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Trade Facts
- Over 1.7 million Australian jobs are directly or indirectly connected to exports - DAFF
- In 2006-07, agricultural products, including processed food and beverages, accounted for 16.1% of Australian merchandise exports – DFAT
- The protocol for the export of Australian citrus to China paved the way for a potential countrywide export trade worth $50 million a year – DAFF
- New market access for live animal exports to the Middle East have increased Australia’s live animal trade value, estimated at $855 million in 2007 – DAFF
- The United States was Australia’s third largest trading partner in 2006, the third largest export market and the largest source of imports. Australia's Trade with the Americas – DFAT
- Exports of Primary products to the EU increased 24 per cent, Manufactures rose 9 per cent, other goods rose 95 per cent (mainly due to higher Gold exports) and Services rose 4 per cent in 2006. Australia's Trade with The European Union – DFAT
- Thailand is an important market for Australian exports. It was Australia’s 9th largest goods export market in 2007, up four places in the past three years. – FTA
- One in five Australian jobs depends on exports – one in four jobs in regional areas.
- Exports from regional Australia are growing three times faster than exports from metropolitan centres.
- Australia’s 30,000 exporting firms pay their employees, on average, $17,400 more than non-exporting firms.
- Over the past 20 years, those market sectors that were exposed to heightened external competition (such as mining and agriculture) were also those that recorded substantial labour productivity growth.
- Trade gives Australian’s more consumer choice and spending power. If Australia hadn’t started opening its markets to trade in the late 1980’s we would now pay over 30 per cent more for a new car and some 18 per cent more for clothes and shoes.
- Australia’s cheese exports to the United States increased 103 per cent in 2005 as a direct result of the Australia-United States Free Trade Agreement.
- Australia’s agricultural exports to China have almost trebled over the past decade to more than $3 billion in 2005, making China our third largest agricultural export market.
- Australian agriculture is strongly export oriented, with around two thirds of the commodities produced on farms exported each year.
- Among the larger industries the average proportion of production exported ranges from 98 per cent for wool to 51 per cent for dairy products.
- Over the past twenty years, exports of beef, wine and dairy products have increased dramatically in response to growing overseas demand for higher value products.
- As Australia has a comparatively small population, most future growth in Australia agriculture will depend on exports.
- The relative importance of different export markets for Australia’s agricultural products has been changing over time. There has been a shift in emphasis from European to Asian markets from the early 1990’s to the present.
- Over the past decade, Australia’s export industries have created more than 250, 000 Australian jobs; real wages have increased by 20 per cent; and unemployment has fallen from 8 per cent to around 5 per cent.
- Exports provide around a quarter of regional Australia’s income.
- Trade is an important factor in fighting poverty. According to the World Bank, liberalising trade could lift an additional 66 million people out of poverty, and boost global welfare by US$290 billion per year, by 2015.
- Trade encourages innovation and use of new technology, making our business more competitive and efficient.
- Tariffs work like a tax; one sector of the economy may be protected, but the rest of the community pays for this protection.
- If Australia hadn’t reduced tariffs for passenger motor vehicles. Australian families would pay an additional $10,000 on a $30,000 family car.
- Imported food must meet the same safety standards as Australian-produced foods.
- The Australian Government does not trade away quarantine. Australia maintains a conservative – but not a zero-risk-approach to managing quarantine risks based on scientifically justified measures that are the least trade-restrictive possible.
- 99 per cent of fresh vegetables sold in Australian supermarkets during 2004-2005 were grown in Australia.
- Australian farm exports are projedcted to be worth around $35.7 billion (in 2007-2008 dollars) in 2012-13, around 34 per cent higher than the fprecast value in 2007-2008.
- Australia's major agricultural export markets in 2005-06 were in Asia, the United States and the European Union.
- In 2006-07, Australia exported 638 000 cattle (figure a), valued at close to $437 million (abare 2007a).
- In 2006-07, Australia exported around 4.1 million sheep, valued at approximately$290 million (abare 2007a).
- The largest market for Australian exports of live cattle is Indonesia, taking over 50 per cent of total shipments since 2004.- ABARE
Last Updated: 04 May 2008
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