1301.0 - Year Book Australia, 2002  
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 25/01/2002   
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Contents >> Science and Innovation >> R&D expenditure - General government sector

Expenditure on R&D carried out by government organisations in Australia in 1998-99 was estimated to be $2,072m, a marginal decrease on expenditure in 1996-97 (see table 25.1).

As shown in table 25.9, the fields of research in which most government R&D expenditure took place were: Agricultural sciences ($664m, or 32%), Biological sciences ($255m, or 12%), Earth sciences ($207m, or 10%), Medical and health sciences ($189m, or 9%), Applied sciences and technologies ($188m, or 9%) and General engineering ($181m, or 9%).

A slightly different pattern applied to human resources devoted to R&D, with Agricultural sciences accounting for 32%, Medical and health sciences 15%, Biological sciences 12%, Applied sciences and technologies 8%, Earth sciences 7% and General engineering 7%.


25.9 GOVERNMENT ORGANISATIONS, R&D Resources by Field of Research - 1998-99

Type of expenditure

Field of research
Land and buildings


$m
Other capital expenditure


$m
Labour costs


$m
Other current expenditure


$m

Total


$m
Human
resources

’000 person

years

Natural sciences, technologies and engineering -
- Mathematical sciences
0.4
0.8
12.4
6.7
20.3
0.2
- Physical sciences
1.9
6.3
49.5
31.2
88.8
0.8
- Chemical sciences
2.0
7.2
48.1
30.0
87.3
0.7
- Earth sciences
5.2
8.8
90.2
103.2
207.4
1.4
- Information, computers and communication sciences
2.5
9.7
66.7
38.2
117.1
1.0
- Applied sciences and technologies
4.0
14.8
103.9
65.3
188.0
1.6
- General engineering
7.2
13.4
101.9
58.0
180.5
1.4
- Biological sciences
8.5
10.7
125.6
110.5
255.2
2.2
- Agricultural sciences
19.4
21.9
321.7
300.8
663.8
6.2
- Medical and health sciences
5.7
7.6
108.9
66.8
189.0
2.8
- Total natural sciences, technologies and engineering
56.8
101.1
1,028.9
810.5
1,997.3
18.1
Social sciences and humanities -
- Social sciences
0.8
1.6
45.4
23.8
71.6
0.8
- Humanities
0.1
0.1
1.4
1.2
2.7
-
- Total social sciences and humanities
0.8
1.7
46.8
25.0
74.3
0.8
Total
57.6
102.8
1,075.8
835.4
2,071.6
18.9

Source: Research and Experimental Development, Government and Private Non-profit Organisations, Australia (8109.0).


In terms of socioeconomic objectives (table 25.10), most government sector R&D expenditure ($1,139m or 55%) was directed towards Economic development. Of this, $353m (31%) was directed towards Plant production and primary products, $237m (21%) towards Animal production and primary products and $237m (21%) towards Manufacturing. About 21% was directed towards Environment, 11% towards Society, 10% towards Defence, and 3% to Advancement of knowledge.

A slightly different pattern applied to human resources devoted to R&D, with 51% directed towards Economic development, 18% towards Environment, 18% towards Society, 10% towards Defence, and 3% to Advancement of knowledge.


25.10 GOVERNMENT ORGANISATIONS, R&D Resources by Socioeconomic Objective - 1998-99

Type of expenditure

Socioeconomic objective
Land and buildings



$m
Other capital expenditure



$m
Labour costs



$m
Other current expenditure



$m
Total



$m
Human
resources


’000 person

years

Defence
0.1
18.5
126.9
59.5
205.1
1.9
Economic development -
- Plant - production and primary products
10.0
11.9
167.1
163.8
352.8
3.2
- Animal - production and primary products
8.8
8.4
114.3
105.9
237.4
2.2
- Mineral resources (excl. energy)
1.5
3.7
29.1
25.1
59.4
0.4
- Energy resources
0.9
2.7
23.1
32.6
59.3
0.3
- Energy supply
0.5
1.8
8.8
4.9
16.0
0.1
- Manufacturing
9.0
13.5
125.0
89.2
236.7
1.9
- Construction
0.9
3.2
21.9
12.5
38.4
0.3
- Transport
3.3
0.2
10.8
4.4
18.6
0.1
- Information and communication services
2.4
3.4
36.9
26.3
69.1
0.5
- Commercial services
0.3
1.5
6.3
5.0
13.1
0.1
- Economic framework
0.6
1.5
22.5
13.9
38.6
0.4
- Total economic development
38.2
51.8
565.7
483.8
1,139.4
9.6
Society -
- Health
4.6
9.4
112.8
70.5
197.2
2.9
- Education and training
0.2
0.2
6.1
1.8
8.3
0.1
- Social development and community services
0.2
1.0
21.2
9.9
32.2
0.4
- Total society
5.0
10.6
140.0
82.2
237.8
3.4
Environment -
- Environmental knowledge
8.2
13.7
141.4
128.2
291.6
2.2
- Environmental aspects of economic development
3.2
3.3
30.8
21.1
58.3
0.5
- Environmental management and other aspects
1.3
2.7
38.5
36.4
78.9
0.7
- Total environment
12.7
19.7
210.7
185.6
428.7
3.4
Advancement of knowledge -
- Natural sciences, technologies and engineering
1.4
2.1
31.1
23.3
57.9
0.6
- Social sciences and humanities
0.2
0.1
1.5
1.1
2.8
-
- Total advancement of knowledge
1.6
2.2
32.5
24.3
60.7
0.7
Total
57.6
102.8
1,075.8
835.4
2,071.6
18.9

Source: Research and Experimental Development, Government and Private Non-profit Organisations, Australia (8109.0).



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