1367.5 - Western Australian Statistical Indicators, Dec 2009  
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 28/01/2010   
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IMPORTS

  • The total value of imports to Western Australia was 23% lower in the September quarter 2009 than in the September quarter 2008 ($6.6 billion compared with $8.6 billion).
  • Contributing to the decrease in import values over this 12 month period was Non-monetary gold, which dropped from $2.3 billion to $1.3 billion (down 42%). However, Non-monetary gold continued to be the largest contributor to import values overall. 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.
  • Refined petroleum oils also contributed to the fall in import values. The import value of this commodity ($454 million) was 56% lower than for the September quarter 2008.

4 INTERNATIONAL MERCHANDISE TRADE(a), By major commodity

2008
2009
Sep qtr
June qtr
Sep qtr
Category of the SITC
$'000
$'000
$'000

MAJOR IMPORT COMMODITIES(b)

Gold, non-monetary
2 271 258
1 173 224
1 313 507
Crude petroleum oils
1 120 591
762 176
887 622
Refined petroleum oils
805 101
328 765
350 974
Passenger motor vehicles
392 695
246 051
309 662
Iron or steel tubes and pipes
102 592
231 616
211 014
Confidential items
307 137
196 710
163 233
Other specialised industry machinery and equipment
104 515
149 786
129 830
Motor vehicles for the transport of goods
318 124
94 817
129 017
Rubber tyres
87 348
77 187
91 711
Civil engineering plant and equipment
261 270
148 564
80 541
Ships, boats and floating structures
24 425
13 743
62 251
Automatic data processing machines
41 097
34 551
39 167
Fertilisers
210 783
168 289
11 046
Parts and accessories of office machines
6 122
8 570
5 910
Aircraft and associated equipment
138 687
4 258
4 143
Total imports(c)
8 582 869
6 451 487
6 596 022

(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.

  • In the September quarter 2009, Western Australia received by far its largest value ($1.3 billion) of imports from Thailand, mainly in Non-monetary gold. The next largest value went to Japan ($640 million) followed by the United States of America ($630 million).
  • Imports from Thailand increased by $574 million ( almost 50%) between September 2008 and September 2009.
  • Notable falls in import values from Singapore (down $622 million) and the United Kingdom (down $246 million) occurred over the same 12 month period. Based on the most recent trade figures, the United Kingdom is no longer among the "Top 10' countries from which goods are imported while Germany is a newcomer to this list.

5 INTERNATIONAL MERCHANDISE TRADE(a), Imports - Top 10 countries

IMPORTS
Sep qtr 2008
Jun qtr 2009
Sep qtr 2009
Country
$'000
$'000
$'000

Thailand
752 481
630 194
1 326 396
Japan
544 414
595 831
637 393
United States of America
872 723
789 773
626 909
China
543 779
563 178
532 503
United Arab Emirates
581 094
442 020
418 454
Singapore
965 732
411 410
343 513
Indonesia
430 069
349 992
316 567
Germany
314 040
236 843
277 595
Malaysia
345 561
328 150
277 446
Korea, Republic of
201 550
366 623
268 701
Total imports(b)
8 582 869
6 451 487
6 596 022

(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).


This link takes you to the Excel data cube International Merchandise Trade



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