8688.0 - Selected Amusement and Leisure Industries, Australia, 2000-01  
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 30/04/2002   
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  • Explanatory Notes

INTRODUCTION

1 This publication presents results, in respect of the 2000–2001 financial year, from surveys conducted by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) of amusement and theme parks, and amusement centres.

SCOPE

2 The amusement and theme parks survey was a census of all such entities which met the following criteria:

  • park operated on a commercial basis;
  • permanently based at a fixed site;
  • multiple rides and attractions;
  • with over 50,000 attendees for the year.

3 The amusement centre survey included indoor play centres, amusement machine centres, mini golf centres, go-kart venues and similar operations. The list of amusement centres was obtained from Telstra Yellow Pages directories.

STATISTICAL UNIT

4 The unit for which statistics were reported in the survey was the establishment unit. The establishment unit is the smallest type of accounting unit within a business and usually equates to a physical location.

REFERENCE PERIOD

5 Data contained in the tables in this publication relate to all amusement and theme parks and amusement centres within the survey scope (see paragraphs 2 and 3) which operated in Australia at any time during the year ended June 2001. Counts of businesses and organisations include only those that were operating at 30 June 2001.

ESTABLISHMENTS CEASED DURING THE YEAR

6 A very small number of establishments ceased operations during the 2000–01 reference period. As is normal ABS procedure, the contributions of these establishments were included in the survey output.

RELIABILITY OF DATA

7 Since the estimates for amusement centres in this publication include information obtained from a sample drawn from units in the survey population, the estimates are subject to sampling variability, that is, they may differ from figures that would have been obtained if all units had been included in the survey. One measure of the likely difference is given by the standard error, which indicates the extent to which an estimate might have varied by chance because only a sample of units was included.

8 There are about two chances in three that a sample estimate will differ by less than one standard error from the figure that would have been obtained if a census had been conducted, and approximately 19 chances in 20 that the difference will be less than two standard errors.

9 Sampling variability can be measured by the relative standard error (RSE) which is obtained by expressing the standard error as a percentage of the estimate to which it refers. The RSE is a useful measure in that it provides an immediate indication of the percentage errors likely to have occurred due to sampling, and this avoids the need to refer also to the size of the estimate.

10 The following table contains estimates of RSEs for a selection of the statistics presented in this publication.

RELATIVE STANDARD ERRORS FOR TABLE 2.1: AMUSEMENT CENTRE OPERATIONS, Key figures
Amusement machine centres
Other
Total
%
%
%
Businesses at end June
11
5
4
Locations at end June
Capital cities and suburbs
10
7
5
Non-metropolitan areas
14
7
6
Total
9
5
4
Employment at end June
Working proprietors and partners
13
7
6
Permanent employees
23
14
15
Casual employees
14
10
8
Total
13
8
7
Income
Takings from coin operated amusement machines
17
34
16
Income from playing fees/admissions
42
11
11
Other
5
11
6
Total
15
10
9
Expenses
Labour costs
18
11
12
Purchases
13
10
8
Other
10
9
8
Total
12
9
8
Copyright ã Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2002

11 As an example of the above, an estimate of total income for amusement centre businesses is $136.9 million and the RSE is 9%, giving a standard error of $12.9 million. Therefore there would be two chances in three that, if all units had been included in the survey, a figure in the range of $124.0 million to $149.8 million would have been obtained, and 19 chances in 20 that the figure would have been within the range of $111.1 million to $162.7 million (a confidence interval of 95%).

12 Where the RSE of an estimate included in this publication exceeds 25%, it has been annotated with an asterisk (*) as a warning to users. Where the RSE of an estimate exceeds 50%, it has been annotated with a double asterisk (**).

13 The amusement and theme parks segment of the survey (Chapter 1 of this publication) is not subject to sampling errors as all in scope units were surveyed.

14 Errors other than those due to sampling may occur because of deficiencies in the list of units from which the sample was selected, non-responses, and imperfections in reporting by respondents. Inaccuracies of this kind are referred to as non-sampling errors and these may occur in any collection. Every effort has been made to reduce non-sampling error to a minimum by careful design and testing of questionnaires and systems used to compile the statistics.

ACKNOWLEDGMENT

15 ABS publications draw extensively on information provided freely by individuals, businesses, governments and other organisations. Their continued cooperation is very much appreciated; without it, the wide range of statistics published by the ABS would not be available. Information received by the ABS is treated in strict confidence as required by the Census and Statistics Act 1905.

RELATED PUBLICATIONS

16 This publication is one of a series to be issued in respect of 2000–01 for a range of hospitality, sporting, recreation and gambling services industries. Other publications in this series are:

Casinos, Australia, 2000-01 (Cat. no. 8683.0)
Clubs, Pubs, Taverns and Bars, Australia, 2000-01 (Cat. no. 8687.0)
Gambling Industries, Australia, 2000-01(Cat. no. 8684.0)
Sports Industries, Australia, 2000-01 (Cat. no. 8686.0)
Accommodation Industry, Australia, 2000-01 (Cat. no. 8695.0)