Services Exports continued to rise in 2005-06

In 2005-06, Australia’s services exports rose six per cent to $41.9 billion, the Australian Government Minister for Trade, Warren Truss, announced today.

Mr Truss was quoting from a new Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade publication, Trade in Services Australia 2005-06, which he released today.

Exports volumes rose two per cent while prices received rose three per cent.

Two major service activities were in Australia’s top ten exports. Personal travel services (excluding education-related), at $10.8 billion were ranked third after coal and iron ore; education services, at $10.1 billion (up 11 per cent), were ranked fourth.

Just outside the top ten exports, Passenger transportation services was ranked Australia’s eleventh largest export, at $4.2 billion.

Services exports which showed significant increases in 2005-06 included:

engineering services (up 63 per cent to $896 million);
business and management consultancy and public relations services (up 176 per cent to $210 million);
agricultural & mining services (up 38 per cent to $220 million): and
audio-visual services (up 44 per cent to $215 million).

Earnings from royalties were also higher in 2005-06.

The United States was the single-largest destination for service exports in 2005-06, with exports up seven per cent to $5.3 billion.

Exports also rose to other major destinations such as China (up 13 per cent to $3.2 billion), New Zealand (up seven per cent to $3.0 billion), Singapore (up 11 per cent to $2.7 billion) and India (up 36 per cent to $1.4 billion).

Trade in Services, is published twice a year, on a calendar year and financial year basis. In addition to the detailed official statistics on Australia’s trade in services collected by the Australian Bureau of Statistics, the publication presents information on international student enrolments; numbers of short-term visitor arrivals and departures; tourism expenditure; and tourism purpose of journey information.

Copies can be purchased through the Department’s Market Information and Analysis Section by calling 02 6261 3114 or emailing statssection@dfat.gov.au.

The main features and analysis from the publication are available on http://www.dfat.gov.au/publications/statistics.html. Orders for the publication can also be placed at this website.

Media Inquiries: Minister Truss' office 02 6277 7420 - Departmental Media Liaison 02 6261 1555