Employment in service industries in Tasmania in 2003-04 accounted for 72.8% of employment in all industries. From 1998-99 to 2003-04, employment in service industries increased by 13,400 people or 9.6%. In the same period, employment in the goods producing industries increased by 1,200 people or 2.2%.
Within the service industries sector, Retail trade accounted for the largest proportion of employment at 22.0%.
EMPLOYED PERSONS BY INDUSTRY, Annual average, Tasmania
 | 1998-99(a) | 2003-04(a) | Change |
 |  |  |  |
 | '000 persons | '000 persons | % |
|
Goods producing industries(b) |  |  |  |
Agriculture, forestry and fishing
| 16.4 | 16.8 | 2.4 |
| 2.1 | 2.0 | -4.8 |
| 23.7 | 22.3 | -5.9 |
Electricity, gas and water supply
| 1.7 | 2.5 | 47.0 |
| 11.7 | 13.2 | 12.8 |
| 55.6 | 56.8 | 2.2 |
Service industries(b) |  |  |  |
| 7.4 | 7.9 | 6.8 |
| 31.3 | 33.5 | 7.0 |
Accommodation, cafes and restaurants
| 9.8 | 11.8 | 20.4 |
| 8.6 | 9.3 | 8.1 |
| 3.0 | 2.8 | -6.7 |
| 5.5 | 4.9 | -10.9 |
Property and business services
| 13.0 | 16.6 | 27.7 |
Government administration and defence
| 9.7 | 12.1 | 24.7 |
| 14.5 | 16.1 | 11.0 |
Health and community services
| 23.9 | 23.7 | -0.8 |
Cultural and recreational services
| 4.4 | 4.5 | 2.3 |
Personal and other services
| 7.8 | 9.1 | 16.7 |
| 138.9 | 152.3 | 9.6 |
 |  |  |  |
Total all industries | 194.5 | 209.1 | 7.5 |
 |
|  |
 | % | % |  |
Service industries as a percentage of all industries | 71.4 | 72.8 |  |
|
(a) Annual average.
(b) Industries shown are based on the industry divisions in the 1993 edition of the Australian and New Zealand Standard Industrial Classification (ANZSIC).
Source: ABS data available on request, Labour Force Survey.