4 December 2014
PDF version [945KB]
Gregory O'Brien
Statistics and Mapping Section
- This paper, a companion to the Monthly Statistical Bulletin published by the Parliamentary Library, provides tables and charts for a broad range of social, demographic and economic indicators across all Australian states and territories, and compares these to Australian averages.
- Each table presents data for the last five years to 2012–13, while each chart plots data for the financial year 2012–13.
Contents
Executive summary
Introduction
Key Indicators
Data sources
Historical data
Chapter 1: Labour Market
1.1 Employment
1.2 Unemployment
1.3 Labour Force
1.4 Long-term unemployed
1.5 Youth Unemployment
1.6 Industrial Disputes
Chapter 2: Wages and Prices
2.1 Average weekly ordinary time earnings
2.2 Real average weekly ordinary time earnings
2.3 Male total average weekly earnings
2.4 Real male total average weekly earnings
2.5 Female total average weekly earnings
2.6 Real female total average weekly earnings
2.7 Total average weekly earnings
2.8 Real total average weekly earnings
2.9 Wage price index
2.10 Consumer price index
Chapter 3: State Accounts
3.1 Gross state product
3.2 Gross state product per capita
3.3 Labour Productivity
Chapter 4: Business Conditions
4.1 Value of Retail Sales
4.2 Motor vehicle sales
4.3 Dwelling approvals
4.4 Business investment
4.5 Bankruptcies
Chapter 5: Housing
5.1 Lending for owner occupied housing
5.2 Home loan size
5.3 Home loan repayments
5.4 House sale prices
5.5 House rents
Chapter 6: Public Sector Finances
6.1 State government net debt
6.2 State government fiscal balance
6.3 State government taxation revenue
Chapter 7: Exports
7.1 International Merchandise Exports
Chapter 8: Social Statistics
8.1 Population
8.2 Dependency ratio
8.3 Births
8.4 Apparent school retention rates
8.5 General practice bulk billing
8.6 Private health insurance
Glossary
Introduction
The purpose of this paper is to present a range of economic and other statistical indicators for the states and territories of Australia. To facilitate comparisons, indicators are presented in relative terms such as growth rates, percentages, or proportions of gross state product, so comparisons can be made using equivalent measures.
This publication updates the Parliamentary Library’s State Statistical Bulletin 2010–11 published in 2012. This publication is a companion to the Monthly Statistical Bulletin which contains Australia-wide data only, but on a more frequent basis.
A glossary of social, demographic and economic terms used in the tables is provided at the end of this publication.
Real gross state product [3.1]
Real gross state product (GSP) in Australia grew in all jurisdictions in 2012–13 except for Tasmania. However, growth rates were lower across all jurisdictions from 2011–12, with the exception of the Northern Territory which increased from 4.5 per cent in 2011–12 to 5.6 per cent in 2012–13. The states and territories continued to show a substantial gap between the north and the south, with the Northern Territory, Western Australia and Queensland showing the strongest growth and NSW, Victoria and South Australia recording more moderate growth. Tasmania dipped into negative real GSP growth in 2012–13, with a 0.6 per cent decrease from 2011-12.
Unemployment rate [1.2]
The unemployment rate increased in all states and territories except NSW, where it remained steady. The unemployment rate reflected the differences between the states in real GSP growth, with Tasmania reporting both the highest unemployment rate (7.2 per cent) and the greatest increase in unemployment rate, up from 6.3 per cent in 2011–12. The ACT (4.2 per cent), Western Australia (4.4 per cent) and the Northern Territory (4.6 per cent) reported the lowest unemployment rates, while Victoria (5.7 per cent), South Australia (5.8 per cent) and Queensland (5.9 per cent) edged closer to six per cent.
Consumer price index (CPI) [2.10]
The increase in CPI in 2012–13 was relatively steady across the capital cities with only Darwin (3.1 per cent) and Hobart (1.1 per cent) deviating substantially from the average (2.3 per cent).
Gross state product per capita [3.2]
Gross state product (GSP) per capita in 2012-13 ranged from $47,222 in Tasmania, to $102,232 in Western Australia, compared with the Australian gross domestic product per capita in 2012–13 of $66,549. The ACT ($90,631) and the Northern Territory ($83,828) joined Western Australia as performing above the national average, while South Australia ($56,674) and Victoria ($58,682) reported lower than average numbers. The gap between the most productive and the least productive states grew over 2012–13 with Western Australia (1.5 per cent) and the Northern Territory (3.7 per cent) showing the highest growth rates and Tasmania (-0.7 per cent), Victoria (-0.2 per cent) and South Australia (0.3 per cent) showing the lowest growth rates in GSP per capita.
Labour productivity [3.3]
All states and territories reported an increase in labour productivity in 2012–13, based on GSP per hour worked. Labour productivity ranged from $287.80 per hour worked in Tasmania to $483.10 per hour worked in Western Australia, with an average of $347.50 across Australia.
Retail sales [4.1]
Retail sales increased in all states except Tasmania and South Australia in 2012–13, ranging from a 2.7 per cent decrease in Tasmania to a 7.1 per cent increase in Western Australia. Across Australia retail sales increased 3.1 per cent.
Bankruptcies [4.5]
The number of bankruptcies and administrative orders showed considerable volatility and range in 2012–13. Annual change ranged from a 17.1 per cent decrease in the ACT to a 27.5 per cent increase in Tasmania. Across Australia there were 20,876 bankruptcies and administrative orders, a decrease from the 22,163 reported in 2011-12 and the fifth straight year of decrease.
House prices [5.4]
The median price of houses sold in 2012–13 increased in all capital cities except Hobart and Canberra. Sydney (4.7 per cent), Darwin (9.7 per cent) and Perth (6.6 per cent) all saw median house price increases above the weighted average of the capital cities (3.1 per cent).
Population [8.1]
Australia’s population grew 1.8 per cent in 2012–13, the highest increase since 2008–09. Growth was highest in Western Australia (3.4 per cent) for the fifth straight year, followed by the Northern Territory (2.3 per cent). Low growth occurred in Tasmania (0.2 per cent) and South Australia (0.9 per cent).
Data sources are listed at the bottom of the page for each indicator. All data is from an original ABS series unless otherwise indicated as a trend or seasonally adjusted series.
Long-term data series for every table in this paper and for the Parliamentary Library’s companion publication, the Monthly Statistical Bulletin,[1] are available electronically and can be found on the Parliamentary Library’s ‘Monthly statistical bulletin e-data’ page.[2]
Note: These links can only be accessed by Senators, Members and parliamentary staff.
Apparent school retention rate. The number of full-time school students in a designated level/year of education expressed as a percentage of their respective cohort group (which is either at the commencement of their secondary schooling or Year 10).
Average weekly earnings. Average gross (before tax) earnings of employees.
Average weekly ordinary time earnings. Weekly earnings attributed to award, standard or agreed hours of work.
Bankruptcies. Bankruptcies and Administration Orders under Parts IV and XI of the Bankruptcy Act 1966.
Business investment. Private gross fixed capital formation for machinery and equipment; non-dwelling construction; livestock; and intangible fixed assets.
Consumer price index. A measure of change in the price of a basket of goods and services from a base period. Changes in the consumer price index are the most commonly used measures of inflation.
Dependency ratio. Ratio of the economically inactive to economically active population. Shows the number of children aged 0–14 years and persons aged 65 years and over, per 100 persons aged 15–64 years.
Employed persons. Persons aged 15 and over who, during a period of one week, worked for one hour or more for pay or worked for one hour or more without pay in a family business or on a family farm.
General government sector. Government departments and other entities that provide largely non-market public services and are funded mainly through taxes and other compulsory levies.
General government sector net debt. Selected liabilities (deposits held plus proceeds from advances plus borrowing) minus selected assets (cash and deposits plus investments plus advances outstanding) of the general government sector.
General government sector fiscal balance. The financing requirement of the general government sector. A positive sign, or fiscal surplus, indicates a net lending position; a negative sign, or fiscal deficit, indicates a net borrowing position.
General practice bulk billing rate. The percentage of general practitioner attendances (excluding practice nurse) that are bulk billed.
Gross domestic product. The total market value of goods and services produced within Australia, after deducting the cost of goods and services used up in the process of production but before deducting for depreciation.
Gross state product. Equivalent to gross domestic product except it refers to production within a state or territory rather than to the nation as a whole.
Gross state product—chain volume measures. Also known as real gross state product, this is a measure used to indicate change in the actual quantity of goods and services produced within a state or territory.
Gross state product per capita. The ratio of the chain volume measure of gross state product to an estimate of the resident population in the state or territory.
Job vacancy. A job available for immediate filling and for which recruitment action has been taken.
Job vacancy rate. The number of job vacancies expressed as a percentage of the number of employee jobs plus the number of job vacancies.
Labour force. The employed plus the unemployed.
Labour force participation rate. The number of persons in the labour force expressed as a percentage of the civilian population aged 15 years and over.
Labour productivity. Gross state product (chain volume measures) per hour worked, all sectors (i.e. market and non-market sectors).
Long-term unemployed. Persons unemployed for a period of 52 weeks or more.
Male total average weekly earnings. Weekly ordinary time earnings plus weekly overtime earnings of all male employees. This measure of earnings is used in the process of benchmarking pensions.
Private health insurance hospital coverage rate. The percentage of the total population with private health insurance hospital coverage.
Real average weekly earnings. Average weekly earnings adjusted for inflation as measured by the Consumer Price Index.
Total fertility rate. The average number of children females will bear during their lifetime.
Turnover. Includes retail sales; wholesale sales; takings from repairs, meals and hiring of goods; commissions from agency activity; and net takings from gaming machines. Turnover includes the Goods and Services Tax.
Unemployed persons. Persons aged 15 and over who, during a period of one week, were not employed but had actively looked for work in the previous four weeks and were available to start work.
Unemployment rate. The number of unemployed persons expressed as a percentage of the labour force.
Wage price index. A measure of change in the price of labour (i.e. wages, salaries and overtime) unaffected by changes in the quality or quantity of work performed.
Youth unemployment. Number of 15–24 year olds looking for full-time work.
Youth unemployment rate. Number of 15–24 year olds looking for full-time work expressed as a percentage of the full-time labour force in the same age group.
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