1301.0 - Year Book Australia, 2008  
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 07/02/2008   
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Contents >> Information and communication technology >> Use of information technology (IT)

USE OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (IT)

This section focuses on the key indicators of the use of IT - computer use and access to the Internet - made by businesses, households and farms in Australia.


Businesses

In the five-year period 1999-2000 to 2004-05, the proportion of businesses using a computer grew from 76% to 89%; in the same period the proportion of businesses with access to the Internet increased from 56% to 77% and that with a web presence from 16% to 27% (table 25.4).

In 2004-05 all businesses with 100 or more people employed used computers, 99% used the Internet, while 91% had a web presence. A much lower proportion of businesses with 0-4 people employed used IT; 85% used computers, 71% used the Internet and 17% had a web presence.

In 2004-05 the proportion of businesses which used IT varied considerably across industries. The industries with the highest proportion of businesses which used a computer were Electricity, gas and water supply, and Cultural and recreational services (both 97%). These industries also had the highest proportion of businesses which used the Internet (both 90%). Accommodation, cafes and restaurants had the lowest proportion of businesses which used a computer (77%). Internet use was lowest in Accommodation, cafes and restaurants and Communication services (both 62%). Web presence was highest in Cultural and recreational services (50%) and Wholesale trade (44%). Construction had the lowest proportion of businesses with a web presence (11%).

Use of IT by businesses in capital cities was higher than other areas for computer use, Internet use and web presence. The proportions of businesses using computers, the Internet and having a web presence were 89%, 78% and 29% respectively for capital cities, compared with 87%, 74% and 22% respectively for other areas.

25.4 BUSINESS USE OF SELECTED TECHNOLOGIES(a), By selected business characteristics - 2004-05

Computer use
Internet use
Web presence
%
%
%

Employment size
0-4 persons
85
71
17
5-19 persons
95
86
41
20-99 persons
97
92
59
100 or more persons
100
99
91
Total income
Less than $100,000
80
62
^10
$100,000 to less than $1m
89
77
24
$1m to less than $5m
97
90
49
$5m or more
100
99
70
Industry(b)
Mining
92
88
38
Manufacturing
88
75
38
Electricity, gas and water supply
97
90
43
Construction
84
66
11
Wholesale trade
95
87
44
Retail trade
84
73
^24
Accommodation, cafes and restaurant
77
62
31
Transport and storage
82
67
16
Communication services
84
62
19
Finance and insurance
95
85
28
Property and business services
95
89
33
Health and community services
94
80
19
Cultural and recreational services
97
90
50
Personal and other services
82
66
25
State
New South Wales
87
75
23
Victoria
89
75
30
Queensland
90
80
29
South Australia
92
82
31
Western Australia
90
76
26
Tasmania
92
86
^28
Northern Territory
95
83
^28
Australian Capital Territory
92
84
^28
Region
Capital cities
89
78
29
Other areas
87
74
22
Total businesses
89
77
27

^ estimate has a relative standard error of 10% to less than 25% and should be used with caution
(a) Proportions are of all businesses in each category.
(b) Classified according to the Australian and New Zealand Standard Industrial Classification (ANZSIC), 1993 edition.
Source: Business Use of Information Technology (8129.0).



Households

In 2005-06, 70% of all households had access to a computer and 60% had home Internet access (graph 25.5). Over the period from 1998 to 2005-06, household access to home Internet has grown considerably, from 1.1 million households in 1998 to 4.7 million in 2005-06.

25.5 Household home computer and Internet access(a)
Graph: 25.5 Household home computer and Internet access(a)

In 2005-06 the proportion of households with home computer access was higher for households with children under 15 years of age (89%) compared with those without children under 15 years (63%). Home computer access was lowest for all households in Tasmania (60%) and highest in the Australian Capital Territory (82%). In 1998, only a third of all households with a computer had home access to the Internet; by 2005-06 this proportion had increased to 86%.

During 2005-06, the number of households with broadband access to the internet almost doubled from the previous year to 2.3 million (48%). The Australian Capital Territory continued to register the highest proportion of households with broadband Internet connection (55% of the households with Internet connection), while Tasmania recorded the lowest proportion of broadband connection (35%). Both household and personal access to broadband was more prevalent in metropolitan areas and major cities of Australia compared with ex-metropolitan areas and remote Australia.


Farms

In 2004-05, 56% of the almost 130,000 farms in Australia, with an estimated value of agricultural operations of $5,000 or more, used a computer as part of their business operations; 53% used the Internet (table 25.6).

Western Australia recorded the highest proportion of farms using a computer for business operations (70%) and the highest proportion using the Internet for business operations (68%) in 2004-05. Tasmania recorded both the lowest proportion of farms using a computer (52%) and the lowest proportion of farms using the Internet (48%).

25.6 FARM USE OF COMPUTERS AND THE INTERNET FOR BUSINESS OPERATIONS - 2004-05

Using a computer(a)
Using the Internet(a)
no.
%
no.
%

New South Wales
21 051
53
20 266
51
Victoria
17 122
53
16 077
50
Queensland
14 865
55
14 169
52
South Australia
9 122
65
8 686
62
Western Australia
8 389
70
8 044
68
Tasmania
1 999
52
1 848
48
Northern Territory
230
61
226
60
Australian Capital territory
49
57
47
55
Australia
72 828
56
69 362
53

(a) Percentages are of all farms.
Source: Use of information Technology on Farms, Australia (8150.0).







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