Business and higher education were the biggest contributors in Australia's $15.8 billion outlay on research and experimental development (RandD) in 2004-05, according to this ABS report. This was an increase of 19% or $2.6 billion since 2002-03. More than half of this expenditure came from the business sector with higher education outlaying $4.3 billion (27%)...

The national fertility rate is at its highest level since 1995, according to this ABS report. Australia's total fertility rate increased in 2005 to 1.81 babies per woman, up from 1.77 in 2004. All states and territories recorded increases in total fertility rates between 2004 and 2005, with Tasmania reaching replacement level fertility (2.1 babies...

Australian farmers reported spending $3.3 billion on natural resource management during 2004-05, according to this ABS survey. This money was spent managing or preventing weed, pest, land and soil, native vegetation or water-related issues on their agricultural holdings. More than $1.1 billion was spent on weed prevention and management, while land and soil-related activities accounted...

Expenditure and human resources devoted to research and experimental development (R&D) carried out by government and private non-profit organisations in Australia, classified by socioeconomic objective, field of research, type of expenditure, type of activity, source of funds, type of employee and location of expenditure. Most data are expressed in current prices but key aggregates are...

Despite steady improvement over the last three decades, cardiovascular disease remains one of the biggest causes of death in Australia and continues to generate a considerable burden on the population in terms of illness and disability. In relation to direct health care expenditure, cardiovascular disease is the most expensive health condition, costing 11% or 5.4...