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Industries in Australia

Find current and historical Australian industry information, including profiles, statistics, and sources of news.

Subject librarian

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Daniel Giddens
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Contact me via our online reference service citing my name and the title of this guide

Welcome

This guide will help you to research the historic, current and potential future state of industries in Australia.

State Library Victoria holds many resources including books, reports, industry publications, statistics and databases to assist you. Additional free online resources have also been provided where relevant.

Use the tabs across the top of the page for more information and instruction. To request items from the collection held in storage, sign up as a member. If you are a Victorian resident, you can also access many of our subscribed online resources with your membership.

Good Luck with your research.

Some things to consider when you are researching an industry

  • What is it you are trying to find out? (A history of the industry, an overview of the current state of play, upcoming trends, statistics, an understanding of major players, or perhaps segmentation of the market)
  • Depending on your area of interest, this may determine the type of source to consult, for example, a report, handbook, newspaper, journal article, newsletter, statistics, or an industry website.
  • Industries can differ significantly from one another in aspects such as size, segmentation (e.g. house vs. commercial vs. industrial building construction), competition, regulation, workforce characteristics, external environment and consumer sentiment.
  • Industries can also overlap or feed into one another, for example the coal industry is part of the mining industry, but it is also part of the energy and steel industries; alternatively consider how many industries play a role in retail trade.
  • As with company information, the amount of information or level of detail may vary, depending on its size, maturity, or regulation. Some information may be free, need to be purchased or available to members only.
  • In general, to establish the veracity of any information you find, consult more than one source.

Black and white photograph of United Tinsmiths and Sheet Metal Workers Union members with banner on horse-drawn wagon at Eight Hour Day procession. Four members dressed in armour

United Tinsmiths and Sheet Metal Workers Union members with banner on horse-drawn wagon at Eight Hour Day procession. Four members dressed in armour. H84.200/7