1301.0 - Year Book Australia, 2003  
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 24/01/2003   
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Contents >> Science and Innovation >> Expenditure and human resources devoted to R&D

The ABS defines R&D as systematic investigation or experimentation involving innovation or technical risk, the outcome of which is new knowledge, with or without a specific practical application, or new or improved products, processes, materials, devices or services.

Statistics on the amount of expenditure and human resources devoted to R&D in the business sector are collected annually through a survey of all likely R&D performers. Comparable statistics on the higher education, government and private non-profit sectors are collected biennially.

Tables 25.1 and 25.2 summarise the latest statistics available. These data show that after levelling off in the period 1996-97 to 1998-99, gross expenditure on R&D increased by 15% from $8,936m in 1998-99 to $10,251m in 2000-01. All sectors showed an increase in R&D expenditure compared with 1998-99.

In the business sector, R&D expenditure at current prices in 2000-01 was 18% higher than that recorded in 1999-2000. This represented the highest level recorded to date and reversed the declines of the previous four years. In volume terms, with the effect of changes in prices and wages and salaries removed, business R&D expenditure increased by 12% compared with 1999-2000, but remained 5% below the peak level of 1995-96.


25.1 EXPENDITURE ON R&D
1995-96
1996-97
1997-98
1998-99
1999-2000
2000-01
Sector
$m
$m
$m
$m
$m
$m
Business
4,356.6
4,234.7
4,218.2
4,091.2
4,084.8
4,825.3
Government
Commonwealth
n.a.
1,266.6
n.a.
1,207.1
n.a.
1,424.8
State/territory
n.a.
797.7
n.a.
862.8
n.a.
943.6
Total
n.a.
2,064.3
n.a.
2,069.8
n.a.
2,368.4
Higher education(a)
2,039.1
2,307.6
n.a.
2,555.1
n.a.
2,774.6
Private non-profit
n.a.
185.8
n.a.
220.1
n.a.
283.2
Total
n.a.
8,792.4
n.a.
8,936.4
n.a.
10,251.4
(a) Data for the calendar year ending within the financial year shown.

Source: Research and Experimental Development, All Sector Summary, Australia (8112.0); Research and Experimental Development, Businesses, Australia (8104.0); Research and Experimental Development, Higher Education Organisations, Australia (8111.0).


25.2 HUMAN RESOURCES DEVOTED TO R&D
1995-96
1996-97
1997-98
1998-99
1999-2000
2000-01
Sector
’000 person years
’000 person years
’000 person years
’000 person years
’000 person years
’000 person years
Business
27.1
26.4
24.8
25.1
26.4
27.8
Government
Commonwealth
n.a.
10.4
n.a.
9.5
n.a.
9.7
State/territory
n.a.
8.8
n.a.
9.2
n.a.
8.7
Total
n.a.
19.2
n.a.
18.7
n.a.
18.4
Higher education(a)
n.a.
42.7
n.a.
45.5
n.a.
46.3
Private non-profit
n.a.
2.4
n.a.
2.5
n.a.
2.7
Total
n.a.
90.7
n.a.
91.8
n.a.
95.3
(a) Data for the calendar year ending within the financial year shown.

Source: Research and Experimental Development, All Sector Summary, Australia (8112.0); Research and Experimental Development, Businesses, Australia (8104.0).



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