Australian forestry work force: changes, comparisons and productivity

Summary

The substantial changes to the Australian forest sector that have occurred over the last ten years have led to changes in the size, composition and productivity of the forestry work force. The size and characteristics of the forestry and logging work forces were described in an earlier paper which drew on data up to 1981, and estimates of changes in labour productivity were reported in a working paper which drew on data up to 1985. This paper revises these earlier studies for forestry with the most recent data available and makes comparisons between forestry and other sectors of the Australian economy.