8104.0 - Research and Experimental Development, Businesses, Australia, 2001-02  
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 07/08/2003   
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MEDIA RELEASE

August 07, 2003
Embargoed: 11:30 AM (AEST)
80/2003

Australia's business r&d continues to increase

After the decreases experienced between 1995-96 and 1999-2000, business expenditure on research and development (BERD) as a percentage of GDP has recorded a second successive annual increase, according to figures released today by the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

As a percentage of GDP, BERD has increased in current dollar terms from 0.73% in 2000-01 to 0.78% in 2001-02. Despite the increase, the percentage remains well below the 1995-96 high of 0.87%.

In current dollar terms, BERD increased by 13% between 2000-01 and 2001-02. Over this period, research and development (R&D) expenditure:
  • Increased by 27% in the scientific research industry;
  • Increased by 21% in the property and business services industry;
  • Increased by 16% in the mining industry;
  • Increased by 14% in the wholesale and retail trade industry;
  • Increased by 10% in the manufacturing industry; and
  • Decreased by 19% in the finance and insurance industry.

In 2001-02, Victoria had the highest percentage (0.98%) of R&D expenditure as a percentage of Gross State Product, followed by New South Wales (0.83%) and South Australia (0.77%).

The states with the highest level of R&D expenditure were New South Wales with $2,071m and Victoria with $1,793m, accounting for 37% and 32% of total R&D expenditure respectively.

Further information is in Research and Experimental Development, Businesses, Australia, 2001-02 (cat. no. 8104.0).