1001.0 - Annual Report - ABS Annual Report, 2004-05  
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 11/10/2005   
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Financial Position

Within the context of the Portfolio Budget Statements, the ABS has two outputs: (i) Economic Statistics; and (ii) Population and Social Statistics. Table 1 below provides, for 2004–05, a financial summary of ABS outputs and price of outputs against the budgeted figures, and also provides budgeted figures for 2005–06. The full financial statements are provided in Chapter 8, while a detailed summary of outputs by program component is provided in Appendix 2. The ABS budget is prepared under an accrual framework, consistent with the Australian Government Budget requirements.

There was an operating surplus of $2.984 million in 2004–05. This was a better outcome than the balanced result anticipated at the time of the Portfolio Additional Estimates Statements. The surplus in 2004–05 primarily relates to increased revenue due to stronger demand for ABS standard products and information consultancies, and delays in recruitment associated with labour market constraints.

TABLE 1: FINANCIAL RESOURCES SUMMARY ($’000)
Budget 2004–05(a)
Actual 2004–05
Variance
Budget 2005–06(b)
Administered expenses
Discretionary grants(c)
–
–
–
–
Total administered expenses
–
–
–
–
Price of ABS outputs
Output Group 1.1 — ABS — national statistical service
Output 1.1.1 — Economic statistics
145,654
145,440
-214
170,732
Output 1.1.2 — Population and social statistics
142,569
142,359
-210
167,115
Total ABS output
288,223
287,799
-424
337,847
Revenue from government appropriation
269,855
269,964
109
318,622
Revenue from other sources
18,368
20,819
2,451
20,636
Total price of outputs
288,223
290,783
2,560
339,258
Total for outcome 1
288,223
290,783
2,560
339,258
Staff years (number)
2,652
2,630
-22
2,711
(a) Budget 2004–05 — full year budget, including additional estimates.
(b) Budget 2005–06 — budget prior to additional estimates.
(c) The ABS does not administer any discretionary grants.

The breakdown of revenue raised from other sources is shown in Table 2.

TABLE 2: REVENUE RAISED FROM OTHER SOURCES ($’000)
2002–03
2003–04
2004–05
Revenue raised from statistics
Publications
Subscriptions
922
682
489
Other
628
389
287
Other standard products
8,270
4,603
4,293
Information consultancy
6,388
4,432
4,814
Statistical consultancy
892
833
784
User funded surveys
3,441
3,083
4,465
Other products and services
4,066
4,738
4,100
Total revenue raised from statistics
24,607
18,760
19,232
Other revenue
1,451
680
1,587
Total
26,058
19,440
20,819


The ABS recorded a 2.5 per cent increase in revenue raised from statistics in 2004–05. The slight increase in total revenue raised was pleasing despite an expectation that total revenue would decline due to the cyclical pattern of revenue from census products.

The increase in user funded surveys and information consultancy revenue reflects the ABS commitment to increasing its engagement with statistical users. Revenue from publications increased for web-based publications and decreased for paper-based publications, reflecting an ABS decision to reduce the number of paper-based products.

Revenue declined from other standard products, such as CDATA add-on products, as did revenue from outposted ABS officers, international consultancies and statistical unit funding.

It is expected there will be a decline in revenue from statistics in future years. This will be as a result of: free access to many statistics on the ABS web site from 1 July 2005; the ABS policy of encouraging self-help facilities; the increasing data availability on the ABS web site; and the increasing use of intermediaries.

Dennis Trewin
Australian Statistician




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