EXPLANATORY NOTES
A glossary of the main terms used in the Input-Output (I-O) tables is in the link on the left. The links below contain fuller discussion of the input-output structure and compilation methods.
Explanatory notes covering the basic structure of I-O and associated tables, special treatments adopted in compiling I–O tables, and using I–O tables for analysis are shown in Australian System of National Accounts: Concepts, Sources and Methods (cat. no. 5216.0), Chapter 22, Input-Output Tables.
The I–O tables contain data formatted for presentation in millions of dollars. For use by some analysts and modellers, the data in some Excel spreadsheets contain additional decimal places to facilitate loading into other applications. Note that in the compilation of I-O tables, various modelling techniques are used to populate the tables because directly collected information is not available for every cell. As a consequence of these modelling techniques, relatively small values may be estimated in certain cells but the statistical accuracy of these data cannot be verified to a sufficient degree. Where values less than $1 million are shown, they are solely to facilitate reconciliation, row and column balancing and do not carry any economic meaning.
See also the Input–Output Quality Declaration for discussion of compilation sources and methods.
DEPARTURES FROM THE 2008 VERSION OF THE SYSTEM OF NATIONAL ACCOUNTS (2008 SNA)
I-O tables depart from the 2008 SNA and from the rest of the Australian national accounts in one main respect - namely the definition of output at basic prices. The departure relates to the treatment of charges incurred in moving goods from their point of production to the final user, where delivery charges relating to delivery by a third party operator arranged by the producer and paid for by the producer and not separately charged to the end user are treated differently in 2008 SNA.
Under the 1968 version of the System of National Accounts (1968 SNA) these charges were excluded from the basic price valuation of the good concerned while under the 2008 SNA treatment the basic price valuation of the good includes these delivery charges. The ABS considers that the change in definition was inappropriate from an analytical point of view and would result in the same product being valued differently depending on whether or not the producer charged separately for the delivery of the product. The ABS therefore applies an adjustment to the I-O tables to reallocate delivery charges separably invoiced to transport, so including them in transport margins and reducing basic prices.
In the 2015-16 I-O tables the value of this adjustment is $44.1b. It is applied to industries and products in agriculture, mining and manufacturing and modelled based on questions on collection forms about invoicing arrangements and transport expenses.