• Summary
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HOW TO USE THIS PUBLICATION

1.17 The following paragraphs broadly describe the contents of each section. Clicking on the underlined section heading will lead you to the sub-heading contents of each section. Links to relevant information included in other paragraphs or sections, definitions or appendixes are also included in chapter paragraphs which can be accessed by clicking on the underlined word(s). Links to external websites are also included but as these can quickly get out of date, the link provided is to the nearest main page. Users who have difficulty accessing links should email international.trade@abs.gov.au.

1.18 A number of appendices are also included to provide supplementary information about the classifications or definitions and to summarise detailed information about the statistical framework and statistical outputs. The appendices may contain tables which can be viewed online or printed.

1.19 Scope, Coverage and Treatments describes the scope and coverage of Australia's international merchandise trade statistics. The treatment of unusual or complex cases is also explained.

1.20 Trade System, Valuation and Time of Recording explains the general and special trade systems, valuation, currency conversion and time of recording of Australia's export and import statistics.

1.21 Data Sources and Compilation Methods describes the data sources and methods used to compile Australia's international merchandise trade statistics, including the statistical details obtained from the DIBP, the processing, editing and aggregation of data.

1.22 Classifications describes the commodity and industry classifications used to collect, compile and disseminate international merchandise trade statistics.

1.23 Country, Overseas Port, State and Australian Port defines country of origin, country of final destination and country of consignment. It also explains the classifications used to collect, compile and disseminate country, state and port statistics.

1.24 Mode of Transport describes the mode of transport information collected by the DIBP and defines the classification used in the dissemination of these statistics.

1.25 Quantity Measurement explains how the quantity for a commodity is determined, the relationship between quantity and gross weight, unit values and how these differ from price indexes.

1.26 Data Confidentiality outlines how Australia's international merchandise trade data are confidentialised prior to their release. It explains the legislative basis for applying confidentiality restrictions to the data, the types of restrictions that are imposed, the procedures used to manage confidentiality and the effect of confidentiality on the statistics produced.

1.27 Data Dissemination describes the dissemination of international merchandise trade statistics. It details the release practices used, the revisions policy, what data are available free on the ABS website and how they can be accessed.

1.28 Data Quality examines the quality of Australia's international merchandise trade statistics in terms of the seven quality dimensions defined in the ABS Data Quality Framework: institutional environment, relevance, timeliness, accuracy, coherence, interpretability and accessibility.

1.29 Relationship with other Macroeconomic Statistics explains the relationships between Australia's international merchandise trade statistics and balance of payments, national accounts and other related ABS macroeconomic statistics.

1.30 There are 11 appendixes that can be accessed from the Downloads tab.

• Appendix 1: Australia's compliance with IMTS 2010 recommendations
• Appendix 2: Impact of major changes to concepts, sources, or methods, January 1988 onwards
• Appendix 3: Hypothetical LNG project
• Appendix 4: Export FOB currency codes
• Appendix 5.1: The Department of Immigration and Border Protection (DIBP) export data items
• Appendix 5.2: The Department of Immigration and Border Protection (DIBP) import data items
• Appendix 6.1: AHECC historical correspondence
• Appendix 6.2: Customs Tariff historical correspondence
• Appendix 7: UN location country code correspondence table
• Appendix 8: International merchandise trade statistics country and port list
• Appendix 9: Country groups
• Appendix 10: List of international merchandise trade publications and tables available free from the ABS website
• Appendix 11: Definitions and metadata for import clearances duty related fields.