ICT Industry Contributing Billions to Economy

By Greg McNevin

October 9, 2008: According to a new survey by the Australian Bureau of Statistics, Australia’s information and communications technology (ICT) industry is growing strong, with income hitting $123 billion in 2006/7.

The new survey found that the industry comprises of 30,313 businesses, employs 300,000 people and pays $21 billion in wages.

The ABS split the ICT industry into five main groupings, and found that the computer system design and related services group accounted for almost half (48 percent) of the industry with 128,000 employed, while information media and telecommunications employed 78,000 (26 percent) and wholesale trade 71,000 (24 percent).

Geographically, NSW and Victoria claim two-thirds of all ICT employment with 120,000 and 84,000 respectively, as well as three-quarters of all ICT businesses.

The figures mark a jump from the ABS’s 2004/5 survey, which saw $103.3 billion earned from businesses with 274,132 employees, however, it is quick to note direct comparisons between the two cannot be made due to changes in the survey’s methodology.

Comparisons with futures surveys are also in doubt, as the ABS has cancelled the 2008/9 survey due to budgetary constraints.

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