Within the context of the Portfolio Budget Statements, the ABS has two outputs: (i) Economic Statistics and (ii) Population and Social Statistics. The table below provides a financial summary of ABS outputs and price of outputs against the budgeted figures, and also provides details for 2001-02. 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 whole Commonwealth Budget.
Total output (equivalent to operating expenses plus capital use charge) for 2000-01, at $284.6m, was $1.2m (0.4%) lower than the budgeted amount of $285.8m as presented in the Portfolio Additional Estimates Statements. Total price of outputs for 2000-01, at $284.9m, was $0.8m (0.3%) lower than the budgeted amount of $285.8m. The large increase in the budget for 2001-02 reflects the cost of conducting and processing the 2001 Census.
Table 1: FINANCIAL RESOURCES SUMMARY ($’000)
|
| | | Budget | Actual | | Budget |
| | | 2000-01(a) | 2000–01 | Variance | 2001-02(b) |
Administered Expenses |
|
| Discretionary Grants(c) | - | - | - | - |
| Total Administered Expenses | - | - | - | - |
Price of Departmental Outputs | | | | |
| Output group 1.1 - National Statistical Service | | | | |
| | Output group 1.1.1 - Economic statistics | 132 879 | 132 305 | 574 | 131 219 |
| | Output group 1.1.2 - Population and social statistics | 152 882 | 152 295 | 587 | 240 973 |
| Total output | 285 761 | 284 600 | 1 161 | 372 192 |
| | Revenue from Government appropriation | 264 092 | 264 092 | - | 355 011 |
| | Revenue from other sources | 21 669 | 20 837 | 832 | 17 181 |
| Total Price of Outputs | 285 761 | 284 929 | 832 | 372 192 |
Total for Outcome 1 | 285 761 | 284 929 | 832 | 372 192 |
Staff years (number) | | 3 223 | | 3 635 |
|
(a) Budget 2000-01 - Full-year budget, including additional estimates.
(b) Budget 2001-02 - Budget prior to additional estimates.
(c) The ABS does not administer any discretionary grants.
In terms of revenue raised from other sources the ABS has recorded a small reduction. The breakdown of revenue raised from other sources is shown below.
Table 2: REVENUE RAISED FROM OTHER SOURCES
($’000)
|
| | | 1998-99 | 1999-2000 | 2000-01 |
Revenue raised from statistics |
|
| Publications | | | |
| | Subscriptions | 1 805 | 1 746 | 1 239 |
| | Other | 1 547 | 1 226 | 684 |
| Other Standard Products | 2 982 | 2 553 | 2 949 |
| Information Consultancy | 5 500 | 4 394 | 4 198 |
| Statistical Consultancy | 944 | 1 208 | 947 |
| User Funded Surveys | 5 539 | 5 277 | 4 438 |
| Other Products and Services | 4 385 | 5 064 | 4 361 |
Total revenue raised from statistics | 22 702 | 21 468 | 18 816 |
Other revenue | 444 | 1 737 | 2 021 |
Total | 23 146 | 23 205 | 20 837 |
|
The table shows that revenue in 2000-01 declined in most categories. A significant contributor to the decline has been the greater availability of data on the ABS website and through libraries and other intermediaries. This result is consistent with the ABS policy of encouraging self-help facilities and intermediaries and reducing the costs of dissemination for the ABS.