8731.0 - Building Approvals, Australia, Apr 2002  
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 03/06/2002   
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Special Article - Construction Industry Information


This article was published in Building Approvals, Australia (ABS Cat. no 8731.0) April, 2002

INTRODUCTION

Construction is an integral component of the Australian economy. In 1999-2000, the construction industry contributed 5.5% to the gross product of all industries, as measured by production-based Gross Domestic Product. In May 2000 it employed 709,300 people, either as employees or as self-employed contractors. This represented 7.8% of employment in all industries.

Statistics about the Construction Industry, and all other industries, are available from the ABS's annual Economic Activity Survey (EAS). The series includes employing businesses and provides a time series from 1992-93 to 2000-2001.

The ABS has also produced experimental estimates from this collection which extend the range of annual business performance data available by using data sourced from the Business Income Tax records. As these estimates are experimental, users should refer to the methodology and various caveats described in Australian Industry 1999-2000 (Cat. no. 8155.0).

This article highlights the range and depth of information that can now be accessed.


RESULTS

The following tables present examples of experimental estimates which show Australia's Construction sector business characteristics at a detailed industry level (Australian and New Zealand Standard Industry Classification (ANZSIC)). These estimates are available at the national level.

In 1999-2000, general construction businesses contributed a greater amount of both total operating income and expenses than construction trade services businesses. However, construction trade services businesses contributed more than twice the operating profit before tax than general construction businesses.


CONSTRUCTION SECTOR ESTIMATES, Selected items by ANSZIC class, Australia - 1999-2000
Total
Total
Operating
operating
operating
profit
Industry class
income
expenses
before tax
ANZSIC CodeDescription
$m
$m
$m
4Construction
102,669
93,118
10,376
Employing businesses
86,782
82,947
4,660
Non-employing businesses
15,887
10,171
5,715
41General construction
55,901
53,338
3,180
Employing businesses
51,692
49,934
2,376
Non-employing businesses
4,209
3,405
804.0
411Building construction
41,263
39,245
2,608
4111 House construction
22,458
21,414
1,274
4112 Residential building construction n.e.c.
4,242
4,077
584
4113 Non-residential building construction
14,563
13,753
750
412Non-building construction
14,639
14,094
572
4121 Road and bridge construction
3,411
3,427
-17
4122 Non-building construction n.e.c.
11,228
10,667
589
42Construction trade services
46,767
39,780
7,195
Employing businesses
35,090
33,013
2,284
Non-employing businesses
11,678
6,767
4,911
421Site preparation services
5,713
5,245
465
4210 Site preparation services
5,713
5,245
465
422Building structure services
8,028
6,587
1,444
4221 Concreting services
3,459
3,019
438
4222 Bricklaying services
1,742
1,093
649
4223 Roofing services
1,874
1,612
265
4224 Structural steel erection services
954
863
93
423Installation trade services
16,023
14,608
1,594
4231 Plumbing services
5,006
4,273
740
4232 Electrical services
7,088
6,714
534
4233 Air conditioning and heating services
2,644
2,446
209
4234 Fire and security system services
1,285
1,175
111
424Building completion services
12,887
9,858
3,047
4241 Plastering and ceiling services
2,968
2,311
655
4242 Carpentry services
4,659
3,502
1,151
4243 Tiling and carpentry
1,601
1,175
436
4244 Painting and decorating services
2,625
1,953
682
4245 Glazing services
1,035
917
123
425Other construction services
4,116
3,482
645
4251 Landscaping services
1,617
1,356
262
4259 Construction services n.e.c.
2,499
2,126
384



FINER LEVEL INFORMATION

For selected industry classes more 'experimental' detailed information is available. For example, detailed income and expense items are available for specific trades within the group 422 Building Structure Services. The following table illustrates this.



CONSTRUCTION SECTOR ESTIMATES, Building Structure Services, Australia - 1999-2000
422 BUILDING STRUCTURE SERVICES

4221
4222
4223
4224
Concreting
Bricklaying
Roofing
Structural steel
services
services
services
erection services
Group total
$'000
$'000
$'000
$'000
$'000
Income items
Sales of goods
296,048
150,110
144,025
80,868
671,049
Income from services
3,122,463
1,569,231
1,707,552
862,970
7,262,216
Rent, leasing and hiring income
19,171
11,571
11,102
4,727
46,570
Interest income
7,686
4,106
4,345
2,023
18,160
Royalties income
482
292
280
259
1,312
Government funding
2,050
1,240
1,190
502
4,983
Other operating income
10,784
5,655
5,426
2,294
24,159
Total operating income
3,458,684
1,742,204
1,873,919
953,644
8,028,450
Expense items
Labour costs
Wages and salaries
427,060
98,108
222,627
210,506
958,300
Employer contributions to superannuation
49,968
15,042
27,928
16,111
109,048
Workers compensation costs
28,066
8,438
16,323
7,840
60,667
Total labour costs
505,093
121,588
266,877
234,457
1,128,016
Insurance premiums
24,827
10,187
13,966
6,070
55,049
Interest expenses
23,093
7,803
7,167
7,279
45,343
Depreciation
61,644
32,343
31,032
18,979
143,998
Bad or doubtful debts
15,273
1,208
810
3,333
20,624
Purchases
Purchases of finished goods for resale
273,118
94,658
138,635
81,157
587,568
Purchases of materials and components
1,121,649
413,851
622,172
273,744
2,431,416
Electricity and gas expenses
6,418
2,326
3,473
1,665
13,882
Petrol products and other fuel expenses
36,790
13,564
20,385
9,004
79,743
Total purchases
1,437,975
524,400
784,664
365,570
3,112,609
Computer software expenses
10,798
4,815
6,344
2,587
24,544
Fringe benefits tax
2,749
863
1,693
1,896
7,201
Payroll tax
13,081
3,681
6,842
7,114
30,717
Land tax and land rates
4,403
1,651
2,498
1,012
9,564
Other bank charges
10,875
4,085
6,184
2,484
23,627
Royalties expenses
2,157
39
161
108
2,464
Freight expenses
22,570
8,318
12,499
5,531
48,918
Postal and mailing expenses
3,067
1,116
1,669
784
6,637
Telecommunication service expenses
30,519
11,066
16,520
7,909
66,015
Repair and maintenance expenses
32,681
5,980
7,816
6,460
52,937
Rent, leasing and hiring expenses
99,841
37,173
56,086
23,571
216,671
Motor vehicle running expenses
124,683
95,220
52,752
26,605
299,260
Audit expenses
12,995
4,890
7,408
2,946
28,238
Legal expenses
3,579
1,322
1,989
869
7,760
Advertising expenses
17,053
6,143
9,145
4,516
36,857
Paper and printing expenses
8,356
3,034
4,532
2,156
18,077
Staff training expenses
3,007
1,082
1,609
800
6,498
Travel and accommodation expenses
19,139
6,999
10,485
4,819
41,442
Other management expenses
43,884
16,331
24,635
10,380
95,230
Cleaning expenses
2,304
832
1,239
606
4,981
Sales commission expenses
2,765
947
1,380
848
5,939
Commission expenses on own materials
3,124
1,183
1,798
689
6,794
Other contract, sub-contract expenses
432,264
162,439
245,976
98,503
939,182
Other operating expenses
45,295
16,707
25,764
13,686
101,452
Total operating expenses
3,019,094
1,093,444
1,611,540
862,567
6,586,645
Operating profit before tax
437,896
648,760
264,565
92,572
1,443,792



More detailed information for other groups of the Construction industry and other sectors of Australia's economy, with accompanying explanatory material is contained in Australian Industry 1999-2000 (Cat. no. 8155.0).

Experimental estimates are also available at the State/Territory dimension down to a two digit (Subdivision) ANZSIC level. This publication, Australian Industry; a State Perspective (Cat. no. 8156.0) is currently available for 1999-2000 and 1998-99 reference years.

For further information about these and related statistics, contact Joe Whelan on Canberra 02 6252 7497 or the National Information and Referral Service on 1300 135 070.