1001.0 - Annual Report - ABS Annual Report, 2005-06
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 11/10/2006
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Chapter 4 - Economic statistics
2. PUBLICATION OF AN UPGRADED HOUSE PRICE INDEX In response to widespread concern about the quality of data on changes in house prices, the ABS developed and released an upgraded price index for established houses in December 2005. The main aims in producing the new index were to obtain greater consistency in the methods used to compile the series for each of the eight capital cities, to better control for the effects on prices of the change in the mix of the types of houses sold each quarter, and to record the prices on the date that contracts are exchanged rather than the date of settlement of contracts. The new indexes for established house prices are based on medians aggregated for a number of strata (suburbs or groups of suburbs) within each capital city, and the number of strata within each city has been increased significantly compared with the old series. Details on the developments were published in Information Paper: Renovating the Established House Price Index (cat. no. 6417.0)
Industry classifications play a key role in providing a common base by which data compilers and analysts can consider the structure of the economy. As economic structures change, new classifications are required and a new edition of the Australian and New Zealand Standard Industrial Classification (ANZSIC) was released in February 2006 (cat. no 1292.0). This was the culmination of three years extensive consultation, by the ABS and Statistics New Zealand, with users and providers of economic statistics in both countries and takes account of developments in the International Standard Industrial Classification (ISIC), which is due for release next year. At the 2 digit level, it will fully concord with ISIC. For further details, see chapter 7 (special article on ANZSIC 2006 development and implementation). 4. INCORPORATION OF IMPROVED TAX DATA AND OTHER CHANGES INTO THE NATIONAL ACCOUNTS A wide range of information is used to produce estimates of economic growth (GDP) within the national accounts framework. One of the most important data sources is Business Income Tax (BIT) data. The new tax system afforded opportunities to improve the incorporation of BIT data for use in the national accounts, including data sources used for the national accounts, and these improved data were initially used in 2005. At the same time as implementing this change, which affected the estimated size of GDP, various other changes were introduced to improve methods and data sources for components of GDP. These included updating benchmarks for expenditure on alterations and additions made to houses, improving measures of information and communication technology related estimates, changing methods for measuring compensation of employees and improving approaches to measuring the value added by the construction and agriculture industries. 5. COLLABORATIONS IN THE ANALYSIS OF BUSINESS SURVEY MICRODATA Five trial collaborations were undertaken during 2005–06 to explore scope for engaging researchers from other government agencies and to assist the ABS conduct research and analysis of business survey microdata. These collaborations operated under strict legislative provisions of the Census and Statistics Act 1905. The five trial projects were with:
6. FINALISATION OF A STRATEGY FOR THE BUSINESS LONGITUDINAL DATABASE AND THE ASSOCIATED INTEGRATED BUSINESS CHARACTERISTICS SURVEY Following approval in the 2005–06 Australian Government Budget for the building of a Business Longitudinal Database (BLD), the ABS consulted extensively with users regarding its design and sources of data for the survey, including existing and new ABS surveys, and administrative sources. Data for the first stage are being collected and compiled, and initial results are expected to be released in December 2006. The new Integrated Business Characteristics Survey, which combines existing Innovation and Business Use of IT surveys with other data required for the BLD, will be implemented from 2007. 7. RELEASE OF INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY SATELLITE ACCOUNT Information and communication technology (ICT) goods and services play a central role in the Australian economy. However, they are difficult to define and measure. The development of a satellite account has brought together the available information in a framework that considers both the supply and the use of these products and seeks to reconcile the various pieces of data. The satellite account presents information on the contribution of ICT to GDP and shows the relative importance of key ICT industries and products. The ICT satellite account was released in March 2006 (Australian National Accounts: Information and Communication Technology satellite account, 2002–03 (cat. no. 5259.0)) and it is only the second of its type in the world. It continues a strong tradition of producing detailed analysis of particular sectors of the economy using satellite accounts techniques. 8. DEVELOPMENT OF IMPROVED TRADE IN SERVICES STATISTICS The frame and benchmarks used for the Survey of International Trade in Services were improved following an extensive coverage exercise. In addition, a number of new methodologies and data sources were introduced into the travel series including:
The past year saw the release of the following publications, which together significantly advanced users' understanding of the demographic characteristics of businesses:
There is an on-going strong demand for statistics measuring the economic activities of Australian controlled companies operating overseas and foreign controlled enterprises operating in Australia, including Australian resident parents of foreign affiliates. These statistics are called Foreign Affiliates Statistics, and major policy departments and analysts have identified them as vital to improving trade and investment policy decisions and negotiations. The ABS has developed a framework underpinning the collection and production of these that is consistent with the established Balance of Payments framework, addresses the major policy needs, and places the ABS in a position to provide leadership in the international development of Foreign Affiliates Statistics. 11. COLLECTION OF NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT STATISTICS In response to a demand for a more extensive range of Natural Resource Management (NRM) statistics, the ABS commenced a biennial collection of statistics on a range of NRM topics. Native vegetation, weeds, pest, land and soil, and water were the five priority topics included in the 2004–05 NRM survey. The survey asked farmers to identify the extent and type of NRM issues present on their land and the activities they undertook to prevent or manage them. The results provide an important perspective into NRM issues and activities occurring on Australian farms, a perspective that may differ from scientific or satellite assessment. 12. TRIALS OF LAND PARCEL METHODOLOGY An alternate survey methodology was trialled for collecting data about land-based activities, especially in relation to natural resource management issues. The land parcel survey project published results from two trials undertaken during 2005–06 – Land Management: Eurobodalla Shire NSW 2003–2004 (cat. no. 4651.0) and Land Management: Fitzroy and Livingstone Shires Queensland 2004–2005 (cat. no. 4651.0). The trials demonstrated the potential for using digital land parcel maps to provide a basic framework for land ownership that, when combined with land owner, land area and land use detail, can create a land cadastre suitable for use as a survey framework. In response to the success of these trials and the interest generated in the approach, the Environment and Energy Statistics program is considering how best to introduce the land parcel methodology into the regular ABS survey program. 13. PREPARATION FOR THE 2005–06 AGRICULTURAL CENSUS USING A FRAME FROM THE AUSTRALIAN BUSINESS REGISTER Significant preparations for the 2005–06 Agricultural Census were undertaken during the year. A feature of the 2005–06 Agricultural Census is that it will be based on a business survey frame drawn from the Australian Business Register for the first time. The Census is the largest business collection undertaken by the ABS. Approximately 190,000 survey forms have been mailed to agricultural businesses. This is a significant increase in size from previous Censuses, and will result in a welcome increase in coverage for many users of agricultural statistics. 14. ADVANCES IN WATER ACCOUNTING Water is a key theme of the Environment and Energy Statistics program. The second in a series of publications presenting detailed estimates on agricultural water use and management was released. Water use data were collected and a new Water Supply and Sewerage Services Survey was conducted in order to compile the Water Account, 2004–05. A Water Resource Accounting Workshop was jointly hosted by the National Water Commission and the ABS in late June 2005. The workshop recognised that water accounting to support the National Water Initiative is about integrated national accounting, measurement and monitoring, and is fundamental to achieving better water use and management in Australia. The workshop clearly recognised the importance of using standard definitions and systems for the production of water accounts. DEVELOPMENTS IN CLIENT ENGAGEMENT AND OUTPUT ENHANCEMENT The Economic Statistics program has been increasing its engagement with clients to better understand the policy drivers and analytical requirements and better explain the decisions the ABS makes on statistical priorities. This has been an increasing focus for senior staff, particularly those located in National Statistical Centres. One important output of these activities is the articulation of Information Development Plans in selected fields. REVIEW OF THE SERVICE INDUSTRY SURVEY PROGRAM An example of this engagement was the review of the service industry survey program which was undertaken as part of an overall strategy to provide relevant statistics about the service industries. Over forty submissions were received from stakeholders of the survey program. The information provided became important input into determining the relative priorities within the survey program. A survey program for the 2006–07, 2007–08 and 2008– 09 reference years was established and discussions have commenced on the development of the Cafes and Restaurants, Accommodation, Film and Video Production, Television, Music and Theatre Production and Performing Arts Venues topics scheduled for 2006–07. MESH BLOCK CODING FOR THE AGRICULTURAL CENSUS A major initiative to expand the amount of data available was announced at the launch of the 2005–06 Agricultural Census. The Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry gave notice that the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, together with the Department of the Environment and Heritage, will provide one million dollars through the National Heritage Trust to progress the coding of farm businesses to new ABS geographical building blocks known as mesh blocks. The National Water Commission has announced that it too will provide one million dollars for the project. By coding farm businesses in the Agricultural Census to mesh blocks, the ABS will be able to meet the needs of users to disseminate results for more flexible geographical areas such as Natural Resource Management regions, river basins and water catchments. An address coder being developed by the ABS will assist with consistent coding across ABS and non-ABS data sources. CONTRIBUTION TO ENVIRONMENT REPORTING There is considerable support for the ABS to take a more prominent role in environment reporting in Australia. Several fora have highlighted the need for an enduring environmental reporting system that is based on datasets that are collected in a nationally consistent way over a long period of time. In March 2006, the Environment and Energy Statistics program advisory board discussed a proposal on how the ABS could contribute to such a system. A key aspect of the ABS proposal was that the custodian of the underlying data sets will not change (unless there is agreement to do so). As part of the support being given to the ABS to take a more prominent role, the ABS were invited to join a Working Group on Improved Environmental Reporting Systems in Australia. Chaired by the Department of the Environment and Heritage, the group includes members from the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, National Land and Water Resources Audit, the 2006 State of the Environment Committee Chair, and representatives from Queensland and South Australian government agencies. TABLE 4.1: ECONOMIC STATISTICS PROGRAMS
Endnote 1 Using the statistical relationship between observed price changes and changes in the characteristics and qualities of the goods, a hedonic price index is developed that measures relative price changes while holding quality and underlying characteristics constant.
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