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Small businesses (excluding agricultural businesses) are those businesses employing less than 20 people. This release presents the results of the Characteristics of Small Business Operators Survey which was conducted in June 2004. Proportion of Small Business Operators in the ACT, by age Usual Working Hours At June 2004, male small business operators in the ACT were more likely to work full-time (77%) than part-time (23%). Female operators were the opposite, with 34% working full-time and 66% working part-time. However this did reflect an increase in the proportion of full-time female operators (8.0 percentage points). Overall, 64% of small business operators worked full-time and 36% worked part-time. Nationally, 80% of men and 40% of women small business operators worked full-time, while 20% of men and 60% of women worked part-time. The most common working week for small business operators in the ACT at June 2004 was 35–50 hours (44% of all operators), the same as the national average. At June 2004, 56% of ACT male small business operators worked between 35–50 hours a week, and 18% of female operators worked 35–50 hours per week. Between June 2003 and June 2004, the proportion of full-time operators working 35 hours or more per week has increased from 59% to 64%. Australian Born and Overseas Born Operators At June 2004, 73% (18,300) of ACT small business operators were born in Australia, and 27% (6,600) were born overseas, similar proportions to that for Australia as a whole. The proportion overseas born small business operators, was similar for both male and female operators. The proportions of men and women who were born overseas and running small businesses in the ACT was in line with the national average. At June 2004 Western Australia had the highest proportion of small business operators who were born overseas, of any state or territory (39%). Small Business use of Computers and Internet Access At June 2004, ACT small businesses were more likely to use computers and access the Internet for work related purposes, 77% and 72% respectively than those from any other state or territory. Proportion of Small Businesses, by State, which use computers and access the Internet Small businesses with 5-19 employees recorded the highest use of computers at June 2004 (100%). Small businesses with 1-4 employees recorded the next highest level for computer usage (92%). This latter group also recorded the highest proportion of Internet access (90%) of all employer group sizes in the ACT at June 2004. . Home Based Small Business Of all small business operators in the ACT, 66% (16,400) were home based businesses as at June 2004. This proportion remains unchanged from June 2003. Nationally, 63% of all small business operators are home based. More than half (61%) of all ACT home based small businesses have been in operation for less than five years (an increase of 4 percentage points). The proportion of ACT home based small businesses in operation for five or more years, fell slightly between June 2003 and June 2004. To find out more about the ACT and ACT statistics see the ACT Theme Page
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