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SUMMARY OF FINDINGS


INTRODUCTION

This publication presents results, in respect of the 1998-99 financial year, from an Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) survey of the production and distribution of information technology and telecommunications (IT&T) goods and services by businesses in Australia. Note that financial data are presented in current price terms.


BUSINESSES

At the end of June 1999, there were 18,469 IT&T specialist businesses in the industries surveyed. This was an increase of 36% since the last survey in 1995-96.

Of the 18,469 specialists, 14,546 (79%) were in the computer consultancy services industry, 1,398 (8%) in the computer wholesaling industry and 931 (5%) in the telecommunication services industry. The remaining 1,594 (9%) were spread across the other industries surveyed.


EMPLOYMENT

At the end of June 1999, there were 195,580 persons working in IT&T specialist businesses, a 4% decrease since 1995-96. This 4% overall decrease in employment in IT&T specialist businesses consisted of a 42% decrease across the manufacturing industries, an 11% decrease across the wholesale industries, an 18% decrease in the telecommunications industry with an offsetting 37% increase in the computer services industries.


INCOME

During 1998-99, the total income for IT&T specialists was $59,421 million, an increase of 21% over 1995-96 in current price terms. Specialist businesses had IT&T income of $56,189 million which represented 95% of total income. The largest contributors to IT&T income were businesses classified to the telecommunication services industry ($25,138 million) which accounted for 45% of the total. The computer wholesaling industry contributed $12,501 million (22%) and the computer consultancy services industry contributed $8,570 million (15%).

IT&T income per person employed for IT&T specialist businesses was $287,300. The industries with the largest IT&T income per person employed were the wholesaling industries ($506,400) and the computer and business machines manufacturing industry ($472,200). The industry with the lowest IT&T income per person employed was the information storage and retrieval industry ($98,000).


EXPENSES

Wages and salaries per person employed for IT&T specialist businesses was $50,300. The industries with the largest wages and salaries per person employed were the business machines and electrical and electronic equipment wholesaling industries ($59,200) and the telecommunication, broadcasting and transceiving equipment manufacturing industry ($56,900). The industries with the lowest wages and salaries per person employed were the electronic equipment n.e.c. manufacturing industry ($33,600) and the information storage and retrieval industry ($34,100).

1 KEY FIGURES
	Businesses at end June	Employment at end June	IT&T income	Total income	Wages and salaries	IT&T income per person employed
	no.	no.	$m	$m	$m	$'000
Industry
IT&T SPECIALISTS
Manufacturing
Computer and business machines	119	2211	1044.2	1044.5	81.4	472.2
Telecommunication, broadcasting and transceiving equipment	51	4457	1074.9	1362.1	253.8	241.2
Electronic equipment n.e.c.	73	2540	471.7	499.7	85.4	185.7
Electric cable and wire	24	806	245.5	272.0	38.4	304.6
Total	268	10014	2836.3	3178.4	459.0	283.2
Wholesale trade
Computers	1398	24316	12501.3	13241.7	1297.5	514.1
Business machines and electrical and electronic equipment n.e.c.	561	10865	* 5315.3	6193.8	643.6	489.2
Total	1960	35180	17816.6	19435.4	1941.2	506.4
Telecommunication services	931	74910	25137.5	26159.5	3701.0	335.6
Computer services
Data processing	261	7118	n.p.	n.p.	n.p.	n.p.
Information storage and retrieval	* 112	929	91.1	97.3	31.7	98.0
Computer maintenance	392	2975	n.p.	n.p.	n.p.	n.p.
Computer consultancy	14546	64453	8569.8	8792.2	3193.9	133.0
Total	15310	75476	10398.5	10647.9	3739.3	137.8
Total	18469	195580	56188.9	59421.2	9840.5	287.3
OTHER BUSINESSES
Manufacturing
Computer and business machines	16	120	4.7	22.0	3.8	39.3
Telecommunication, broadcasting and transceiving equipment	* 6	n.p.	n.p.	n.p.	n.p.	6.5
Electronic equipment n.e.c.	134	5079	n.p.	1389.9	215.1	n.p.
Electric cable and wire	28	n.p.	n.p.	n.p.	n.p.	37.4
Total	184	7956	125.6	2350.1	357.2	15.8
Wholesale trade
Computers	-	-	-	-	-	-
Business machines and electrical and electronic equipment n.e.c.	1635	24438	446.4	8489.7	972.5	18.3
Total	1635	24438	446.4	8489.7	972.5	18.3
Telecommunication services	-	-	-	-	-	-
Computer services	-	-	-	-	-	-
Total	1819	32394	572.0	10839.8	1329.7	17.7
ALL BUSINESSES
Manufacturing
Computer and business machines	135	2331	1048.9	1066.6	85.2	450.0
Telecommunication, broadcasting and transceiving equipment	57	n.p.	n.p.	n.p.	n.p.	239.7
Electronic equipment n.e.c.	207	7619	n.p.	1889.7	300.4	n.p.
Electric cable and wire	52	n.p.	n.p.	n.p.	n.p.	98.3
Total	451	17970	2961.9	5528.5	816.2	164.8
Wholesale trade
Computers	1398	24316	12501.3	13241.7	1297.5	514.1
Business machines and electrical and electronic equipment n.e.c.	2197	35303	* 5761.8	14683.5	1616.2	163.2
Total	3595	59618	18263.1	27925.2	2913.7	306.3
Telecommunication services	931	74910	25137.5	26159.5	3701.0	335.6
Computer services	15310	75476	10398.5	10647.9	3739.3	137.8
Total	20288	227974	56761.0	70261.1	11170.2	249.0