Australia Yearbook - 2001

Chapter 24—Communications and information technology 835
The information and
communications technologies
sector
The information and communications
technologies (ICT) sector is that part of the
economy which produces information and
telecommunications goods and services. As such it
overlaps with part of the Communication Services
Division discussed above, but encompasses other
industries as well. The ICT sector in Australia
includes telecommunication services (see above),
computer services, and selected manufacturing
and wholesale trade industries.
Table 24.2 provides statistics for a selection of
industries considered to be the predominant
contributors to the production and distribution of
ICT goods and services. The table is based on ABS
surveys conducted for 1995–96 and 1998–99.
The Australian ICT sector has undergone
significant change over the three years to
1998–99. Total income for the sector was
approaching $63b in 1998–99, an increase of
28.0% over 1995–96. The ICT industries
contributing to this outcome were
telecommunication services with an increase in
income of 39.2% since 1995–96 (for more detail
see table 24.4), wholesale trade with a rise of
31.3%, computer services with a rise of 29.5% and
manufacturing with a fall of 30.6%.
At June 1999, Australia’s ICT sector consisted of
18,072 ICT businesses, an increase of 33.5% (or
4,537 businesses) since June 1996. This increase
was mainly due to an increase of computer
consultancy businesses. There were 199,341
persons working in ICT businesses at June 1999, a
2.1% decrease from 1996. However, employment
increased in computer services by 35.2% and in
wholesale trade by 0.8%, offset by decreases in
manufacturing of 39.0% and telecommunication
services of 18.8%.
Revenue from the domestic production of ICT
goods and services in 1998–99 was nearly $40b,
27.9% higher than in 1995–96.
Telecommunication services (rise of 39.9%) and
packaged software and computer services (rise of
32.2%) recorded large increases. However,
production of manufactured ICT goods
decreased by 24.0% or $1.2b over the three year
period. The decline in domestic production of
manufactured ICT goods was offset by a 20.8% or
$1.9b increase in imports of these products.
24.2 INDUSTRIES IN THE ICT SECTOR, Income and Employment
Total income
Percentage
1995–96 1998–99 change 1995–96 1998–99
Employment
Percentage
change
Industry
$m $m
% no. no.
%
Manufacturing
Computer and business machines 1 934.5 1 146.4 –40.7 5 755 2 461 –57.2
Telecommunication, broadcasting and
transceiving equipment 1 659.7 1 507.7 –9.2 7 335 5 125 –30.1
Electronic equipment n.e.c. 99.1 344.8 247.9 836 1 959 134.3
Electric cable and wire 1 072.5 307.3 –71.3 3 369 997 –70.4
Total 4 765.8 3 306.2 –30.6 17 295 10 542 –39.0
Wholesale trade
Computers 12 254.9 15 748.4 28.5 26 599 27 212 2.3
Business machines and electrical and
electronic equipment n.e.c. 5 070.9 7 004.0 38.1 13 030 12 725 –2.3
Total 17 325.8 22 752.4 31.3 39 629 39 936 0.8
Telecommunication services 18 733.7 26 083.0 39.2 91 701 74 467 –18.8
Computer services
Data processing 924.7 n.p. n.p. 5 291 7 174 35.6
Information storage and retrieval 180.0 99.8 –44.6 994 908 –8.7
Computer maintenance 902.7 n.p. n.p. 5 032 2 519 –49.9
Computer consultancy 6 080.4 8 680.4 42.8 43 711 63 794 45.9
Total 8 087.8 10 474.0 29.5 55 028 74 395 35.2
Total 48 913.1 62 615.5 28.0 203 653 199 341 –2.1
Source: Information Technology, Australia (8126.0).