8134.0 - Use of Information Technology on Farms, Australia, 1998-99  
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 23/12/1999   
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1998-99, PRELIMINARY

MAIN FEATURES

FARMS USING A COMPUTER

Australia

At the end of March 1999, an estimated 49% of the 147,160 farms in Australia owned or used a computer. This represents a 26% increase over the number of farms using a computer at March 1998.

States/Territories

The Northern Territory (65%), the Australian Capital Territory (62%) and Western Australia (59%) had the highest proportion of farms using a computer. Queensland (45%) and New South Wales (48%) had the lowest proportion of farms using a computer. The largest increase in the number of farms using a computer occurred in Tasmania (up 36% over March 1998) and Victoria (up 34%).

Regions

The Statistical Divisions in each State (outside the capital city Statistical Divisions) with the highest proportion of farms using a computer were:

Murray (58%) and Far West (57%) in New South Wales,
Mallee (58%) and Ovens-Murray (56%) in Victoria,
Mackay (58%) and Fitzroy (51%) in Queensland,
Eyre (57%) and Yorke and Lower North (54%) in South Australia,
Kimberley and Upper Great Southern (both 65%) in Western Australia, and
Northern (50%) in Tasmania.

The Statistical Divisions in each State (outside the capital city Statistical Divisions) with the lowest proportion of farms using a computer were:

Mid-North Coast (39%) and Richmond Tweed (41%) in New South Wales,
Gippsland (38%) and Central Highlands (43%) in Victoria,
Wide Bay Burnett (38%) and Central West (39%) in Queensland,
Murray Lands and South East (both 51%) in South Australia,
South West (50%) and Lower Great Southern (54%) in Western Australia, and
Southern (47%) in Tasmania.


FARMS USING THE INTERNET

Australia

At the end of March 1999, an estimated 20% of the 147,160 farms in Australia used the Internet. This represents an 84% increase over the number of farms using the Internet at March 1998.

States/Territories

The Northern Territory (36%) and the ACT (29%) had the highest percentage of farms using the Internet. Tasmania followed with 25%. South Australia, Western Australia and New South Wales all had 20%. Victoria had 19% and Queensland 17%. The largest increase in the number of farms using the Internet occurred in Tasmania (up 104% over March 1998) and Victoria (up 98%).

Regions

The Statistical Divisions in each State (outside the capital city Statistical Divisions) with the highest proportion of farms using the Internet were:
  • Illawarra (30%) and Hunter (24%) in New South Wales,
  • Mallee (29%) and Loddon and Goulburn (both 21%) in Victoria,
  • Mackay (25%) and Far North (21%) in Queensland,
  • Outer Adelaide and Murray Lands (both 23%) in South Australia,
  • Central and Kimberley (both 27%) in Western Australia, and
  • Southern (29%) in Tasmania.

The Statistical Divisions in each State (outside the capital city Statistical Divisions) with the lowest percentage of farms using the Internet were:
  • South Eastern (17%), Mid-North Coast and Murrumbidgee (both 18%) in New South Wales,
  • Gippsland (11%) and Barwon (13%) in Victoria,
  • Northern, Wide Bay Burnett, Fitzroy, and Central West (all 15%) in Queensland,
  • Eyre (19%) and South East and Northern (both 20%) in South Australia,
  • Pilbara (5%), South Eastern and South West (17%) in Western Australia, and
  • Northern (23%) in Tasmania.