extensive consultation with the review's Technical Reference Group and other users of the previous classification, including the Australian Research Council who helped to finance the review. ANZSRC 2008 also meets OECD guidelines and is aligned to the OECD’s Frascati Manual, which sets standard practice for surveys of R&D, and the 2006 Fields of Science and Technology classification.
The ABS will immediately start using ANZSRC in its surveys of research and experimental development and the first data collected using the new classification will be published in mid-2009.
3.2 RECENTLY RELEASED RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT STATISTICS
Research and Experimental Development, Higher Education Organisations, Australia, 2006 (cat. no. 8111.0), was released on 13 June 2008. This publication revealed that Higher education expenditure on R&D (HERD) in Australia in 2006 was $5,404.4 million. This represents an increase of 24.9% in current price terms over 2004 and 15.1% in chain volume terms.
3.3 CAPITALISATION OF RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT IN THE AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL ACCOUNTS
The ABS is in the process of considering the statistical issues associated with the capitalisation of R&D in the Australian National Accounts (ANA). As part of this process, the ABS is working with other statistical agencies and the OECD to discuss the major issues involved in the changed treatment. It is expected that the revised System of National Accounts (SNA), due to be released in 2008, will include a comprehensive discussion of the concepts and practicalities involved in the adoption of this new treatment. As a result, many statistical organisations around the world will be interested in the progression of ABS work in this area. Naturally, the main data source feeding into the ANA for R&D capitalisation is the ABS' R&D surveys. There are many measurement challenges involved in capitalising R&D, but the ABS is confident of overcoming these and aims to be the first statistical organisation in the world to move to this changed treatment. The Innovation and Technology NSC is working closely with the ABS National Accounts Branch to ensure that this initiative is successful.
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