Resources Sector Continues to Buoy Exports

Media release from the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade

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The value of Australia's exports of goods and services rose for the ninth consecutive quarter reaching $44.7 billion in the September quarter, a 0.4 per cent rise in seasonally adjusted terms and 14 per cent above September quarter 2004.

Exports continued to be buoyed by higher prices for goods and services, driven particularly by higher prices received for minerals and fuels. Exports of minerals and fuels rose 2 per cent to $15.2 billion in the September quarter with a 5 per cent fall in the volume of exports being more than offset by a 7 per cent rise in prices received.

The value of services exports rose 2 per cent to $9.4 billion in the September quarter with travel services up 2 per cent and transportation services 3 per cent higher than in the June quarter. Australia's terms of trade index rose a further 2 per cent in September quarter 2005, having been generally rising since early 1999.

The export results are contained in the September quarter 2005 issue of Trade Topics: A Quarterly Review of Australia's International Trade, released today by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT).

Trade Topics brings together a range of statistical information produced by Australian government agencies and international organisations, together with analysis of the latest trade developments, designed to keep Australians informed of market conditions and trends.

The September quarter 2005 issue of Trade Topics features a number of trade-related articles. They include articles on: the highlights of the APEC political leaders meeting held in the Republic of Korea in November; India's Look East Policy and India's strengthening trading and business ties with ASEAN and other East Asian economies; and Australia's coal export industry and the coal industry's contribution to the Australian economy, direction of coal trade and outlook for the industry.

Other articles focus on international trade in education and economic developments in the Gulf economies beyond their trade in oil.

Trade Topics includes quarterly and annual data on Australia's trade in goods and services by commodity, market, level of processing, and State and Territory as well as selected macroeconomic, commodity price and investment information.

The quarterly publication (priced at $95 for an annual subscription) is one of a series of trade publications published each year by DFAT. Copies can be purchased through the Market Information and Analysis Section (ph 02 6261 3114, fax 02 6261 3321 or email statssection@dfat.gov.au). The analysis and summary tables, as well as an ordering form, are available at: www.dfat.gov.au/publications/statistics.html.

Media enquiries: Chelsey Martin, DFAT Media Liaison, (02) 6261 1555