NOTES
ABOUT THIS PUBLICATION
This publication contains estimates of Australian public funding for arts and cultural activities, facilities and services across three levels of government for 2008-09 and 2007-08.
The survey of Cultural Funding by Government, 2008-09 collected information on recurrent and capital expenditure by Australian and state government departments (including selected authorities, corporations and councils) for heritage and arts cultural activities, facilities and services. Funding data in this publication are aligned, where possible, with the categories specified in the Industry Classification of the Australian Culture and Leisure Classifications, Second edition (cat. no. 4902.0), released in 2008. Cultural activities have been classified into two major groups: Heritage; and the Arts.
Estimates reported at the Australian government, and state and territory government level for 2008-09 and 2007-08 are not comparable with data prior to 2007-08 due to changes in methodology, scope and coverage of the collection implemented for the 2007-08 collection. Prior to the 2007-08 collection, estimates were compiled from administrative by-product data obtained by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) from annual reports and budget papers, and from information provided by selected Australian Government authorities and state and territory governments. From 2007-08, estimates have been compiled using information provided directly to the ABS via an electronic-form which is sent to all in-scope government departments (including selected agencies, authorities and corporations).
Local government funding data is obtained by the ABS from state and territory Local Government Grants Commissions data, or equivalent. The local government data is classified according to the Local Government Purpose Classification (LGPC).
During the course of the 2008-09 collection, expenditure reported by some government departments for 2007-08 was revised. These data revisions for 2007-08 have been included in this release.
INQUIRIES
For further information about these and related statistics, contact the National Information and Referral Service on 1300 135 070.
SUMMARY COMMENTARY
CULTURAL FUNDING
Total government funding for cultural activities was $6,772.5m in 2008-09 an increase of 7.8% on 2007-08 ($6,281.1m). The Australian Government contributed $2,584.5m (38%) to total cultural funding while the state and territory governments contributed $3,033.7m (45%) and local governments provided $1,154.2m (17%).
Environmental heritage was the largest recipient of funds, with funding of $1,604.0m or 29% of total cultural funding from the Australian Government and state and territory governments combined. The other major recipient of Australian and state and territory government funding in 2008-09 was radio and television services at $1,392.8m representing 25% of Australian and state government cultural funding. Other museums and cultural heritage received $604.2m or 11% of total cultural funding from the Australian Government and state and territory governments combined.
Libraries received $1,124.9m or 17% of total funding, including $397.4m from Australian and state and territory government and $727.5m from local government.
RECURRENT AND CAPITAL EXPENDITURE
Recurrent expenditure refers mainly to expenditure on operations, wages and salaries, purchases of goods and services, and current grants and subsidies. In 2008-09 recurrent expenditure was $5,911.2m or 87% of total cultural funding. The Australian Government allocated $2,388.8m (92%) of its cultural funding towards recurrent activity, whereas state and territory governments allocated $2,535.1m (84%) and local governments allocated $987.3m (86%).
Capital expenditure is primarily expenditure on the creation of fixed assets and on the acquisition of land, buildings and intangible assets. In any one year, the amount of funding for cultural activities can be affected by high levels of one-off capital expenditure. The total capital expenditure by all levels of government was $861.3m or 13% of total cultural funding in 2008-09. The majority of government capital expenditure came from the state and territory governments which outlaid $498.6m (58% of total capital funding) while the Australian government outlaid $195.7m (23%) and local governments spent $167.0m (19%).
FUNDING BY LEVEL OF GOVERNMENT
Australian Government
In 2008–09, Australian Government provided $2,584.5m in funding for culture and heritage, a $153.0m (6.3%) increase from 2007–08. The Australian Government continues to allocate the majority of its cultural funding (72%) to arts activities. In 2008-09 the Australian Government allocated $1,854.7m to arts activities and $729.8m (28%) to heritage activities. Radio and television services received the majority of Australian Government arts funding at $1,391.1m (75%) while other museums and cultural heritage received the majority of heritage funding at $266.0m (36%).
State and territory government
Cultural funding by state and territory government increased in 2008–09, by $222.9m (7.9%) to reach $3,033.7m. The majority of this funding was spent on heritage ($2,313.8m or 76%). Arts activities received $719.9m or 24% of the total cultural funding by the state and territory governments.
Across all categories, the largest recipient of state and territory government funding was environmental heritage which received $1,397.0m, accounting for 46% of the total state and territory cultural funding. The highest proportion of total heritage funding allocated to environmental heritage was in Western Australia (73%) followed by New South Wales (65%) and the Australian Capital Territory (62%).
Other major recipients of state and territory cultural funding included other museums and cultural heritage ($338.3m), libraries ($337.4m), performing arts venues ($241.2m) and art museums ($175.2m). Of the states and territories, the Northern Territory had the highest proportion of cultural funding allocated to heritage activities (88%) followed by Tasmania (87%) and New South Wales (85%). For total arts activities, South Australia (34%) had the highest proportion of total cultural funding, followed closely by Victoria (29%) and the Australian Capital Territory (27%).
STATE AND TERRITORY GOVERNMENT CULTURAL FUNDING, By value of funding
- 2008-09
Local government
In 2008-09, local government funding for cultural activities was $1,154.2m, which was 17% of total cultural funding provided by all levels of government. This was an increase of $115.5m or 11% on 2007-08 when local government funding for cultural activities was $1,038.7m.
A majority of local government cultural funding (63%) was allocated to libraries in 2008-09 ($727.5m). This was also the case in 2007-08 ($645.9m or 62%). Most public libraries are funded at the local government level, except in Tasmania, the Northern Territory and the Australian Capital Territory where libraries are mainly or solely funded by the state and territory governments. Of states mainly funded at local government level for libraries, South Australia had the highest proportion of local government funding for libraries in 2008-09 (77%), followed by Western Australia (71%), New South Wales (64%), Queensland (60%) and Victoria (59%).
FUNDING PER PERSON
The amount of funding provided per person is calculated by dividing the amount of funding by the number of people in the relevant population. Per person cultural funding provided by all levels of government was $311.77 in 2008-09. The Australian Government per person contribution to cultural funding was $118.98 while the state and territory governments' contribution was $139.66 per person. Local government cultural funding was $53.13 per person in 2008-09.
The two territories had the highest total cultural funding per person of all the states and territories in 2008-09, with $369.65 per person for the Northern Territory and $219.10 per person for the Australian Capital Territory. Western Australia had the third highest per person funding, at $217.35. New South Wales and Victoria recorded the lowest per person cultural funding of the states and territories, both at just over $111.00.
STATE AND TERRITORY GOVERNMENT CULTURAL FUNDING, By $ per person
- 2008-09
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