KEY GOVERNMENT FINANCE STATISTICS
ACCRUAL OPERATING RESULTS
The GFS net operating balance for all levels of government in 2016-17 was -$16,503m for the general government sector and -$27,096m for the total public sector.
GFS net lending/borrowing for all levels of government in 2016-17 was -$42,830m for the general government sector and -$64,341m for the total public sector.
The following table shows 2016-17 GFS operating statement aggregates by sector across the various levels of government.
OPERATING RESULTS, By Sector, 2016-17 |
|
![](/icons/ecblank.gif) | ![](/icons/ecblank.gif) | General Government Sector | Non-financial Public Sector | Total Public Sector(a) |
![](/icons/ecblank.gif) | ![](/icons/ecblank.gif) | 2016-17 | 2016-17 | 2016-17 |
![](/icons/ecblank.gif) | ![](/icons/ecblank.gif) | $m | $m | $m |
|
All levels of government | ![](/icons/ecblank.gif) | ![](/icons/ecblank.gif) | ![](/icons/ecblank.gif) |
![](/icons/ecblank.gif) | GFS Revenue | 607 834 | 662 757 | 669 494 |
![](/icons/ecblank.gif) | GFS Expenses | 624 337 | 684 062 | 696 590 |
![](/icons/ecblank.gif) | GFS Net operating balance | -16 503 | -21 305 | -27 096 |
![](/icons/ecblank.gif) | Net acquisition of non-financial assets | 26 327 | 37 500 | 37 245 |
![](/icons/ecblank.gif) | GFS Net lending(+)/borrowing(-) | -42 830 | -58 806 | -64 341 |
Commonwealth Government | ![](/icons/ecblank.gif) | ![](/icons/ecblank.gif) | ![](/icons/ecblank.gif) |
![](/icons/ecblank.gif) | GFS Revenue | 418 157 | 427 577 | 426 531 |
![](/icons/ecblank.gif) | GFS Expenses | 450 594 | 464 145 | 465 409 |
![](/icons/ecblank.gif) | GFS Net operating balance | -32 436 | -36 568 | -38 877 |
![](/icons/ecblank.gif) | Net acquisition of non-financial assets | 3 068 | 8 845 | 8 893 |
![](/icons/ecblank.gif) | GFS Net lending(+)/borrowing(-) | -35 504 | -45 413 | -47 770 |
State and local government | ![](/icons/ecblank.gif) | ![](/icons/ecblank.gif) | ![](/icons/ecblank.gif) |
![](/icons/ecblank.gif) | GFS Revenue | 297 892 | 342 334 | 350 166 |
![](/icons/ecblank.gif) | GFS Expenses | 278 407 | 323 985 | 335 298 |
![](/icons/ecblank.gif) | GFS Net operating balance | 19 484 | 18 349 | 14 867 |
![](/icons/ecblank.gif) | Net acquisition of non-financial assets | 22 490 | 27 907 | 27 604 |
![](/icons/ecblank.gif) | GFS Net lending(+)/borrowing(-) | -3 005 | -9 559 | -12 736 |
Multi-jurisdictional(b) | ![](/icons/ecblank.gif) | ![](/icons/ecblank.gif) | ![](/icons/ecblank.gif) |
![](/icons/ecblank.gif) | GFS Revenue | 29 018 | 31 641 | 31 641 |
![](/icons/ecblank.gif) | GFS Expenses | 28 217 | 30 375 | 30 375 |
![](/icons/ecblank.gif) | GFS Net operating balance | 801 | 1 266 | 1 266 |
![](/icons/ecblank.gif) | Net acquisition of non-financial assets | 771 | 750 | 750 |
![](/icons/ecblank.gif) | GFS Net lending(+)/borrowing(-) | 29 | 517 | 517 |
|
(a) The total public sector comprises general government, public non-financial corporations and public financial corporations. The sum of individual levels of government or sectors may not agree with the total public sector figures due to transfers between levels of government. |
(b) The multi-jurisdictional sector contains units where jurisdiction is shared between two or more governments, or classification of a unit to a jurisdiction is otherwise unclear. The main types of units currently falling into this category are the public universities. |
CASH OPERATING RESULTS
The cash operating result for all levels of government in 2016-17 was a deficit of -$37,375m for the general government sector and a deficit of -$55,411m for the total public sector.
The following table presents the 2016-17 cash operating surplus/deficit results by sector for each jurisdiction.
CASH OPERATING RESULTS, By Sector, 2016-17 |
|
![](/icons/ecblank.gif) | ![](/icons/ecblank.gif) | ![](/icons/ecblank.gif) | General Government Sector | Non-financial Public Sector | Total Public Sector(a) |
![](/icons/ecblank.gif) | ![](/icons/ecblank.gif) | ![](/icons/ecblank.gif) | 2016-17 | 2016-17 | 2016-17 |
![](/icons/ecblank.gif) | ![](/icons/ecblank.gif) | ![](/icons/ecblank.gif) | $m | $m | $m |
|
Surplus (+)/Deficit(-) | ![](/icons/ecblank.gif) | ![](/icons/ecblank.gif) | ![](/icons/ecblank.gif) |
![](/icons/ecblank.gif) | Commonwealth Government | -31 018 | -39 619 | -42 134 |
![](/icons/ecblank.gif) | State and local government | ![](/icons/ecblank.gif) | ![](/icons/ecblank.gif) | ![](/icons/ecblank.gif) |
![](/icons/ecblank.gif) | ![](/icons/ecblank.gif) | New South Wales | 2 029 | -3 867 | -3 307 |
![](/icons/ecblank.gif) | ![](/icons/ecblank.gif) | Victoria | -375 | -524 | 166 |
![](/icons/ecblank.gif) | ![](/icons/ecblank.gif) | Queensland | 1 935 | 3 109 | 2 011 |
![](/icons/ecblank.gif) | ![](/icons/ecblank.gif) | South Australia | -2 211 | -3 188 | -3 401 |
![](/icons/ecblank.gif) | ![](/icons/ecblank.gif) | Western Australia | -4 340 | -5 141 | -5 384 |
![](/icons/ecblank.gif) | ![](/icons/ecblank.gif) | Tasmania | 819 | 652 | 718 |
![](/icons/ecblank.gif) | ![](/icons/ecblank.gif) | Northern Territory | -404 | -447 | -456 |
![](/icons/ecblank.gif) | ![](/icons/ecblank.gif) | Australian Capital Territory | 233 | 75 | 75 |
![](/icons/ecblank.gif) | ![](/icons/ecblank.gif) | Total state and local government | -2 316 | -9 335 | -9 579 |
![](/icons/ecblank.gif) | Multi-jurisdictional(b) | -237 | 111 | 111 |
![](/icons/ecblank.gif) | All levels of government | -37 375 | -52 653 | -55 411 |
|
(a) The total public sector comprises general government, public non-financial corporations and public financial corporations. The sum of individual levels of government or sectors may not agree with the total public sector figures due to transfers between levels of government. |
(b) The multi-jurisdictional sector contains units where jurisdiction is shared between two or more governments, or classification of a unit to a jurisdiction is otherwise unclear. The main types of units currently falling into this category are the public universities. |
BALANCE SHEET RESULTS
GFS net worth reflects the contribution of governments to the wealth of Australia. The consolidated net worth as at 30 June 2017 for all levels of government was $899,857m.
The following table presents 30 June 2017 balance sheet aggregates by sector for the various levels of government.
BALANCE SHEET RESULTS, By Sector, At 30 June 2017 |
|
![](/icons/ecblank.gif) | ![](/icons/ecblank.gif) | General Government Sector | Non-financial Public Sector | Total Public Sector(a) |
![](/icons/ecblank.gif) | ![](/icons/ecblank.gif) | at 30 June 2017 | at 30 June 2017 | at 30 June 2017 |
![](/icons/ecblank.gif) | ![](/icons/ecblank.gif) | $m | $m | $m |
|
All levels of government | ![](/icons/ecblank.gif) | ![](/icons/ecblank.gif) | ![](/icons/ecblank.gif) |
![](/icons/ecblank.gif) | Total assets | 2 214 840 | 2 360 963 | 2 650 147 |
![](/icons/ecblank.gif) | Total liabilities | 1 314 983 | 1 458 328 | 1 750 290 |
![](/icons/ecblank.gif) | Shares and other contributed capital | - | 2 779 | - |
![](/icons/ecblank.gif) | GFS Net worth | 899 857 | 899 857 | 899 857 |
Commonwealth Government | ![](/icons/ecblank.gif) | ![](/icons/ecblank.gif) | ![](/icons/ecblank.gif) |
![](/icons/ecblank.gif) | Total assets | 539 671 | 554 067 | 729 330 |
![](/icons/ecblank.gif) | Total liabilities | 923 489 | 937 886 | 1 113 148 |
![](/icons/ecblank.gif) | Shares and other contributed capital | - | - | - |
![](/icons/ecblank.gif) | GFS Net worth | -383 818 | -383 818 | -383 818 |
State and local government | ![](/icons/ecblank.gif) | ![](/icons/ecblank.gif) | ![](/icons/ecblank.gif) |
![](/icons/ecblank.gif) | Total assets | 1 613 957 | 1 746 064 | 1 861 885 |
![](/icons/ecblank.gif) | Total liabilities | 382 901 | 512 228 | 630 829 |
![](/icons/ecblank.gif) | Shares and other contributed capital | - | 2 779 | - |
![](/icons/ecblank.gif) | GFS Net worth | 1 231 057 | 1 231 057 | 1 231 057 |
Multi-jurisdictional(b) | ![](/icons/ecblank.gif) | ![](/icons/ecblank.gif) | ![](/icons/ecblank.gif) |
![](/icons/ecblank.gif) | Total assets | 73 081 | 76 841 | 76 841 |
![](/icons/ecblank.gif) | Total liabilities | 20 462 | 22 005 | 22 005 |
![](/icons/ecblank.gif) | Shares and other contributed capital | - | 2 218 | 2 218 |
![](/icons/ecblank.gif) | GFS Net worth | 52 619 | 52 619 | 52 619 |
|
- nil or rounded to zero (including null cells) |
(a) The total public sector comprises general government, public non-financial corporations and public financial corporations. The sum of individual levels of government or sectors may not agree with the total public sector figures due to transfers between level of government. |
(b) The multi-jurisdictional sector contains units where jurisdiction is shared between two or more governments, or classification of a unit to a jurisdiction is otherwise unclear. The main types of units currently falling into this category are the public universities. |
CHANGES TO GOVERNMENT FINANCE STATISTICS
GFS enables policy makers and users to analyse the financial operations and financial position of the public sector by the level of government, institutional sector or set of transactions. The system of GFS is based on international standards set out in the
System of National Accounts, 2008 (2008 SNA) and the International Monetary Fund's (IMF) Government Finance Statistics Manual (GFSM).
The IMF published a revised Government Finance Statistics Manual (GFSM 2014) and the ABS GFS Manual was updated to reflect the new international standards. These changes are presented in the
Australian System of Government Finance Statistics: Concepts, Sources and Methods, 2015 (AGFS15) and are being implemented for data reported for periods from 1 July 2017 onwards
. These new standards will therefore be applicable in this publication from 2017-18.
TRANSACTIONS RELATED TO VISA APPLICATION CHARGES
In December 2015, the Commonwealth Government released the 2015-16 Mid-Year Economic and Fiscal Outlook (MYEFO) which included a reclassification of visa application charges (VAC). These charges are treated as taxation revenue, rather than sales of goods and services, for all periods from 1 July 2015 onwards to reflect a change in the nature of this revenue item. The National Accounts statistics will continue to classify this transaction as sales of goods and services until the 2017-18 annual is released.
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 sheets.
Time series of these data are available on the ABS website for the periods 2007-08 to 2016-17.
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).
INQUIRIES
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