8155.0 - Australian Industry, 2007-08 Quality Declaration 
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 28/05/2009   
   Page tools: Print Print Page Print all pages in this productPrint All

QUALITY DECLARATION - ENERGY SUPPLY SURVEY

INSTITUTIONAL ENVIRONMENT

The statistics presented have been derived using a combination of directly collected data from the Energy Supply Survey (ESS) conducted by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), and other ABS sources. The survey data were collected under the authority of the Census and Statistics Act 1905.


RELEVANCE

The data illustrate the size, structure and performance of the Australian energy supply industry during the 2007-08 financial year and, to a lesser extent, over time. The estimates are also used in the compilation of Australian National Accounts aggregates produced by the ABS.

The businesses that contribute to the statistics in this release are classified by industry in accordance with the Australian and New Zealand Standard Industrial Classification (ANZSIC), 2006 edition.

The frame used for the survey of the Australian energy supply industry, like most ABS economic surveys, was taken from the ABS Business Register. The ABS Business Register is updated monthly to take account of new businesses and businesses which have ceased operating.

The scope of the estimates in this release consists of all businesses on the ABS Business Register involved with electricity generation, transmission, distribution or onselling. It also includes gas extraction, pipeline transport (onshore gas only) and gas distribution. Units excluded are those engaged in the generation of electricity, and which are associated with mining activities i.e. generation for own use.

For most industry divisions (as specified in ANZSIC 2006) estimates are presented of: income; expenses; industry value added; operating profit before tax; selected components of these aggregates and derivations; and capital expenditure. The key variables are quantity supplied/extracted, quantity transmitted and quantity distributed, transmission losses and distribution losses.

The core data for ANZSIC06 Division D (Electricity, Gas, Water and Waste Services) is released in Australian Industry, 2007-08 (cat. no. 8155.0). More detailed information for ANZSIC06 SD26 (Electricity Supply) and SD27 (Gas Supply) is available in 8155.0's related data cubes for Electricity and Gas.

The period covered by the estimates is, in general, the twelve months ended 30 June. Where businesses are unable to supply information on this basis, an accounting period for which data can be provided is used for data other than that relating to employment. Such businesses make a substantial contribution to some of the estimates presented in this release. As a result, the estimates can reflect trading conditions that prevailed in periods outside the twelve months ended June in the relevant year.

The survey is designed primarily to deliver national estimates for all industry divisions within the scope of the collection.


TIMELINESS

The survey is an irregular survey run in 2007-08 in conjunction with the annual Economic Activity Survey. Forms were despatched in August. The ABS aims to publish estimates from its annual business survey program within twelve months of the end of the reference period.


ACCURACY

The ABS aims to produce high quality data from its industry collections while minimising the reporting burden on businesses. To achieve this, extensive effort is put into survey and questionnaire design, collection procedures and processing. Errors can arise from inaccuracies in collecting, recording and processing the data. Every effort was made to minimise reporting error by the careful design of questionnaires, intensive training of survey analysts, and efficient data processing procedures.


COHERENCE

The ABS has been conducting annual surveys of Australian industry since 1990-91.

A core set of data items has been collected each year. The definitions of these are reviewed each year and are refined or respecified as needed. Additional data items are collected in different years, in response to demand and priorities.

The last Energy Supply Survey was conducted in 2001–02. Estimates of key data variables for 2007-08 are accompanied by estimates for 2006-07 on a comparable basis.

The table, available in the Electricity data cube, includes totals of all electricity "sent out" from generators, transmitters and distributors. Similarly, the table in the Gas data cube includes all gas "sent out" from transmitters and distributors.

Where possible, aggregates have been confronted with annual reports and against data released in the Australian Energy Regulator's State of the Energy Market 2008. Some administrative data at the unit record level, available from the Australian Petroleum Production & Exploration Association Ltd for natural gas production, has been used to confront with production data reported for the Energy Supply Survey 2007-08.


INTERPRETABILITY

Estimates from the survey of the Australian energy supply industry are available as original series only, and are not seasonally or trend adjusted.

Although financial estimates in this release relate to the full twelve months, employment estimates relate to the last pay period ending in June of the given year.

Further information about terminology and other technical aspects associated with these statistics can be found in the I-Note.


ACCESSIBILITY

Data from the 2007-08 survey of the Australian energy supply industry are available as a datacube, free of charge on the ABS website.

If the information you require is not available as a standard product, the ABS may have other relevant data available on request and for a charge. Please contact the National Information and Referral Service on 1300 135 070 or Phillip Lui on (02) 9268 4269.