Australian ICT Industry

The Australian Economy

• Australia has an average economic growth of around 3.5% in the last five years
• In 2004, the Australian economy was ranked the most resilient in the world for the third consecutive year , providing a very compelling case for business investment [1]
• Australia has an open, transparent and efficient regulatory environment
• Australia has a welcoming, open and direct approach to foreign direct investment

[1] World Competitiveness Yearbook (WCY) 2004.

The Australian ICT Industry

Australia's dynamic Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Industry is one of the most innovative and dynamic sectors of the Australian economy.

Australia's ICT industry is a technically sophisticated market that is easy to penetrate for overseas investors. It provides a natural gateway to the fast-growing Asian market.

• Australia is one of the largest information and communications technology (ICT) markets in the world and top three in the Asia-Pacific [2]
• Australia is the 11th largest ICT market in the world
• In 2004 the World Bank reported that Australia's expenditure on ICT was 6.4% of GDP, placing Australia ahead of countries such as the UK, Canada, China and Japan [3]
• Each year Australia imports around AUD$15 billion in ICT goods and services.
• The Australian ICT industry accounts for around 8% of gross domestic product.
• The development of the ICT sector in Australia is supported by a range of public and private sector bodies. Support ranges from innovation assistance to professional accreditation with the Government providing direct assistance for select start-ups.
• KPMG's 2004 Competitive Alternatives study found that out of 11 industrialised countries, Australia ranked second as one of the least costly places to set up and do business.

[2] OECD, Science, Technology and Industry Outlook
[3] World Bank, 2004 World Development Indicators

Australians are amongst the most sophisticated and intensive users of ICT in the world, ranking as leaders in the adoption of leading-edge ICT applications.

• Australia ranks among the top countries in the world measured by standard business and policy indicators, including network digitisation, penetration of personal computers and Internet host density.
• 83% of Australian businesses use computers, 72% have access to the Internet, and 24% have a website.
• Australia is ranked sixth in the world for the number of Internet users and ninth for the number of computers per capita.
• Over 53% of the population has Internet access at home.

Sydney is Australia's leading business and finance centre, and as the home of CeBIT Australia, has the largest concentration of ICT companies in the country.

• NSW has the world’s 17 th largest ICT industry in terms of total revenue – it generates $31 billion a year in turnover and employs over 100,000 people.
• 70% of the nation's top 250 IT&T companies are headquartered in Sydney
• Sydney’s economic size is estimated at approximately US$100 billion, which represents 25-30% of Australia’s total economic activity. This is equivalent to the economic size of Singapore, and about half that of Hong Kong.