Queensland Life Sciences Industry Report 2012 (PDF, 3.5MB)

Queensland Life Sciences Industry Report 2012
50
According to the BioSpectrum Asia-Pacific Industry Survey,
the Asia-Pacific region did not experience the same
contraction in R&D expenditure as the listed Biotechnology
sectors in the USA, Europe, Canada and Australia. The
survey, which included Australia-New Zealand, China, India,
Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea and Taiwan, reported that
the average R&D expenditure in the Asia Pacific region in
2010 was 12.34% of total expenditure, compared to 9.44%
in 2009. 64 By comparison, in 2011, R&D expenditure reported
by QLS companies was 9% of total expenditure. In 2009, this
figure was 13%.
7.5.1 Business Expenditure on R&D (BERD)
The average BERD across OECD countries in 2008/2009 was
1.62% of GDP. Australia was ranked 14th (out of 34) in the
OECD rankings in 2008/2009 ahead of the UK, Canada and
New Zealand. Figures for 2009/2010 were not available. An
analysis of those countries that reported 2009/2010 BERD
data revealed that Israel led the OECD countries (3.42% of
GDP), followed by Finland (2.83% of GDP), Sweden (2.55%
of GDP), and Japan (2.53% of GDP). 65
Between 2005/2006 and 2008/2009 the OECD average BERD
as a percentage of GDP grew, with a CAGR of 1.46% (Figure
17). Over the same period Australian BERD as a percentage
of GDP grew with a CAGR of 8.45%. However, for the first
time in a decade, Australian BERD dropped in 2009/2010.
Australian BERD totalled $16.7 billion or 1.30% of GDP in
FY2010, $579 million less than FY2009 (1.38% GDP) — a
3.35% decline in actual figures and a 6% decline in BERD
as a proportion of GDP. 66
Figure 17: Business expenditure on R&D as a percentage
of GDP 2004 – 2010 67
The reduction in BERD did not occur uniformly across
businesses of all sizes. 68 Businesses with over 200
employees accounted for the majority of total BERD (69%)
in 2009/2010 and experienced the greatest reduction
in R&D expenditure between 2008/2009 and 2009/2010
(5%). Businesses employing between 20–199 employees
accounted for 19% of BERD and experienced a 0.5%
increase. Those businesses employing between 5-19 staff
accounted for 9% of BERD and reported a decrease of
4%. The smallest businesses, 0–4 staff, registered an 8%
increase in BERD but accounted for only 4% of total BERD
in 2009/2010.
ABS figures suggest that from 2007 to 2010, Queensland
businesses accounted for an average of 14.2% of total
national BERD (Figure 18). Queensland BERD as a
percentage of the national total was 13.6% in 2007
and 14.1% in 2010.
Figure 18: Business expenditure on R&D, Queensland vs.
Australia 2007 – 2010 69
In comparison with other Australian states, Queensland
ranked fourth in terms of total BERD in FY2010 (Figure 19).
Figure 19: Business expenditure on R&D Queensland vs.
other states, 2009/201070 Figure 20 compares Queensland and other Australian
States in terms of their BERD in professional, scientific
and technical industries in FY2010.
64 BioSpectrum Asia-Pacific Life Sciences Industry Survey 2009 and 2010, www.biospectrumasia.com
65 OECD Science, Technology and Industry Scoreboard 2011
66 Australian Bureau of Statistics 8104.0 - Research and Experimental Development, Businesses, Australia, 2009-10
67 Australian Bureau of Statistics, 8104.0 Research and Experimental Development, Business Australia, 2009-20010
68 Ibid.
69 Australian Bureau of Statistics, 8104.0 Research and Experimental Development, Business Australia, 2009/2010
70 Australian Bureau of Statistics, 8104.0 Research and Experimental Development, Business Australia, 2009/2010.
71 Australian Bureau of Statistics, 8104.0 Research and Experimental Development, Business Australia, 2009/2010.