This section contains estimates of engineering construction activity in Australia for both public and private sector organisations. These estimates, together with the preceding data on residential and non-residential building, complete the picture of construction activity in Australia.
The total value of engineering construction work done across the different sectors for the last 15 years is shown in graph 20.14. It shows that until 1992 the values of engineering construction work done by the public and private sectors were at similar levels. Following government deregulation, the amount of engineering construction undertaken by the private sector has exceeded the amount undertaken by the public sector. The drop in the amount of total engineering construction experienced in 2000 brought the work done by the two sectors closer together, and the gap remained about the same in 2001.
The total value of engineering construction work for 2001 in original terms ($18,471m) was 2% lower than in 2000 (table 20.15). The decrease of $355m was substantially due to a fall (by $219m) in the work done by the private sector accentuated by a fall of $137m (2%) in the value of work done by the public sector. The private sector accounted for 60% of the value of all work done in both 2000 and 2001.
In 2000, over half of the value of work done was attributable to Roads, highways and subdivisions, and Telecommunications. These construction activities still provided almost half the value of work done in 2001, though many others increased their contribution to the value of work done.
20.15 VALUE OF ENGINEERING CONSTRUCTION WORK DONE
|
| 2000 | 2001 |
|
|
|
| By the
private
sector | By the
public
sector | Total | Activity
share
of total | By the
private
sector | By the
public
sector | Total | Activity
share
of total |
| $m | $m | $m | % | $m | $m | $m | % |
|
Roads, highways and subdivisions | 3,803 | 1,709 | 5,511 | 29 | 3,599 | 1,723 | 5,322 | 29 |
Bridges | 285 | 86 | 371 | 2 | 206 | 120 | 327 | 2 |
Railways | 238 | 416 | 654 | 3 | 178 | 458 | 635 | 3 |
Harbours | 125 | 28 | 152 | 1 | 243 | 49 | 292 | 2 |
Water storage and supply | 358 | 262 | 620 | 3 | 376 | 268 | 644 | 3 |
Sewerage and drainage | 852 | 288 | 1,140 | 6 | 526 | 242 | 768 | 4 |
Electricity generation, transmission & distribution | 1,648 | 1,289 | 2,938 | 16 | 1,701 | 1,413 | 3,114 | 17 |
Pipelines | 335 | 33 | 367 | 2 | 217 | 25 | 242 | 1 |
Recreation | 934 | 150 | 1,084 | 6 | 876 | 190 | 1,066 | 6 |
Telecommunications | 793 | 3,215 | 4,008 | 21 | 771 | 2,858 | 3,629 | 20 |
Oil, gas and other hydrocarbon | 469 | - | 469 | 2 | 671 | - | 671 | 4 |
Bauxite, alumina and aluminium | 121 | - | 121 | 1 | 98 | - | 98 | 1 |
Coal and coal handling | 240 | - | 240 | 1 | 428 | - | 428 | 2 |
Other minerals | 680 | - | 680 | 4 | 686 | - | 686 | 4 |
Other heavy industry | 296 | 15 | 310 | 2 | 341 | 9 | 350 | 2 |
Other | 156 | 4 | 160 | 1 | 198 | 2 | 201 | 1 |
Total | 11,333 | 7,494 | 18,826 | 100 | 11,114 | 7,357 | 18,471 | 100 |
|
Source: Engineering Construction Activity, Australia (8762.0). |
The change from 2000 to 2001 is shown in graph 20.16. There was a substantial increase in the value of engineering construction work done for Harbours (by 92%), and for Coal and coal handling facilities (by 78%). On the other hand Pipelines, and Sewerage and drainage experienced decreases in work done (by 34% and 33% respectively). In absolute terms, the biggest contributor to the overall change in total engineering construction activity was Telecommunication activity, which fell by 9% in 2001.