The total reporting load on businesses, as measured by hours taken to complete statistical forms, decreased by over 4 per cent in 2001-02, to 418,000 hours.
During 2001-02 the ABS continued the rationalisation of data collection from the financial sector in cooperation with the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority, the Reserve Bank of Australia and other data providers in order to reduce reporting load on businesses. Reductions in reporting load on businesses were also achieved as a result of changes in collection strategies arising from the introduction of The New Tax System. The changes included the use of business income tax data for the production of mining and manufacturing estimates. Additional reductions in reporting load and costs were achieved in the building collections through the increased use of sampling.
A number of initiatives are in place to further reduce the load in 2002-03. A key input into these will be a series of focus group sessions the ABS is holding with businesses.
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