MEDIA RELEASE
7 March 2016	Embargoed: 11.30 am (Canberra time) ABS publishes new productivity statistics	27/2016

The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) today published a new set of productivity statistics designed to improve information on the performance and competitiveness of the Australian economy.

ABS Director of Productivity Katherine Keenan said the data, covering the 19-year-period from 1995-96 to 2013-14, has been compiled for each of 16 industries making up the 'market sector' where productivity can be meaningfully calculated. As at 2014-15, the market sector represented approximately 80 per cent of GDP.

"Known as KLEMS, this new data provides a richer picture of the contribution to output growth from a detailed analysis of inputs: Capital (K), Labour(L), Energy(E), Materials(M) and Services(S)," Ms Keenan said.

"These statistics are currently designated as 'experimental' as they involve the testing and development of assumptions and methods and the extended application of source data beyond the purpose for which it was originally collected," Ms Keenan said.

The ABS is already engaging in collaborative work with expert users of the data to address areas for future improvement, which will also help enhance the quality and coherence of other economic statistics.

Further information is available at Experimental Estimates of Industry Level KLEMS Multifactor Productivity on the ABS website.