Australian businesses’ expenditures on R&D (BERD) grew 6.6% in current prices in 2011 to AUD 17,880 million ($18, 433 million), compared to a 6% decrease in 2010. Manufacturing, mining; financial and insurance services; and professional, scientific and technical services accounted for 27%, 21, 15% and 15% of BERD respectively. The BERD for the respective industries increased 12%, 3%, 5% and 5% last year. Current expenditures (spending on costs such as labor, materials, rent, etc.) on R&D rose 6% to account for 95% of BERD due in part to the increased use of R&D contractors. BERD capital expenditures jumped 26%. Manufacturing and mining accounted for 26% and 21% of current expenditures and 33% and 25% of capital expenditures, respectively. Experimental development represented 61% of total BERD and rose 7.4%. Applied research represented 33% and rose 23.5% last year. Pure research represented 1%. BERD by wholly owned Australian business and for businesses with greater than 50% foreign ownership represented 58% and 29% of BERD, respectively. Human resources devoted to R&D, (defined as staff that is directly involved in R&D) fell 2.3% to 56,532 person years of effort (PYE). Researchers accounted for 50% of R&D person years of efforts, down 4% and down one percentage point in terms of the proportional share of total PYE compared to technicians and other staff.

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics