Book Retailers Survey
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NAME OF ORGANISATION The Book Retailers Survey will be conducted annually with respect to 2000-2001 until 2003-2004. The survey collects information about the operation and financial performance of businesses which employ staff and are predominantly engaged in book retailing during the relevant reference period. Information is published regarding the financial and employment data of the businesses, as well as the numbers and values of various types of books sold. In August 1999, the Prime Minister wrote to the Leader of the Australian Democrats advising of the outcomes reached between their respective offices on the Book Industry Assistance Plan. The Plan was developed in response to concerns by the Australian Democrats that the GST would adversely affect the Australian book industry. The main objectives of the Plan are to: An Appropriation Bill for the Plan was passed by Parliament and, in November 1999, the Minister for Communications, Information Technology and the Arts wrote to the Treasurer asking him to formally approach the ABS with a view to implementing the statistical element of the Plan. The Department of Communications, Information Technology and the Arts (DOCITA) was given responsibility for a number of elements of the Plan, including liaison with the ABS to collect, on an annual basis, data on book publishing and retail sales.The main external users are the Dept of Communications, Information Technology and the Arts and the Australian Booksellers Association. Users are looking to monitor the profitability of the sector. Data from the survey will input to decisions regarding the level of government support which should be provided to the book industry and the success of government initiatives to offset the expected impact of the GST. SCOPE The target population consists of all public and private businesses in Australia employing staff with significant book selling activity (excluding second hand books only). Conceptual framework The main scope of the survey is all businesses which predominantly sell books. This is supplemented by information on the bookselling activity of supermarkets, department stores and retailers nec with 200+ employees. Main outputs For businesses which predominantly sell books the main outputs will be the number of organisations, estimates of income, expenses and employment; number and sales of books, sales over the Internet, use of business technology. For Supermarkets, Departments stores and Retailers nec, only book activity data is collected and output. Classifications The Australian and New Zealand Standard Industry Classification (ANZSIC) will be used. The lowest level at which estimates will be produced is the class level. Other concepts (summary) The survey collects data from management units. Comments and/or Other Regions
Frequency comments From 2000/01 until 2003/04. 8/99 John Howard wrote to Meg Lees confirming the setting up of the Book Industry Assistance Plan, something which had to be established in order to obtain Democrat support for Tax Reform (GST) legislation. The plan provides for annual statistical collections of book publishers from 1999-2000 to 2003-04 and of book retailers from 2000-01 to 2003-04. 2/00 Development for 2000/01 survey commenced. 10/01 Despatch of forms for 2000/01 survey. 11/02 Publication released. 12/02 Despatch of forms for 2001/02 survey. Data availability comments Publishable data was released in hardcopy and to the ABS website Document Selection These documents will be presented in a new window.
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