1301.0 - Year Book Australia, 2009–10  
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 04/06/2010   
   Page tools: Print Print Page  
Contents >> Industry structure and performance >> Australian industry business entries and exits

AUSTRALIAN INDUSTRY BUSINESS ENTRIES AND EXITS

This section provides counts and details of the flow of Australian businesses into and out of the Australian economy, including the survival rates of entries. Data were sourced from the ABS Business Register (ABR) and only include businesses which actively traded in goods and services during the reference period, rather than all entities registered on the ABR. Businesses classified to ANZSIC Division M, Government administration and defence are excluded from the statistics. In addition, entities classified to the general government institutional sector are excluded for most industries. This exclusion particularly affects data for the Education, and Health and community services industries, where details relate only to private sector businesses. The term 'total selected industries' is used to refer to the aggregate of the industries included in this section.

Table 15.7 shows the number of actively trading businesses in Australia at the beginning and end of 2006-07. The number of businesses operating in the total selected industries at June 2007 was 2,011,770. This compares with 1,963,907 businesses operating at the beginning of 2006-07 (a growth of 2% during the period). The Property and business services industry had the greatest number of businesses at June 2007 (507,508 or 25% of the total), followed by Construction (16%), Retail trade and Agriculture, forestry and fishing (both 11%). There was a marked decline (4%) in businesses within the Electricity, gas and water supply industry during the period under review.

15.7 BUSINESSES BY INDUSTRY DIVISION - 2006-07

Operating at start of financial year
Entries(a)
Exists(b)
Operating at end of financial year
Change
Percentage change
no.
no.
no.
no.
no.
%

Agriculture, forestry and fishing
214 879
24 532
24 616
214 795
-84
-
Mining
6 997
1 251
1 043
7 205
208
3.0
Manufacturing
106 778
13 918
14 131
106 565
-213
-0.2
Electricity, gas and water supply
2 057
273
362
1 968
-89
-4.3
Construction
308 405
62 035
48 036
322 404
13 999
4.5
Wholesale trade
84 633
13 115
12 350
85 398
765
0.9
Retail trade
217 684
35 876
34 252
219 308
1 624
0.8
Accommodation, cafes and restaurants
55 666
10 712
9 700
56 678
1 012
1.8
Transport and storage
115 642
19 292
17 611
117 323
1 681
1.5
Communication services
23 191
5 419
4 612
23 998
807
3.5
Finance and insurance
129 646
27 188
20 247
136 587
6 941
5.4
Property and business services
492 453
86 097
71 042
507 508
15 055
3.1
Education
15 287
3 713
2 735
16 265
978
6.4
Health and community services
89 228
11 702
8 612
92 318
3 090
3.5
Cultural and recreational services
45 537
8 800
7 529
46 808
1 271
2.8
Personal and other services
55 824
10 766
9 948
56 642
818
1.5
Total selected industries
1 963 907
334 689
286 826
2 011 770
47 863
2.4

- nil or rounded to zero (including null cells)
(a) Businesses which were actively trading on the business register at June 2007 but were either not included or not actively trading at June 2006.
(b) Businesses which were actively trading on the business register at June 2006 but were either not included or not actively trading at June 2007.
Source: ABS Counts of Australian Businesses, including entries and exits, Australia, June 2003 to June 2007 (8165.0).


Graph 15.8 shows that in 2006-07, there were three industries (Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing, Manufacturing and Electricity, Gas and Water Supply) where business exit rates exceeded business entry rates. This was the first year, since the business counts records commenced in 2003, that the Agricultural Industry recorded more exits than entries. The remaining thirteen industries reported more entrants. Of particular note were the Education, Finance and insurance and Construction industries. Between June 2003 and June 2007, the Education industry grew from 15,172 businesses to 16,265 businesses, an increase of 1,093 (7%). In the same period, the Finance and insurance industry grew by 6,588 businesses (5%).

15.8 business entry and exit rates(a) - 2006-07
Graph: 15.8 business entry and exit rates(a)—2006–07


Graph 15.9 shows survival rates at June 2006 and June 2007 for business entries during 2003-04. Survival rates at June 2006 and June 2007 were highest for businesses in Health and community services and Agriculture, forestry and fishing (71% and 65% respectively). Their survival rates at June 2006 and June 2007 are notably higher than the total selected industries average (65% and 58% respectively). Survival rates at June 2006 and June 2007 were lowest for Communication services (53% and 45%), Education (56% and 49%), and Personal and other services (58% and 51%).

15.9 2003-04 business entries, survival rate(a) - June 2006 and June 2007
Graph: 15.9 2003-04 business entries, survival rate(a)—June 2006 and  June 2007









Previous PageNext Page