5625.0 - Private New Capital Expenditure and Expected Expenditure, Australia, June 2013 Quality Declaration 
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 29/08/2013   
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APPENDIX SAMPLING ERRORS


LEVEL ESTIMATES


INTRODUCTION

The estimates in this publication are based on a sample drawn from units in the surveyed population. Because the entire population is not surveyed, the published estimates are subject to sampling error. The most common way of quantifying such sampling error is to calculate the standard error for the published estimate or statistic.


EXAMPLE OF USE

The following example illustrates how to use the standard error to interpret a level estimate.

Let us say that the published level estimate for total capital expenditure is $41,588m and the calculated standard error in this case is $696m. The standard error is then used to interpret the level estimate of $41,588m.

For instance, the standard error of $696m indicates that:

  • There are approximately two chances in three that the real value falls within the range $40,892m to $42,284m (41,588m ± $696m)
  • There are approximately 19 chances in 20 that the real value falls within the range $40,196m to $42,980m (41,588m ± $1,392m)

The real value in this case is the result we would obtain if we could enumerate the total population.

The following table shows the standard errors for June Quarter 2013 estimates.

Buildings and Structures
Equipment, Plant and Machinery
Total
$m
$m
$m

Mining
538
120
543
Manufacturing
21
89
96
Electricity, Gas, Water and Waste Services
32
27
38
Construction
8
148
148
Wholesale Trade
8
71
72
Retail Trade
7
94
94
Transport, Postal and Warehousing
30
105
115
Information Media and Telecommunications
2
21
21
Financial and Insurance Services
27
21
38
Rental, Hiring and Real Estate Services
182
186
288
Professional, Scientific and Technical Services
27
90
94
Other Selected Services
118
123
177
Total
585
333
696
New South Wales
56
171
185
Victoria
79
141
172
Queensland
584
214
660
South Australia
67
48
86
Western Australia
61
160
170
Tasmania
1
35
36
Northern Territory
1
8
8
Australian Capital Territory
2
5
5
Australia
585
333
696




MOVEMENT ESTIMATES


EXAMPLE OF USE

The following example illustrates how to use the standard error to interpret a movement estimate.

Let us say that one quarter the published level estimate for total capital expenditure is $34,798m and the next quarter the published level estimate is $41,588m.

In this example the calculated standard error for the movement estimate is $511m. The standard error is then used to interpret the published movement estimate of $6,790m.

For instance, the standard error of $511m indicates that:
  • There are approximately two chances in three that the real movement over the two quarter period falls within the range $6,279m to $7,301m ($6,790m ± $511m)
  • There are approximately nineteen chances in twenty that the real movement falls within the range $5,768m to $7,812m ($6,790 ± $1,022m)

The following table shows the standard errors for June Quarter 2013 movement estimates.

Buildings and Structures
Equipment, Plant and Machinery
Total
$m
$m
$m

Mining
139
108
184
Manufacturing
28
71
77
Electricity, Gas, Water and Waste Services
7
18
19
Construction
7
148
147
Wholesale Trade
14
76
75
Retail Trade
19
96
97
Transport, Postal and Warehousing
31
129
135
Information Media and Telecommunications
3
25
25
Financial and Insurance Services
26
51
58
Rental, Hiring and Real Estate Services
168
233
319
Professional, Scientific and Technical Services
37
95
99
Other Selected Services
107
174
209
Total
250
402
511
New South Wales
63
141
167
Victoria
79
174
204
Queensland
200
267
379
South Australia
69
62
107
Western Australia
49
192
205
Tasmania
60
23
64
Northern Territory
1
12
12
Australian Capital Territory
8
70
72
Australia
250
402
511