1367.5 - Western Australian Statistical Indicators, Jun 2009  
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 22/07/2009   
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IMPORTS

  • In the March quarter 2009, Western Australia received its largest value of imports from Thailand ($1.8 billion), followed by Singapore ($1.4 billion) and United States of America ($0.9 billion).
  • The value of imports from Thailand in March quarter 2009 was over twice that recorded in the December quarter and three times the value ($585 million) in March quarter 2008.
  • Non-monetary gold to the value of $1.4 billion, accounted for 80% of the total value of imports from Thailand in the March quarter 2009. Gold, in the form of leaf, foil, bullion and other fabricated gold products including granules, is sent to Western Australia where it is processed before exportation under a different commodity classification. The recent increase in the value of non-monetary gold imports from Thailand follows a similar spike in the value of non-monetary gold imports from the United Kingdom in the previous quarter.

3 International Merchandise Trade(a), Imports - top 10 countries: Original

IMPORTS

Mar 08
Dec 08
Mar 09
Country
$'000
$'000
$'000

Thailand
584 824
725 461
1 785 255
Singapore
931 833
1 514 646
1 429 559
United States of America
643 236
1 103 939
929 753
Japan
810 582
661 834
788 921
China
456 943
723 927
689 754
Indonesia
281 513
271 198
355 824
Malaysia
474 637
241 487
351 138
United Kingdom
370 712
1 640 269
244 099
Germany
248 947
327 030
242 445
United Arab Emirates
442 809
240 868
214 937
Total exports(b)
7 059 836
9 329 880
8 756 728

(a) Customs value.
(b) Includes countries not listed.
Source: ABS data available on request, International Trade in Goods and Services, Australia, cat. no. 5368.0
  • The value of imports for Western Australia were 24% higher in the March quarter 2009 than in the March quarter 2008 ($8.8 billion compared with just over $7 billion).
  • Driving the increase in import values was non-monetary gold, which rose to $3.3 billion and accounted for 38% of the total value of all imports for Western Australia in the March quarter 2009. The import value of this commodity was almost double that of the corresponding quarter in the previous year.
  • Among other major commodities that contributed to the rise in import values was iron/steel tubes and pipes, with an import value more than treble that of the March quarter 2008.

4 International Merchandise Trade(a), by major commodity: Original

Mar 08
Dec 08
Mar 09
Category of the SITC
$'000
$'000
$'000

MAJOR IMPORT COMMODITIES(b)

Gold, non-monetary
1 751 534
2 504 780
3 341 962
Crude petroleum oils
895 150
406 764
572 910
Refined petroleum oils
505 363
1 095 392
359 190
Iron or steel tubes and pipes
79 411
155 166
274 835
Confidential items
223 369
407 573
263 002
Civil engineering plant and equipment
392 476
323 773
234 791
Passenger motor vehicles
397 576
360 685
224 110
Motor vehicles for the transport of goods
290 057
298 126
215 487
Other specialised industry machinery and equipment
123 851
125 768
118 795
Fertilisers
185 273
284 307
110 295
Ships, boats and floating structures
34 434
47 461
85 043
Rubber tyres
80 470
105 170
78 359
Automatic data processing machines
31 318
55 299
36 630
Aircraft and associated equipment
65 379
43 290
11 216
Parts and accessories of office machines
4 535
9 254
7 116
Total imports(c)
7 059 836
9 329 880
8 756 728

(a) Care should be taken when comparing with commodities data prior to July 2005. For full details about changes to international trade statistics, users should refer to the Information Paper: Impact of introducing Revision 4 of the Standard International Trade Classification, 2008 (cat. no. 5368.0.55.10).
(b) Customs value
(c) Includes categories not listed.
Source: ABS data available on request, International Trade in Goods and Services, Australia, cat. no. 5368.0.


To view Excel spreadsheet: International Merchandise Trade




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