Australian Bureau of Statistics
Celebrating the International Year of Statistics 2013

INVESTMENT


PRIVATE NEW CAPITAL EXPENDITURE

Between the December 2008 and March 2009 quarters, the South Australian chain volume (trend) estimate of private new capital expenditure decreased by 2.3% to $1,201m. Expenditure on Equipment, plant and machinery decreased by $54m (or 8.1%) to $612m, while expenditure on Buildings and structures increased by $26m (or 4.6%) to $589m.

Between the December 2008 and March 2009 quarters, private new capital expenditure for Australia decreased by 0.7% to $23,932m. Expenditure on Equipment, plant and machinery decreased by 5.3%, while Buildings and structures expenditure increased by 4.4% over this period.

MINERAL AND PETROLEUM EXPLORATION EXPENDITURE

The value of mineral exploration expenditure in South Australia during the March quarter 2009 was $36.0m (in original terms), down 47.1% from $68.0m for the December quarter 2008. Over the same period, Australian expenditure on mineral exploration decreased by 37.8% from $648.5m in the December quarter 2008 to $403.5m in the March quarter 2009.

The main minerals sought in South Australia in the March quarter 2009 were uranium ($10.7m exploration expenditure), copper ($7.6m), and gold ($6.0m).

Expenditure on petroleum exploration in South Australia in the March quarter 2009 was $17.9m, down 19.6% from the December quarter 2008. Nationally, expenditure on petroleum exploration decreased 1.5% from $1,013.4m in the December quarter 2008 to $998.6m in the March quarter 2009.