Correction to IT Survey Data

Statistics New Zealand Releases Correction to IT Survey Data

Statistics New Zealand has revised the Information Technology Survey: 2002 financial year released on 26 March 2003.

An error was found in the process used to calculate the revised estimates for the 2001 financial year, which were published with the 2002 financial year release. The estimates for the 2001 financial year have now been updated. The comparisons between the 2001 and 2002 financial years have also been affected. The 2002 data for sales of training and education in IT has been suppressed due to quality concerns.

Sales of information technology (IT) goods and services (excluding communication services) were $7.1 billion for the 2002 financial year, up 1 percent from the 2001 financial year, according to Statistics New Zealand's Information Technology Survey.

Total exports of IT goods and services (excluding communication services) increased 22 percent to $968 million, in the 2002 financial year. This increase is mainly the result of a 39 percent increase in exports of computer services and a 45 percent increase in exports of computer hardware, including peripheral equipment.

Sales of IT goods and services to New Zealand end-users increased by 1 percent to $4.3 billion. This increase was mainly the result of a $217 million increase in sales of computer hardware. This was largely offset by decreases in sales to New Zealand end-users of communication hardware and cables, down 12 percent, and sales to New Zealand end-users of computer services, down 3 percent.

The Information Technology Survey is jointly sponsored by Statistics New Zealand, the Ministry of Economic Development and the Information Technology Association of New Zealand. The survey mainly covers businesses that are engaged in the computer wholesaling, telecommunications and computer services industries. Businesses that engaged two or fewer full-time equivalent employees are excluded from the survey.

Brian Pink

Government Statistician