8101.0 - Innovation and Technology Update (Newsletter), Aug 2006  
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 01/08/2006   
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2 INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT) STATISTICS

2.1 ICT Reference Group
2.2 Household Use of Information Technology (HUIT)
2.3 Household Use of Information Technology in Queensland
2.4 Business Use of Information Technology (BUIT)
2.5 Small Business Use of Information Technology
2.6 Farm Use of Information Technology (FUIT)
2.7 Internet Activity Survey
2.8 ICT Satellite Account
2.9 ICT Industry Survey (ICTIS)

2.1 ICT REFERENCE GROUP

The ABS established an ICT reference group in early 2004 involving government, industry, academic and community representatives. The aim of the reference group is to improve the usefulness of ICT statistics collected by the ABS from a variety of sources. The reference group provides a high level forum for understanding, improving and developing ICT statistics, providing members with the opportunity to discuss and consider strategies to address ICT statistical issues.

The most recent meeting of the reference group was held on 14 March 2006. The issues discussed included:
  • Emerging trends and policy issues in ICT statistics.
  • Recent developments and future directions in ABS ICT and related statistics
  • ICT Satellite Account 2002-03
  • Measurement of software statistics/data in the ABS economic statistics
  • Changes to ICT industries with the introduction of Australia and New Zealand standard Industry Classification (ANZSIC) 2006
  • Methodological and technical issues relating to survey sample design.

The next meeting of the reference group is expected in September 2006.


2.2 HOUSEHOLD USE OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (HUIT)

The publication Household Use of Information Technology, Australia 2004-05 (ABS cat. no. 8146.0) was released on 15 December 2005.

Data was collected on the ABS Multipurpose Household Survey (MPHS) for 2004-05, which covers a proportion of the households in the ABS monthly Labour Force Survey (LFS). The MPHS will be conducted on an annual basis and will serve as a stable collection vehicle for the Household use of IT data. The survey has a sample size of approximately 13,500 households.

The next issue of the publication for the 2005-06 reference period, is expected to be released in December 2006.

For further information about HUIT statistics, contact the National Information and Referral Service on 1300 135 070 or Siddhartha De, Innovation and Technology NSC on 02 6252 6519 or siddhartha.de@abs.gov.au


2.3 HOUSEHOLD USE OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY IN QUEENSLAND

The publication Use of Information Technology by Households in Queensland, 2004-05 (ABS cat. no. 8146.3) was released on 31 May 2006. The statistics in this publication were compiled from the Multipurpose Household Survey (MPHS), conducted by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) as a supplement to the Labour Force Survey (LFS) each month from August 2004 to June 2005. Information was obtained about the access and use of computers and the Internet by private households.

For further information about these and related statistics, contact the National Information and Referral Service on 1300 135 070 or Statistical Consultancy Unit in Brisbane on (07) 3222 6012.

2.4 BUSINESS USE OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (BUIT)

The most recent Business Use of Information Technology, 2004-05 (ABS cat. no. 8129.0) publication was released on 17 March 2006 and presents the results of the survey conducted in respect of 2004-05. The key finding was a significant increase in the proportion of businesses using broadband technologies to access the Internet.

The 2004-05 Business Use of Information Technology (BUIT) survey was the last stand-alone collection to be conducted. From 2005-06, data related to business use of IT will be collected as part of the Business Characteristics Survey (BCS). Section 5 of this Newsletter contain further details of the BCS. This new survey will provide greater flexibility in measurement of a range of business characteristics and more comprehensive integration of these types of data for analysis of inter-relationships between business characteristics and economic outcomes, for example, productivity. It is expected that the main variables included in this publication will continue to be published on an annual basis as part of a release which includes other business characteristics as well. Users of this publication will be contacted later this year with further details on how BUIT type data will be made available from 2005-06 onwards.

If you wish to know more about BUIT statistics, please call Diane Braskic on (08) 9360 5241 or email diane.braskic@abs.gov.au.


2.5 SMALL BUSINESS USE OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

The publication Characteristics of Small Business, Australia (Reissue), 2004 (ABS cat. no. 8127.0) was released on 29 April 2005. This publication presents the results of the Characteristics of Small Business Operators Survey which was conducted in June 2004 as a supplementary topic in the ABS Monthly Population Survey.

For further information on small business use of information technology please contact the National Information and Referral Service on 1300 135 070 or contact Helen Harkin, Business Demographics NSC on 02 6252 6531 or email helen.harkin@abs.gov.au.


2.6 FARM USE OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (FUIT)

The ABS publication Use of Information Technology on Farms, Australia, 2003-04 (ABS cat. no. 8150.0) was released on 28 November 2005. This publication presents statistics on the use of computers and the Internet on farms in Australia. The data were obtained from questions included in the 2003-04 Agricultural Survey conducted by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). Information obtained was in respect of the year ended 30 June 2004. Comparative data from the 2002-03 Agricultural Survey have also been included.

Findings from the above survey include:
  • In 2003-04, 55% (72,342) of the 130,526 Australian farms with an estimated value of agriculture earnings (EVAO) of $5,000 or more used a computer
  • About 47% of farms (61,082) used the Internet as part of their business operations. Both computer and Internet usage rates have increased by 1 percentage point from 2002-03.

The 2004-05 edition of this publication is expected to be released in August 2006. The frequency of this collection is currently under review and may be available on a less frequent basis.

For further information about statistics related to farms use of ICT contact Tim Landrigan, Innovation and Technology Business Statistics Centre, Australian Bureau of Statistics, GPO Box K881, Perth WA 6842, or phone (08) 9360 5104, or email tim.landrigan@abs.gov.au


2.7 INTERNET ACTIVITY SURVEY

The ABS had previously notified users that the frequency of the Internet Activity survey will be reduced to an annual basis, with the next survey due to be conducted in respect of March 2006. More recently, it was decided to review the collection to address ongoing concerns with the quality and relevance of the data, and the availability of reliable data from alternative sources. The outcomes of this review are due shortly and the Internet Activity Survey will recommence in September 2006. The review considered ongoing requirements for the current range of data, new and emerging data needs related to Internet Activity, methodology, scope and data collection mechanisms. It also addressed duplication in reporting requirements of the ACCC, ACMA and the ABS.

If you wish to know more about the review or provide input, please contact Tim Landrigan, Innovation and Technology Business Statistics Centre, Australian Bureau of Statistics, GPO Box K881, Perth WA 6842, or phone (08) 9360 5104, or email
tim.landrigan@abs.gov.au


2.8 ICT SATELLITE ACCOUNT

The ABS publication Australian National Accounts: Information and Communication Technology Satellite Account, 2002-03, (ABS cat. no. 5259.0) was released on 7 March 2006.

This publication represents the first official satellite account on Information and Communication Technology (ICT) for Australia. It measures the direct contribution of ICT to the Australian economy in 2002-03--in particular, the contribution of ICT to key macro-economic variables such as gross domestic product (GDP).

Publication tables also include details of Australian production of various ICT products, as well as related imports, exports, household consumption, business spending and investment expenditure. Together, these data form an integrated set of statistics on ICT products within the internationally recognised international System of National Accounts 1993 (SNA93).

The publication contains a complete description of data sources and concepts used (frameworks, classifications etc.), as well as a discussion of key methodological issues encountered.


For further information about ICT Satellite account statistics, contact the National Information and Referral Service on 1300 135 070 or Peter Comisari, National Accounts on 02 6252 5381 or email peter.comisari@abs.gov.au

2.9 ICT INDUSTRY SURVEY (ICTIS)

The ABS publication Information and Communication Technology, Australia, 2004-05 (cat no 8126.0) will be released on 25 September 2006. The publication will present data collected in the biennial ABS survey of Information and Communication Technology Industries, in respect of the year ended 30 June 2005.

The publication will present statistics on the structure and performance of ICT related industries in Australia, including estimates of:

  • Employment, income and expenses;
  • Production, distribution, import and export of selected ICT goods and services;
  • A range of performance indicators by employment size; and
  • Selected state and territory indicators.

If you wish to know more about the review or provide input, please contact Nick Deverson, Innovation and Technology Business Statistics Centre, Australian Bureau of Statistics, GPO Box K881, Perth WA 6842, or phone (08) 9360 5311, or email nick.deverson@abs.gov.au.