ABOUT THIS PUBLICATION

This publication presents government finance statistics on an accrual accounting basis for each jurisdiction for General Government, Public Non-financial Corporations, the Non-financial Public Sector, Public Financial Corporations and the Total Public Sector for All Levels of Government, Commonwealth Government, State Government, State and Local Government, Local Government and Multi-jurisdictional as follows:

• Operating statements;
• Cash flow statements; and
• Balance sheet.

Time series of these data are available on the ABS website for the periods 2003–04 to 2012–13.

Users interested in quarterly GFS data for the current financial year should refer to Government Finance Statistics, Australia, Quarterly (cat. no. 5519.0.55.001).


EMISSION REDUCTION SCHEMES

The Australian System of Government Finance Statistics: Concepts, Sources and Methods (ABS GFS Manual) (cat. no. 5514.0) has been updated to include the treatment of emission reduction schemes. RECs are Renewable Energy Certificates issued under the Commonwealth Renewable Energy Target (RET). Data for RECs are now included in relevant GFS aggregates, with data backcast in the time series. Separate data series for emission reduction schemes are not available.


REVISED STANDARD FOR GOVERNMENT FINANCE STATISTICS

The International Monetary Fund's (IMF) Government Finance Statistics Manual 2001 (GFSM 2001) has recently been revised to reflect the 2008 SNA. The ABS GFS Manual will also be updated to reflect these new international standards in 2015.


TERMINOLOGY

Within GFS the consolidated total of the general government and the public non-financial corporations sectors is referred to as the 'non-financial public sector'. The consolidated total of the general government, the public non-financial corporations and the public financial corporations sectors is referred to as the 'total public sector'.

In this publication, the term 'state' includes the two territories. Therefore 'state' refers to 'state and territory' and 'state and local' refers to 'state, territory and local'.


INQUIRIES

For further information about these and related statistics, contact the National Information and Referral Service on 1300 135 070 or Public Finance on (07) 3222 6414. The ABS Privacy Policy outlines how the ABS will handle any personal information that you provide to us.