• Summary
• Downloads
• Explanatory Notes
• Related Information
• Past Releases

Turnover for Australia's manufacturing industry reached $213 billion in 1997-98 which is an increase of $5,184 million or 2.5% since the previous year, according to new survey figures published today by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).

The manufacturing survey also found that turnover by Victorian manufacturers ($69,517 million) exceeded that of New South Wales manufacturers ($68,273 million) for the second year in a row. Similarly, for the first time since 1990, Victorian manufacturers also employed more people at the end of June (314,800 people) than New South Wales (303,600 people).

Overall in 1997-98 manufacturing employment in Australia increased by less than 1%, to 953,700 people. However wages and salaries increased by 3.5% to $33,870 million. On average, wages and salaries per person employed increased by $900 to $35,500.

Other findings in the publication Manufacturing Industry, Australia include:

• Direct exports from the sale of goods by Australian manufacturers increased by 1.3 percentage points to 16.3% in 1997-98.
• Estimated turnover for wine manufacturers ($2,595 million) exceeded turnover for beer and malt manufacturers ($2,497 million) in 1997-98 for the first time since collection of these figures began 30 years ago.
• The industry with the largest increase in turnover was food, beverage and tobacco manufacturing, which had the largest increase in both dollar and percentage terms ($2,813 million and 6.3% respectively) from 1996-97.
• Printing, publishing and recorded media industry had the largest percentage increase in employment from both one year ago (4.6%) and five years ago (10.9%). However machinery and equipment manufacturers still employed more people than any other manufacturing industry subdivision (206,300 people).