BUSINESS OWNERS IN WESTERN AUSTRALIA


WHERE DO BUSINESS OWNERS LIVE?

In 2009-2010, business owners made up between 13% to 31% of income earners in SA4s in Western Australia. Western Australia - Wheat Belt had the highest proportion of business owners with 31% followed by Bunbury with 21%. Perth - South East and Perth - South West had the lowest proportion of business owners with 13%.

HOW MUCH DOES UNINCORPORATED BUSINESS INCOME CONTRIBUTE TO INCOME FROM ALL SOURCES?

In 2009-2010, the contribution of income from unincorporated businesses to total income from all sources ranged from 6% to 11% in SA4s in Western Australia. Western Australia - Wheat Belt had the highest contribution of income from unincorporated businesses with 11%. The SA4s with the lowest contribution of income from unincorporated businesses were Western Australia - Outback, Perth - South East, Perth - North East, Perth - South West and Mandurah with 6%.


WHAT INDUSTRIES DO BUSINESS OWNERS WORK IN?

Similar to the rest of Australia, construction, agriculture, forestry and fishing and professional, scientific and technical services were the main industries of employment for business owners in Western Australian SA4s in 2011. Construction was the main industry of employment for business owners in most SA4s in greater Perth and the rest of Western Australia. Business ownership in agriculture, forestry and fishing and professional, scientific and technical services reflected clear regional variations. The level of business ownership in retail trade and other services was similar throughout Western Australia, providing necessary services such as local shops, hairdressers and mechanics.

Construction

In 2011, between 10% and 34% of business owners in SA4s in Western Australia worked in construction. The SA4s with the highest proportions of business owners in construction were Mandurah (34%) and Perth - North West (31%). Perth - Inner had the lowest proportion of business owners in construction with 10%.

Between 2006 and 2011, the number of business owners in construction increased in 5 of the 9 SA4s in Western Australia. The increase in business ownership in construction ranged from 2% in Perth - North East to 11% in Western Australia - Outback. Business ownership in construction decreased in four SA4s, with the biggest decrease in Perth - Inner (5%). Although the number of business owners working in construction varied among SA4s over this period, the number of people working in construction increased in Western Australia by 31%.Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing

In 2011, between 1% and 42% of business owners in SA4s in Western Australia worked in agriculture, forestry and fishing. The highest proportions were found in Western Australia - Wheat Belt (42%), Western Australia - Outback (20%) and Bunbury (15%).

Between 2006 and 2011, the number of people employed in agriculture, forestry and fishing decreased by 14% across Western Australia and, in a similar trend, the number of business owners working in the industry decreased in most SA4s in Western Australia. The decrease in business owners in agriculture, forestry and fishing ranged from 7% in Mandurah (from 112 to 104) to 33% in Perth - North East (from 269 to 181). Perth - Inner was the only SA4 where the number of business owners in agriculture, forestry and fishing increased, up 22% (from 58 to 71).Professional, Scientific and Technical Services

In 2011, the proportions of business owners in the professional, scientific and technical services industry ranged from 4%, in Western Australia - Wheat Belt, to 24% in Perth - Inner.

Between 2006 and 2011, there was a 34% increase in the number of people working in professional, scientific and technical services in Western Australia. The number of business owners who worked in this industry also increased in all SA4s in Western Australia. Perth - South West had the largest increase of 29%, while Perth - Inner had the smallest increase of 6%.