ABOUT THIS PUBLICATION
This publication presents results, in respect of the 1999-2000 financial year, from an Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) survey on the use of information technology and telecommunications (IT&T) by government organisations. This is the third ABS survey of IT&T use by government, with the previous collections being conducted in respect of the 1993-94 and 1997-98 financial years. The 1999-2000 survey provides information on government expenditure on IT&T and IT employment.
COMPARABILITY WITH PREVIOUS COLLECTION
Users should take care when comparing data from this publication with previous surveys. In particular, the scope of the 1997-98 and 1999-2000 surveys differed, so figures in this publication are not comparable to the 1997-98 publication figures. More details on the scope differences can be found in paragraphs 6 to 8 of the Explanatory Notes.
SUMMARY
Total expenditure on information technology and telecommunications (IT&T) by government organisations during 1999-2000 was an estimated $4.3 billion or 5% of total government operating expenditure.
Federal departments and agencies accounted for just under half (47%) of the total government expenditure on IT&T. State/territory departments and agencies accounted for slightly less (45%) and local government accounted for the balance (8%). When the proportion of IT&T expenditure to the total government operating expenditure is compared for each level of government, the following proportions are obtained 7% (federal), 4% (state/territory) and 2% (local government).
IT&T outsourcing expenses were $1,168 million or 27% of the total IT&T expenditure by government organisations in 1999-2000. While the ratio of IT&T outsourcing expenses to total IT&T operating expenses showed little variation between federal and state/territory governments at 29% and 27% respectively, a much lower ratio of 15% was reported by local government.
During 1999-2000, total IT&T operating expenses per employee were $4,800. However, there was considerable variation across the three types of government, with total IT&T operating expenses estimated at $9,500 per federal government employee, $3,600 per state/territory government employee and $2,300 per local government employee.
IT employees accounted for only 2% of total employment of government organisations at the end of June 2000. Federal departments and agencies had the highest proportion of IT employees to total employment (4%) compared with 1% for both state/territory and local government departments and agencies.
Table 1 - Government expenditure on IT&T, Year ended 30 June 2000
|
 | Wages and salaries
of IT employees
$m | IT&T outsourcing
expenses
$m | Other IT&T
operating expenses
$m | Total IT&T
operating expenses
$m |
|
| Federal departments and agencies | 531 | 589 | 927 | 2,047 |
| State/Territory departments and agencies | 435 | 530 | 1,003 | 1,968 |
| Local governement | 84 | 49 | 201 | 334 |
| Total | 1,050 | 1,168 | 2,130 | 4,349 |
|
Copyright © Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2002
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