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MAIN FEATURES

This release contains statistics on expenditure on education by the general government sector for the period 2002-03 to 2007-08. 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 2002-03 to 2007-08.

Expenditure on education by all levels of general government increased by $3,619 million (7.0%), from $51,854 million in 2006-07 to $55,473 million in 2007-08. Total expenditure on education by the Commonwealth Government reached $18,694 million, with expenditure by the state and local governments totalling $39,613.

Of the total expenditure on education, $30,544 million was spent on primary and secondary education and a further $20,489 million on tertiary education (universities and TAFE). Employee expenses of $30,111 million accounted for 54.3% of total educational expenses with the remaining 45.7% being on non-employee expenses ($13,153 million), depreciation ($2,269 million), and transfer expenses ($9,611 million).

GOVERNMENT OPERATING EXPENSES ON EDUCATION, BY LEVEL OF GOVERNMENT
	2002-03	2003-04	2004-05	2005-06	2006-07	2007-08
	$m	$m	$m	$m	$m	$m
Commonwealth Government	12 552	13 523	14 319	15 813	16 416	18 694
State and Local Governments	29 243	31 016	33 547	35 487	37 299	39 613
Multi-jurisdictional (a)	10 990	11 738	12 640	13 874	14 209	15 568
Less: Intra-sector transfers	11 975	12 960	13 794	15 328	16 069	18 403
All Levels of Government	40 810	43 317	46 712	49 846	51 854	55 473

GOVERNMENT OPERATING EXPENSES ON EDUCATION, BY PURPOSE, ALL LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT
	2002-03	2003-04	2004-05	2005-06	2006-07	2007-08
	$m	$m	$m	$m	$m	$m
Primary and secondary education	22 530	23 895	25 790	27 501	28 983	30 544
Tertiary education	15 115	16 018	17 050	18 423	18 751	20 489
Pre-school & education not definable by level	1 609	1 816	2 038	2 151	2 317	2 439
Transportation of students	867	900	1 074	1 124	1 095	1 239
Education n.e.c.	690	688	759	648	708	762
Total	40 810	43 317	46 712	49 846	51 854	55 473

GOVERNMENT OPERATING EXPENSES ON EDUCATION, BY ECONOMIC TRANSACTION, ALL LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT
	2002-03	2003-04	2004-05	2005-06	2006-07	2007-08
	$m	$m	$m	$m	$m	$m
Employee expenses	22 649	23 826	25 511	27 363	28 217	30 111
Non-employee expenses	9 558	10 248	10 951	11 442	12 218	13 153
Depreciation of fixed assets	1 818	1 859	1 966	2 019	2 101	2 269
Current transfer expenses	6 600	7 146	7 996	8 672	9 041	9 611
Capital transfer expenses	186	239	287	350	277	328
Total	40 810	43 317	46 712	49 846	51 854	55 473