5489.0 - International Merchandise Trade, Australia: Concepts, Sources and Methods, 2015  
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 11/11/2015   
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DATA DIMENSIONS

10.20 The ABS recognises the importance of international merchandise trade statistics to a wide variety of statistical users. Except where data are protected by confidentiality restrictions, aggregated data are made available at a very detailed level. The output dimensions are included in Table 10.1 below. Lower level data can be disseminated on request (for more details see paragraphs 10.34-10.39 in Customised Data). Users should be aware that such requests attract a fee and are considered on a case-by-case basis which takes into account quality assurance and any confidentiality restrictions on the data.

10.21 International merchandise trade statistics are compiled by the ABS on a monthly basis and can be extracted for any combination or level of aggregation, e.g. quarters, six month periods, calendar or financial years. Time series generally date back to January 1988, and in some cases earlier. These data are available on the ABS website (see Appendix 10 in the 'Downloads' tab). Detailed data on microfiche are available from selected libraries including the National Library of Australia, State libraries and Parliamentary libraries. Earlier time periods (particularly for those prior to 1988), may not be comparable with current data due to changes in concepts and coverage over time.

10.22 Statistics are available for exports, imports and import clearances:

  • Exports reflect goods that leave Australia. They include:
    • goods that have been produced or manufactured in Australia
    • goods in separately identifiable form, re-exports of imported goods.
  • Imports reflect goods that arrive in Australia. They include:
    • goods brought into Australia directly for home consumption following the payment of duty (Customs Nature 10 entries)
    • goods which are entered into DIBP (bonded) warehouses (Customs Nature 20 entries).
  • Import clearances reflect goods that are cleared into the Australian market for home consumption (following the payment of duty). They include:
    • goods brought into Australia directly for home consumption (Customs Nature 10 entries)
    • goods cleared from a bonded warehouse (Customs Nature 30 entries).

10.23 Users have a choice of several commodity classifications (i.e. HS, SITC, BEC, BOPBEC (for imports only) and ANZSIC (the industry most likely to have produced the goods)) when specifying their data requirements. A detailed description of these classifications is provided in Classifications. The choice of classification depends on several factors including:
  • whether data are required for exports and/or imports
  • the level of detail required, i.e. data may be required for the total trade in alcohol, or something more specific, such as imports of vodka
  • whether only value of trade, or both value and quantity data, are required. Quantity information for SITC and broad level HS items is not standard in output as it is not always meaningful. However, it can be made available on request.

TABLE 10.1: INFORMATION AVAILABLE FOR DISSEMINATION

DIMENSIONS OF OUTPUT DATADESCRIPTION

For exports, imports and import clearances

Commodity For classifications listed in paragraph 10.23, information at various levels of detail.
Quantity of goodsThe quantity of goods in a unit specific to the commodity, see Quantity Measurement, Units of Quantity in Australia's International Merchandise Trade Statistics, Table 8.2.
Country groupsAustralia's trade with selected country groups such as ASEAN, OECD and the European Union, see Appendix 9 in the 'Downloads' tab. Only the latest country composition can be disseminated for any time period.
Commodity groups Australia's trade in commodities grouped in response to specific client needs.
Mode of transportIdentifies how goods were transported to or from Australia, see Mode of Transport.

For exports

Value of goodsFOB value.
Gross weight of goodsThe shipping weight of goods (measured in kilograms) excluding the weight of shipping containers.
Overseas countryCountry of final destination and country of port of discharge, see Appendix 8 in the 'Downloads' tab.
Overseas portPort of discharge, see Appendix 8 in the 'Downloads' tab.
Australian stateState of origin and state of loading, see Country and Overseas Port Classification and Processing, Table 6.2.
Australian portPort of loading, see Appendix 8 in the 'Downloads' tab.

For imports

Value of goodsCustoms value (this is the value included in international merchandise trade statistics unless a client specifically requests the FOB or CIF value), for more details see paragraph 3.18 in Valuation.
FOB value.
CIF value.
Gross weight of goodsThe shipping weight of goods (measured in kilograms) excluding the weight of shipping containers. This can be obtained by Australian and/or overseas port, by mode of transport and at total level (available at commodity levels but not advised to be used).
Overseas countryCountry of origin and country of port of loading, see Appendix 8 in the 'Downloads' tab.
Overseas portPort of loading, see Appendix 8 in the 'Downloads' tab.
Australian stateState of discharge and state of final destination, see Country and Overseas Port Classification and Processing, Table 6.2.
Australian portPort of discharge, see Appendix 8 in the 'Downloads' tab.

For import clearances

Value of goodsCustoms value.
Overseas countryCountry of origin, see Appendix 8 in the 'Downloads' tab.
Australian stateState of final destination.
Duty-related fieldsAmount of duty paid, a calculated rate of duty (using the duty paid as a proportion of the customs value) and the following fields indicating whether special duty rates have been claimed:
Nature of tariff is used to indicate whether reductions in the amount of duty payable have been applied to the goods because of special circumstances surrounding their importation, e.g. clearances subject to by-laws. A list of the codes are included in Appendix 11 in the 'Downloads' tab.
Treatment code is used to indicate special treatment of a transaction by the DIBP (usually involving a concessional rate of duty), generally in accordance with Schedule 4 of the Customs Tariff and Nominal Reference Numbers. A list of treatment codes used for ABS statistical output are provided in Appendix 11 in the 'Downloads' tab. Users should be aware that this list is the ABS interpretation of the detailed information provided in Schedule 4 of the Customs Tariff.
Preference code is used to indicate whether a preferential rate of duty applies to the import of certain goods from a particular country, such as when there is a Free Trade Agreement. A list of the codes is included in Appendix 11 in the 'Downloads' tab.
Statistical rate code is derived by the ABS from a number of fields provided by the DIBP. See Appendix 11 in the 'Downloads' tab for further information.