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INTRODUCTION

Construction is an integral component of the Australian economy. In 1999-2000, the construction industry contributed 5.5% to the gross product of all industries, as measured by production-based Gross Domestic Product. In May 2000 it employed 709,300 people, either as employees or as self-employed contractors. This represented 7.8% of employment in all industries.

Statistics about the Construction Industry, and all other industries, are available from the ABS's annual Economic Activity Survey (EAS). The series includes employing businesses and provides a time series from 1992-93 to 2000-2001.

The ABS has also produced experimental estimates from this collection which extend the range of annual business performance data available by using data sourced from the Business Income Tax records. As these estimates are experimental, users should refer to the methodology and various caveats described in Australian Industry 1999-2000 (Cat. no. 8155.0).

This article highlights the range and depth of information that can now be accessed.


RESULTS

The following tables present examples of experimental estimates which show Australia's Construction sector business characteristics at a detailed industry level (Australian and New Zealand Standard Industry Classification (ANZSIC)). These estimates are available at the national level.

In 1999-2000, general construction businesses contributed a greater amount of both total operating income and expenses than construction trade services businesses. However, construction trade services businesses contributed more than twice the operating profit before tax than general construction businesses.

CONSTRUCTION SECTOR ESTIMATES, Selected items by ANSZIC class, Australia - 1999-2000
		Total	Total	Operating
		operating	operating	profit
Industry class		income	expenses	before tax
ANZSIC Code	Description	$m	$m	$m
4	Construction	102,669	93,118	10,376
	Employing businesses	86,782	82,947	4,660
	Non-employing businesses	15,887	10,171	5,715
41	General construction	55,901	53,338	3,180
	Employing businesses	51,692	49,934	2,376
	Non-employing businesses	4,209	3,405	804.0
411	Building construction	41,263	39,245	2,608
4111	House construction	22,458	21,414	1,274
4112	Residential building construction n.e.c.	4,242	4,077	584
4113	Non-residential building construction	14,563	13,753	750
412	Non-building construction	14,639	14,094	572
4121	Road and bridge construction	3,411	3,427	-17
4122	Non-building construction n.e.c.	11,228	10,667	589
42	Construction trade services	46,767	39,780	7,195
	Employing businesses	35,090	33,013	2,284
	Non-employing businesses	11,678	6,767	4,911
421	Site preparation services	5,713	5,245	465
4210	Site preparation services	5,713	5,245	465
422	Building structure services	8,028	6,587	1,444
4221	Concreting services	3,459	3,019	438
4222	Bricklaying services	1,742	1,093	649
4223	Roofing services	1,874	1,612	265
4224	Structural steel erection services	954	863	93
423	Installation trade services	16,023	14,608	1,594
4231	Plumbing services	5,006	4,273	740
4232	Electrical services	7,088	6,714	534
4233	Air conditioning and heating services	2,644	2,446	209
4234	Fire and security system services	1,285	1,175	111
424	Building completion services	12,887	9,858	3,047
4241	Plastering and ceiling services	2,968	2,311	655
4242	Carpentry services	4,659	3,502	1,151
4243	Tiling and carpentry	1,601	1,175	436
4244	Painting and decorating services	2,625	1,953	682
4245	Glazing services	1,035	917	123
425	Other construction services	4,116	3,482	645
4251	Landscaping services	1,617	1,356	262
4259	Construction services n.e.c.	2,499	2,126	384

CONSTRUCTION SECTOR ESTIMATES, Building Structure Services, Australia - 1999-2000
			422 BUILDING STRUCTURE SERVICES
			4221	4222	4223	4224
			Concreting	Bricklaying	Roofing	Structural steel
			services	services	services	erection services		Group total
			$'000	$'000	$'000	$'000		$'000
Income items
	Sales of goods		296,048	150,110	144,025	80,868		671,049
	Income from services		3,122,463	1,569,231	1,707,552	862,970		7,262,216
	Rent, leasing and hiring income		19,171	11,571	11,102	4,727		46,570
	Interest income		7,686	4,106	4,345	2,023		18,160
	Royalties income		482	292	280	259		1,312
	Government funding		2,050	1,240	1,190	502		4,983
	Other operating income		10,784	5,655	5,426	2,294		24,159
	Total operating income		3,458,684	1,742,204	1,873,919	953,644		8,028,450
Expense items
	Labour costs
		Wages and salaries	427,060	98,108	222,627	210,506		958,300
		Employer contributions to superannuation	49,968	15,042	27,928	16,111		109,048
		Workers compensation costs	28,066	8,438	16,323	7,840		60,667
		Total labour costs	505,093	121,588	266,877	234,457		1,128,016
	Insurance premiums		24,827	10,187	13,966	6,070		55,049
	Interest expenses		23,093	7,803	7,167	7,279		45,343
	Depreciation		61,644	32,343	31,032	18,979		143,998
	Bad or doubtful debts		15,273	1,208	810	3,333		20,624
	Purchases
		Purchases of finished goods for resale	273,118	94,658	138,635	81,157		587,568
		Purchases of materials and components	1,121,649	413,851	622,172	273,744		2,431,416
		Electricity and gas expenses	6,418	2,326	3,473	1,665		13,882
		Petrol products and other fuel expenses	36,790	13,564	20,385	9,004		79,743
		Total purchases	1,437,975	524,400	784,664	365,570		3,112,609
	Computer software expenses		10,798	4,815	6,344	2,587		24,544
	Fringe benefits tax		2,749	863	1,693	1,896		7,201
	Payroll tax		13,081	3,681	6,842	7,114		30,717
	Land tax and land rates		4,403	1,651	2,498	1,012		9,564
	Other bank charges		10,875	4,085	6,184	2,484		23,627
	Royalties expenses		2,157	39	161	108		2,464
	Freight expenses		22,570	8,318	12,499	5,531		48,918
	Postal and mailing expenses		3,067	1,116	1,669	784		6,637
	Telecommunication service expenses		30,519	11,066	16,520	7,909		66,015
	Repair and maintenance expenses		32,681	5,980	7,816	6,460		52,937
	Rent, leasing and hiring expenses		99,841	37,173	56,086	23,571		216,671
	Motor vehicle running expenses		124,683	95,220	52,752	26,605		299,260
	Audit expenses		12,995	4,890	7,408	2,946		28,238
	Legal expenses		3,579	1,322	1,989	869		7,760
	Advertising expenses		17,053	6,143	9,145	4,516		36,857
	Paper and printing expenses		8,356	3,034	4,532	2,156		18,077
	Staff training expenses		3,007	1,082	1,609	800		6,498
	Travel and accommodation expenses		19,139	6,999	10,485	4,819		41,442
	Other management expenses		43,884	16,331	24,635	10,380		95,230
	Cleaning expenses		2,304	832	1,239	606		4,981
	Sales commission expenses		2,765	947	1,380	848		5,939
	Commission expenses on own materials		3,124	1,183	1,798	689		6,794
	Other contract, sub-contract expenses		432,264	162,439	245,976	98,503		939,182
	Other operating expenses		45,295	16,707	25,764	13,686		101,452
	Total operating expenses		3,019,094	1,093,444	1,611,540	862,567		6,586,645
	Operating profit before tax		437,896	648,760	264,565	92,572		1,443,792