5625.0 - Private New Capital Expenditure and Expected Expenditure, Australia, June 2014 Quality Declaration 
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 28/08/2014   
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APPENDIX SAMPLING ERRORS


LEVEL ESTIMATES


INTRODUCTION

The estimates in this publication are based on a sample drawn from units in the surveyed population. Because the entire population is not surveyed, the published estimates are subject to sampling error. The most common way of quantifying such sampling error is to calculate the standard error for the published estimate or statistic.


EXAMPLE OF USE

The following example illustrates how to use the standard error to interpret a level estimate.

Let us say that the published level estimate for total capital expenditure is $40,776m and the calculated standard error in this case is $471m. The standard error is then used to interpret the level estimate of $40,776m.

For instance, the standard error of $471m indicates that:

  • There are approximately two chances in three that the real value falls within the range $40,305m to $41,247m ($40,776m ± $471m)
  • There are approximately 19 chances in 20 that the real value falls within the range $39,834m to $41,718m ($40,776m ± $942m)

The real value in this case is the result we would obtain if we could enumerate the total population.

The following table shows the standard errors for June Quarter 2014 estimates.

Buildings and Structures
Equipment, Plant and Machinery
Total
$m
$m
$m
Mining
58
73
112
Manufacturing
30
104
121
Electricity, Gas, Water and Waste Services
37
22
46
Construction
32
235
238
Wholesale Trade
43
78
91
Retail Trade
67
56
90
Transport, Postal and Warehousing
47
124
131
Information Media and Telecommunications
1
11
11
Financial and Insurance Services
32
59
63
Rental, Hiring and Real Estate Services
175
212
262
Professional, Scientific and Technical Services
22
114
116
Other Selected Services
86
118
153
Total
225
399
471
New South Wales
98
162
192
Victoria
114
165
198
Queensland
136
269
295
South Australia
31
58
67
Western Australia
87
161
193
Tasmania
10
7
14
Northern Territory
2
18
18
Australian Capital Territory
-
19
19
Australia
225
399
471
- nil or rounded to zero (including null cells)



MOVEMENT ESTIMATES


EXAMPLE OF USE

The following example illustrates how to use the standard error to interpret a movement estimate.

Let us say that one quarter the published level estimate for total capital expenditure is $34,038m and the next quarter the published level estimate is $40,776m.

In this example the calculated standard error for the movement estimate is $424m. The standard error is then used to interpret the published movement estimate of $6,738m.

For instance, the standard error of $424m indicates that:
  • There are approximately two chances in three that the real movement over the two quarter period falls within the range $6,314m to $7,162m ($6,738m ± $424m).
  • There are approximately 19 chances in 20 that the real movement falls within the range $5,890m to $7,586m ($6,738m ± $848m)

The following table shows the standard errors for June Quarter 2014 movement estimates.

Buildings and Structures
Equipment, Plant and Machinery
Total
$m
$m
$m
Mining
91
64
107
Manufacturing
27
119
121
Electricity, Gas, Water and Waste Services
24
24
33
Construction
28
200
199
Wholesale Trade
48
89
96
Retail Trade
49
80
97
Transport, Postal and Warehousing
30
145
152
Information Media and Telecommunications
6
11
13
Financial and Insurance Services
29
60
70
Rental, Hiring and Real Estate Services
101
150
177
Professional, Scientific and Technical Services
23
125
126
Other Selected Services
76
131
136
Total
187
382
424
New South Wales
76
219
237
Victoria
84
186
206
Queensland
90
226
232
South Australia
89
76
118
Western Australia
67
132
154
Tasmania
11
32
35
Northern Territory
12
20
22
Australian Capital Territory
15
27
34
Australia
187
382
424