SmallBusiness.wa.gov.au
The Small Business Specialists
Phone: 131 BIZ
Website: www.smallbusiness.wa.gov.au
The Key Statistics Australian Small Business publication provides a comprehensive overview of Australia's small businesses with emphasis on the number of businesses, business characteristics and performance.
This publication was launched by Senator Sherry on 31 October 2011 and is the first edition in a new series. It collates and presents key small business statistics sourced from the Australian Bureau of Statistics, the Reserve Bank of Australia and other organisations.
PDF and RTF versions can be downloaded from the Key Facts and Statistics page on the Department of Innovation, Industry, Science and Research website.
The latest figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), based on Australian Business Number registrations, indicate there were 202,818 small businesses in Western Australia as at June 2009. The 2006 ABS Census indicates that there are more than 156,000 self employed people in Western Australia.
Small businesses account for 95% of all businesses in the state. More than a third (35%) of these businesses employ staff with the remaining proportion (65%) being non-employing businesses. Estimates show that small businesses employ around a third of the state’s labour force.
The industries in which most small businesses in Western Australia operate are:
Indicative figures show that almost a third (32%) of small businesses in Western Australia are operated by sole traders. The remaining small businesses in the state are evenly spread across company, partnership and trust business structures.
During the 2009/10 period, there were 29,356 new business names registered in Western Australia through the Department of Commerce. This figure is significantly higher than the previous two years, where business name registrations remained steady at 25,410. This appears to indicate that confidence has increased following the global economic downturn.
However, it is important to note that business registrations are valid for three years. As such, the impact of the current economic situation on the viability of these new businesses will become more apparent over the next few years, as they renew or cancel their existing business names.
Exporting is increasingly becoming a major contributor to economic growth in Western Australia, with small businesses playing an important part. In June 2010, there were 17,521 small business exporters nationally.
Nationally, the industries with the greatest number of small business exporters are:
It is also interesting to note the increasing trade between Australian businesses and Asian economies. This is reflected in the top five destination export countries for Australia, being (based on the total value of exports):
This exporting data has been sourced from a range of ABS data products and used with the permission of the ABS. Variations exist in the method of data collection and some of the information used to identify small businesses.
Caution should be exercised in making assumptions from this. The information has been provided to create a snapshot of small business activity in Western Australia.
Statistical information on small businesses and the West Australian economy can be found in a range of Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) data sources. These include:
The ABS Business Demography Theme Page provides information on ABS publications relating to business growth in general.
The ABS National Information and Referral Service is also a helpful resource if help is needed to find information and can be contacted on 1300 135 070.
Alternatively, the SBDC would be pleased to help you with your small business statistics enquiries.
Telephone 131 BIZ (131 249)
Email info@smallbusiness.wa.gov.au
Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS)
This content has been prepared by the Small Business Development Corporation to provide general small business statistical information. The information here is derived from sources believed to be reliable and accurate at the time of publishing. It is provided solely on the basis that readers will be responsible for making their own assessment and for verifying all relevant representations, statements and information.
Neither the Small Business Development Corporation nor its officers take any responsibility for statements or representations, nor will the Small Business Development Corporation or any of its officers be liable in respect of any such statement or representation, whether by reason of negligence, lack of care, or for any other reason whatever.