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MAIN FEATURES

This release contains statistics on expenditure on education by the general government sector for the period 1999-00 to 2008-09. These data are presented on an accrual accounting basis and are taken from the system of Government Finance Statistics (GFS).

Government expenditure on education refers to expenditure on all levels of education, such as pre-school, primary, secondary, university, and technical and further education (TAFE), by the general government sector. It excludes expenditure on courses provided by non-educational institutions, such as the vocational training programs of private businesses.

The summary tables below present government operating expenses on education by level of government, by purpose (i.e. by type of education), and by economic transaction (i.e. by type of expenditure) for the period 2003-04 to 2008-09.

Expenditure on education by all levels of general government increased by $6,968 million (12.6%), from $55,362 million in 2007-08 to $62,330 million in 2008-09. Total expenditure on education by the Commonwealth Government reached $21,905 million, with expenditure by the state and local governments totalling $43,313 million.

Of the total expenditure on education, $33,217 million was spent on primary and secondary education and a further $22,933 million on tertiary education (universities and TAFE). Employee expenses of $32,897 million accounted for 52.8% of total educational expenses with the remaining 47.2% being on non-employee expenses ($14,837 million), depreciation ($2,443 million), and transfer expenses ($12,153 million).

GOVERNMENT OPERATING EXPENSES ON EDUCATION, BY LEVEL OF GOVERNMENT
	2003-04	2004-05	2005-06	2006-07	2007-08	2008-09
	$m	$m	$m	$m	$m	$m
Commonwealth Government	13 523	14 319	15 813	16 416	18 694	21 905
State and Local Governments	31 023	33 581	35 463	37 267	39 579	43 313
Multi-jurisdictional (a)	11 738	12 589	13 745	14 114	15 467	17 721
Less: Intra-sector transfers	12 960	13 794	15 297	16 043	18 379	20 609
All Levels of Government	43 325	46 695	49 723	51 754	55 362	62 330

GOVERNMENT OPERATING EXPENSES ON EDUCATION, BY PURPOSE, ALL LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT
	2003-04	2004-05	2005-06	2006-07	2007-08	2008-09
	$m	$m	$m	$m	$m	$m
Primary and secondary education	23 900	25 843	27 501	28 960	30 534	33 217
Tertiary education	16 020	17 000	18 301	18 675	20 387	22 933
Pre-school & education not definable by level	1 817	2 038	2 151	2 317	2 439	2 983
Transportation of students	900	1 055	1 124	1 095	1 239	1 273
Education n.e.c.	688	759	647	707	763	1 924
Total	43 325	46 695	49 723	51 754	55 362	62 330

GOVERNMENT OPERATING EXPENSES ON EDUCATION, BY ECONOMIC TRANSACTION, ALL LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT
	2003-04	2004-05	2005-06	2006-07	2007-08	2008-09
	$m	$m	$m	$m	$m	$m
Employee expenses	23 834	25 486	27 276	28 147	30 021	32 897
Non-employee expenses	10 249	10 847	11 413	12 194	13 140	14 837
Depreciation of fixed assets	1 858	1 969	2 009	2 095	2 259	2 443
Current transfer expenses	7 145	8 105	8 675	9 041	9 612	11 637
Capital transfer expenses	239	288	350	277	330	516
Total	43 325	46 695	49 723	51 754	55 362	62 330