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5: Increase the quantity of output

Performance Measure 5.1: Increase the range of statistics disseminated

The ABS continues to increase the range of statistics disseminated by releasing a range of new publications, expanding the data released in existing publications, and increasing the range of electronic releases.

During 2001-02 a range of new statistics were released in a number of new publications or products, of which the notable ones are:

• State and Regional Indicators, Victoria (cat. no. 1367.2), which is a major monthly and quarterly statistical series covering a large range of key state indicators including State final demand, population and vital statistics, employment and unemployment, wages and prices;

• Population Projections, Tasmania (cat. no. 3222.6), contains alternative projections (based on different assumptions as to future fertility, mortality and migration) of the resident population of Tasmania, the Statistical Local Areas and Local Government Areas at five-yearly intervals from 1999 to 2021;

• Population Projections, Northern Territory (cat. no. 3222.7), contains alternative projections (based on different assumptions as to future fertility, mortality and migration) of the resident population of the Northern Territory at yearly and five-yearly intervals from 1999 to 2021. It also includes alternative projections of the resident populations for Darwin/Balance of Northern Territory, Statistical Subdivisions, Statistical Local Areas and Local Government Areas;

• Population Mobility, Queensland (cat. no. 3237.3), provides data on characteristics of people moving to and within Queensland in the last three years and the factors influencing their movements. It also presents information on moves planned within the next three years;

• Disability, New South Wales (cat. no. 4443.1), presents information about people with disabilities in New South Wales. The major themes covered in this report include: disability prevalence and restriction; carer information and assistance provided by family and friends; population patterns; housing and living arrangements; education, employment and income; community participation; and transport;

• Venture Capital, Australia (cat. no. 5678.0), provides details of venture capital activity from venture capital fund managers. The information includes, in broad terms, fund commitments and drawdowns by source of funds, assets and liabilities of the venture capital fund and financing flows between the fund and its investors and investee companies;

• Work-Related Injuries, Australia (cat. no. 6324.0), provides information on persons who worked at some time in the previous 12 months and who suffered a work-related injury or illness. Estimates are cross-classified with labour force characteristics and demographics such as state, sex, relationship in household, marital status, birthplace, occupation, industry;

• Superannuation: Coverage and Financial Characteristics, Australia (cat. no. 6360.0), presents superannuation coverage and financial information from the Survey of Employment Arrangements and Superannuation. It also contains socio-demographic and employment characteristics of people with and without superannuation and reasons for not contributing to, or not having superannuation;

• Generosity of Australian Businesses (cat. no. 8157.0), contains a snapshot of the extent of giving by the business sector to the community sector in Australia during 2000–01. Data include the value of donations made, sponsorships provided and community projects undertaken by business;

• Television Services, Australia (cat. no. 8559.0), contains information about the television services industry. Data include: industry size; employment; income; expenses; and net operating surplus and information on in-house television productions;

• Museums, Australia (cat. no. 8560.0), contains information about the number and type of museums; employment; income; expenses and selected performance ratios, with breakdowns of key characteristics by size and by state. It also includes information on admissions; artefacts; art works; special exhibitions; hours open; use of information technology; and other museum/gallery activity;

• Veterinary Services, Australia (cat. no. 8564.0), contains information about the veterinary services industry and includes industry size; employment; income; expenses and industry value added;

• Business Events Venues Industry, Australia (cat. no. 8566.0), summarises information about the business events venues industry and includes industry size; employment; income; expenses and selected performance ratios, with breakdowns of key characteristics by business size and by state;

• Hire Industries, Australia (cat. no. 8567.0), details information about the plant and equipment and household goods hire industry and includes industry size; employment; income; expenses; and net operating surplus;

• Freight Movements, Australia, Summary (cat. no. 9220.0), provides statistics on tonnes and tonne-kilometres of freight moved in Australia between selected statistical divisions by mode (rail, sea, air and selected road). Information on tonnes moved by broad commodity grouping (based on the Australian Transport Freight Commodity Classification) and dissections of freight classified by liquid bulk, solid bulk, containerised, dangerous or refrigerated are also included;

• Sales of New Motor Vehicles, Australia (Electronic Publication) (cat. no. 9314.0), contains monthly information on sales of new motor vehicles in each state/territory sourced from the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries. This publication is released electronically only; and

• Australian Business Expectations; State by Industry Data (cat. no. 5255.0.55.001), in Excel spreadsheet form, is a companion to Australian Business Expectations (cat. no. 5250.0). The spreadsheet contains detailed state breakdowns on the expectations of businesses in both the short term (the next three months) and the medium term (the current quarter of the following year) for a range of business performance indicators. This product is released electronically only.

• Information Paper: Outcomes of ABS Views on Remoteness Consultation, Australia (cat. no. 1244.0.00.001), which summarises the feedback received from the first paper and responds to some commonly asked questions and suggestions. The paper also describes the changes which ABS will make in response to that feedback and further clarifies the purposes for which the new remoteness classification should, and should not, be used;

• Australian Standard Classification of Education (ASCED) (cat. no. 1272.0), which is a new Australian standard classification, replacing the ABS Classification of Qualifications. It provides a basis for comparable administrative and statistical data on educational activities and attainment classified by level and field;

• Measuring Australia’s Progress (cat. no. 1370.0), which considers some of the key aspects of progress. It provides a national summary of many of the most important areas of progress, presenting them in a way which can be quickly understood by all Australians. It informs and stimulates public debate and encourages all Australians to assess the bigger picture when contemplating progress;

• Information Paper: Improvements in ABS Economic Statistics [Arising from The New Tax System] (cat. no. 1372.0), which considers implications for economic statistics of the new units model and changes to the scope of business frames, implemented in June 2002, resulting from tax reform related developments;

• Teleworking, New South Wales (cat. no. 1373.1), which contains data on the frequency and characteristics of teleworking in New South Wales;

• Australia’s Environment: Issues and Trends (cat. no. 4613.0), presents a broad selection of environmental statistics and information which illustrate topical environmental issues. Examples of specific issues covered in the second edition include: environmental accounts, eco-efficiency and indicators; land degradation; genetically modified organisms; uses and values of forests and woodlands; the environmental impacts of mining; and waste generation and minimisation;

• Illicit Drug Use, Sources of Australian Data (cat. no. 4808.0), provides a comprehensive overview of sources of national data measuring the impact of illicit drug use in Australia. The publication examines data available on economic, social, crime and health impacts of illicit drug use on the community. Gaps in current data collections are also identified;

• Australian Culture and Leisure Classifications (cat. no. 4902.0), presents three separate classifications for culture and leisure data, covering industries, occupations and products. The development of these three classifications is the first stage in the preparation of a wider framework for managing culture and leisure data;

• Information Paper: A Methodology for Estimating Regional Merchandise Exports - Including Experimental Estimates for Three Queensland Regions (cat. no. 5492.0), proposing a methodology for estimating merchandise exports for regions of Australia. The methodology is applied for three regions of Queensland and experimental estimates of merchandise exports provided for 1994-95, 1995-96 and 1996-97;

• Information Paper: The Use of Individual Income Taxpayer Data for ABS Regional Statistics - Wage and Salary Indicators for Small Areas (cat. no. 5673.0), which contains experimental estimates of the total number of wage and salary earners and their average wage and salary income for Local Government Areas, Statistical Local Areas, Statistical Subdivisions and Statistical Divisions in each state and territory of Australia for the years 1995-96 to 1998-99;

• Information Paper: Use of Business Income Tax Data for Regional Small Business Statistics - Experimental Estimates, Selected Regions, Australia (cat. no. 5675.0), contains experimental estimates of regional business economic activity using the Australian Taxation Office business income tax data. This paper presents experimental estimates for statistical divisions for 1995-96, 1996-97, 1997-98, 1998-99 and 1999-2000;

• Business Indicators, Australia (cat. no. 5676.0), which summarises quarterly estimates of profits, income from the sale of goods and services, wages and salaries, and the book value of inventories. Volume measures are published for sales and inventories;

• Information Paper: Improvements to Australian Bureau of Statistics Quarterly Business Indicators (cat. no. 5677.0), describes improvements to ABS quarterly business indicators implemented in 2001. These improvements resulted from the integration of the surveys of Company Profits; Inventories, Sales and Services; and the private sector component of Employment and Earnings into a single survey called the Quarterly Economic Activity Survey. The information paper also details future developments, along with implications for time series and the publication and release strategy.

• Information Paper: Measures of Labour Underutilisation (cat. no. 6296.0), describes the extent of underutilisation of labour resources in the economy, such as information on discouraged jobseekers and underemployed workers. While the ABS continues its commitment to producing employment statistics based on internationally accepted definitions, it also recognises that the headline unemployment rate cannot satisfy all the purposes for which such data are required;

• Producer Price Indexes, Australia (cat. no. 6427.0), summarises a range of producer price indexes within a stage of production framework, and a set of partial, stand-alone measures relating to specific industry sectors of the economy;

• Information Paper: Price Index of Domestic Final Purchases, Australia (cat. no. 6428.0), introduces experimental index numbers for a new economy-wide price index of Domestic Final Purchases. It represents the last major element of the system of price indexes articulated in the earlier Information Paper: An Analytical Framework for Price Indexes in Australia (cat. no. 6421.0). The focus of this system of indexes is on the analysis of inflation;

• International Trade Price Indexes, Australia (cat. no. 6457.0), which contains indexes measuring changes in the prices of imports of merchandise that are landed in Australia each quarter (the Import Price Index), and exports of merchandise that are shipped from Australia each quarter (the Export Price Index);

• Information Paper: Experimental Estimates, Australian Industry, a State Perspective (cat. no. 8156.0), presents some experimental estimates produced at state level from data derived using a combination of data from the ABS Annual Economic Activity Survey and business income tax data provided to the Australian Taxation Office;

• Information Paper: Developments in New Motor Vehicle Statistics (cat. no. 9313.0), sets out the future role of the ABS in the release of new motor vehicle statistics;

• Australian Standard Geographical Classification (ASGC) Digital Boundaries, Australia on CD-ROM (cat. no. 1259.0.30.002), provides digital boundaries for the Australian Standard Geographical Classification edition for the 2001 Census of Population and Housing;

• Census of Population and Housing: Basic Community Profile (cat. no. 2001.0), provides a set of standard tables which contain key social, demographic and economic characteristics of people, families and dwellings;

• Census of Population and Housing: Indigenous Profile (cat. no. 2002.0), presents a set of standard tables which contain key social, demographic and economic characteristics of Indigenous people, families and dwellings;

• Census of Population and Housing: Census Basics, Australia (cat. no. 2045.0.30.001), is a data-only CD-ROM containing first release basic community profile data and digital boundaries in MapInfo;

• Voluntary Work, Australia - Confidentialised Unit Record File on CD-ROM (cat. no. 4441.0.30.001), provides confidentialised unit record data on rates of participation in unpaid voluntary work through an organisation or group. It includes data about the types of organisation with which the voluntary work is associated, the types of activities carried out, time spent volunteering, the characteristics of the volunteer, and the reason for volunteering;

• Australian Business Register - Counts of Australian Business Numbers (ABNs), Electronic Delivery (cat. no. 1369.0.55.001), presenting information provided by the Australian Taxation Office, based on data from the Australian Business Register (ABR). The ABR has been developed as part of the introduction of The New Tax System. Data relates to business entities in Australia at 30 June 2001;

• Census of Population and Housing: 2001 Census Snapshots (cat. no. 2046.0.55.001), which generally comprises text, tables and maps comparing data from the 2001, 1996, 1991 and some from the 1901 Census years. This is a free web based service aimed at the general community and media;

• Regional Population Growth, Australia, Electronic Delivery (cat. no. 3218.0.55.001), which contains the estimated resident population for each statistical local area, statistical subdivision and statistical division in Australia at 30 June of the reference year. Estimates for local government and other areas using statistical local areas as a base can be derived from these estimates. Estimates for postal areas and for population census collection districts are available on request;

• Industry Concentration Statistics, Data Report - Electronic Delivery (cat. no. 8140.0.55.001), which provides tables showing the proportion of sales, persons employed, and industry gross product that are concentrated among the 20 largest enterprise groups operating in each industry.

	Long term	Short term
Commonwealth	9	-
State	7	22

	Difference between first estimate	and estimate one year later
	Mean absolute revision	Mean revision
	% points	% points
1993-94	0.4	-0.1
1994-95	0.4	-
1995-96	0.1	-
1996-97	0.4	-
1997-98	0.6	-0.2
1998-99	0.2	0.1
1999-2000	0.1	-
2000-01(b)	0.2	-0.1

	Target	2000-01	2001-02
	response	actual	actual
	rate	response	response
Survey	(%)	rate (%)(a)	rate (%)(a)
Labour Force, Australia (cat. no. 6203.0)	97	97	97
Wage Cost Index, Australia (cat. no. 6345.0)	98	99	99
Retail Trade, Australia (cat. no. 8501.0)	95	97	96
Business Operations and Industry Performance, Australia (cat. no. 8140.0)	85	85	(b)84
Private New Capital Expenditure and Expected Expenditure, Australia (cat. no. 5625.0)	80	87	87
Business Indicators, Australia (cat. no. 5676.0)	80	(c)	83

	Target	Previous	2001-02
	response	survey actual	actual
	rate	response	response
Survey	(%)	rate (%)(b)	rate (%)
National Health Survey	85	92	92
National Health Survey - Indigenous component(a)	85	-	91
Education and Training Experience, Australia (cat. no. 6278.0)	85	91	92

		2000-01	2001-02
		relative	relative
		standard	standard
Survey	Key aggregate	error (%)	error (%)
Labour Force, Australia, June 2002 (cat. no. 6203.0)	Unemployed persons in Australia	1.4	1.5
Retail Trade, Australia, May 2002 (cat. no. 8501.0)	Total retail turnover in Australia	1.0	1.0
Business Operations and Industry Performance, Australia, 1999-2000 (cat. no. 8140.0)	Total income (all industries).	1.0	1.0
Private New Capital Expenditure and Expected Expenditure, Australia, March 2002 (cat. no. 5625.0)	Actual new capital expenditure, Australia.	1.7	1.7
Business Indicators, Australia, March 2002 (cat. no. 5676.0)	Company gross operating profit	(b)	1.0

		Previous	2001-02
		survey relative	relative
		standard error	standard
Survey	Key aggregate	(%)(b)	error (%)
National Health Survey	Persons recently consulting a doctor	0.6	n.a.
National Health Survey - Indigenous component	n.a.	-	n.a.
Education and Training Experience, Australia (cat. no. 6278.0)	Number of persons aged 15-64 who have completed a non-school qualification	0.5	0.8

• the prices program, including the consumer price index;

• the household surveys program, in particular the program’s finances;

• the public finance program;

• the public sector Survey of Employment and Earnings;

• the agriculture collection; and

• the ABS strategy for the collection of business statistics - the Business Statistics Innovation Program.

• the prices program, including the consumer price index;

• the public finance program;

• large business unit and business register;

• significance editing practices in business surveys;

• statistical consultancy; and

• the National Information Referral Service.

• improvements to the efficiency of collections and processes due to methodological improvements;

• improvements to collections through more efficient use of staffing resources;

• improvements to operations as a result of centralising functions in a single office; and

• assessments of performance against the original business case for particular functions.

• Service Industries Surveys;

• Economic Activity Survey;

• Mining and Utilities;

• Survey of Motor Vehicle Use;

• Business Expectations Survey;

• Mineral and Petroleum Exploration;

• Survey of International Investment;

• Job Vacancies Survey;

• Wage Cost Index; and

• Retail Sales Survey.

• Monthly Retail Survey;

• Labour Force Survey;

• Population Health Surveys; and

• Corporate Governance.

• "Managing People for Business Outcomes - Benchmarking Study" (ANAO Audit Report No. 61);

• "An Analysis of the Chief Financial Officer Function in Commonwealth Organisations: (ANAO Audit Report No. 28); and

• "Benchmarking the Finance Function - Follow up Report" (ANAO Audit Report No. 62).

	1995-96	1998-99	1999-2000	2000-01	2001-02
Small businesses(a)	343	202	202	201	167
Other businesses	336	236	228	235	251
Total all businesses	679	438	430	436	418

• the replacement of several individual business surveys with a single survey, Quarterly Economic Activity Survey; and

• the increasing use of administrative data, in particular tax data, to provide more efficient sample sizes, resulting in smaller sample sizes.