8687.0 - Clubs, Pubs, Taverns and Bars, Australia, 2004-05  
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 04/07/2006   
   Page tools: Print Print Page Print all pages in this productPrint All

Over $18 billion income for Australia's pubs and clubs: ABS


Australia's pubs, taverns and bars and hospitality clubs generated over $18 billion in income during 2004-05, according to figures released today by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).

Pubs, taverns and bars
Pubs, taverns and bars accounted for $11 billion of this combined income. Just under two-thirds (60%) of this income was generated from the sale of liquor and other beverages ($6.7 billion). Gambling contributed to just under one-quarter (24%) or $2.7 billion of total income.

The total expenses of businesses was $10.4 billion, of which the main items were purchases of liquor and other beverages of $3.8 billion, labour costs of $2.3 billion and gambling taxes of $0.9 billion.

The Pubs, Taverns and Bars Survey also found that during 2004-05:
  • Over half (54%) of the income from the sale of liquor and other beverages was for consumption on the premises.
  • The operating profit margin for pubs, taverns and bars was 7.1%.
  • There were 81, 675 people employed in pubs, taverns and bars, with over 70% employed as casuals. Employment in New South Wales comprised 27% of all employment, while Victoria had just under one-quarter (24%). Queensland had 21% of all employment.
  • New South Wales accounted for one-third of all pub, tavern and bar businesses (33%), while Victoria accounted for just over 25%.

Hospitality clubs
Total income for hospitality clubs in 2004-05 was $7.4 billion. This included $4.3 billion generated from gambling, $1.6 billion from the sale of liquor and other beverages, and $0.7 billion from meals and food sales.

The total expenses of hospitality clubs were $6.8 billion in 2004-05. Major expense items were labour costs of $2.1 billion and poker/gaming machine and other gambling taxes and levies of $1.1 billion.

Other main findings for hospitality clubs at the end of June 2005 were:
  • 63,734 people employed in hospitality clubs, with just under half (48%) employed as casuals. New South Wales comprised 62% of all employment, while Queensland had 20% and Victoria 10%.
  • The operating profit margin for hospitality clubs was 8.4%.
  • New South Wales accounted for just under a half of all hospitality clubs (49%), while Queensland accounted for 22%.

Further details are in Clubs, Pubs, Taverns and Bars, Australia, 2004-05 (cat. no. 8687.0).