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International Merchandise Trade Statistics

Name of Collection
International Merchandise Trade Statistics

Contact
For queries on International Trade statistics:
Assistant Director
International Trade Section
Australian Bureau of Statistics
PO Box 10
BELCONNEN ACT 2616

Telephone: Canberra 02 6252 5411 (exports) or 02 6252 5313 (imports)
Facsimile: Canberra 02 6252 7438

For data requests and client services:
Assistant Director
Information Consultancy Section

Telephone: Canberra 02 6252 6622
Facsimile: Canberra 02 6252 7102
Email: client.services@abs.gov.au
Internet: www.abs.gov.au


Purpose
To measure Australian exports and imports of goods and provide inputs to major economic statistics such as the Balance of Payments and the National Accounts. Output is also used to: analyse changes in the commodity composition of exports and imports; examine regional trading patterns and directions; and formulate and review trade policy.

Description
Merchandise trade covers all moveable goods which add to (imports) or subtract from (exports) Australia's stock of material resources, as a result of their movement into or out of Australia.

Data are compiled from information submitted by exporters and importers or their agents to the Australian Customs Service (ACS).

Data Detail
Data are available for exports, imports (goods which cross the Customs frontier into Australia in a particular period) and imports cleared for home consumption (goods which enter the Australian domestic market in a particular period).

The information available includes:

• Detailed commodity information;
  
• Value of goods;
  
• Quantity of goods;
  
• Gross weight of goods for
  
  Exports by commodity;
  
  Total imports - from 1 July 1992 onwards;
  
• Overseas country
  
• Country of origin for imports and import clearances;
  
• Country of final destination for exports;
  
• Overseas port (from 1 July 1992 onwards)
  
  Port of loading for imports;
  
  Port of discharge for exports;
  
• Australian State and port
  
  State of discharge and State of final destination for imports;
  
  State of final destination for import clearances;
  
  State of origin and State of loading for exports;
  
• Mode of transport;
  
• Nature of entry details (imports and import clearances);
  
• Import duty rates, amount of duty paid on goods cleared for Australian consumption (import clearances), and other duty information.
  

• The international merchandise trade statistics consultancy service provides a wide range of information specifically tailored to clients' needs. Information is available on an ad hoc or subscription basis and can be provided on a range of media.
  
• Time series data in publication format are available from January 1998 onwards. Publications covering earlier periods are available for consultation in ABS libraries.
  
• International Trade Information Kit: outlines concepts and definitions, classifications, confidentiality, data availability, and products and services.
  

EXPORTS AND IMPORTS OF TRANSPORT EQUIPMENT
			Dec Qtr 1999		Mar Qtr 2000		Jun Qtr 2000
			Exports	Imports	Exports	Imports	Exports	Imports
			$m	$m	$m	$m	$m	$m
Machinery and transport equipment
	Road vehicles (incl. air-cushion vehicles)		864	3075	649	2930	694	3495
		Motor vehicles principally designed for transport of persons	631	1637	445	1547	457	1897
		Motor vehicles for the transport of goods and special purpose motor vehicles	31	601	21	549	30	680
		Road motor vehicles (incl. public transport)	5	107	2	97	3	100
		Parts, nes and accessories of motor vehicles	185	520	167	559	187	652
		Motorcycles (incl. mopeds) and cycles, motorized and non-motorized; invalid carriages	5	174	9	141	13	131
		Trailers/semi-trailers; vehicles not mechanically propelled, specially designed transport containers	6	36	4	36	4	33
	Transport equipment (excl. road vehicles)		793	2223	300	1155	359	1072
		Railway vehicles (incl. hovertrains) and associated equipment	12	15	5	13	8	16
		Aircraft and associated equipment; spacecraft	152	1268	127	1108	151	1020
		Ships, boats (incl. hovercraft) and floating structures	629	940	169	34	200	36