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MAIN FEATURES

This release contains statistics on expenditure on education by the general government sector for the period 2000-01 to 2009-10. 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 2004-05 to 2009-10.

Expenditure on education by all levels of general government increased by $9,095m (14.6%), from $62,366m in 2008-09 to $71,461m in 2009-10. Total expenditure on education by the Commonwealth Government reached $35,709, with expenditure by the state and local governments totalling $49,106m. Intra-sector transfers were $31,870m.

Of the total operating expenditure on education in 2009-10, $39,099m was spent on primary and secondary education and $24,201m on tertiary education (universities and TAFEs). Employee expenses of $35,022m accounted for 49% of total educational expenses with the remaining 51% being on non-employee expenses ($15,649m), depreciation ($2,655m), and transfer expenses ($18,136m).

GOVERNMENT OPERATING EXPENSES ON EDUCATION, BY LEVEL OF GOVERNMENT
	2004-05	2005-06	2006-07	2007-08	2008-09	2009-10
	$m	$m	$m	$m	$m	$m
Commonwealth Government	14 319	15 813	16 416	18 694	21 905	35 709
State and Local Governments	33 581	35 540	37 382	39 595	43 320	49 106
Multi-jurisdictional (a)	12 606	13 584	14 209	15 603	17 749	18 516
Less: Intra-sector transfers	13 791	15 288	16 040	18 372	20 608	31 870
All Levels of Government	46 714	49 648	51 966	55 521	62 366	71 461

GOVERNMENT OPERATING EXPENSES ON EDUCATION, BY PURPOSE, ALL LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT
	2004-05	2005-06	2006-07	2007-08	2008-09	2009-10
	$m	$m	$m	$m	$m	$m
Primary and secondary education	25 843	27 594	29 078	30 496	33 104	39 099
Tertiary education	17 016	18 156	18 788	20 561	23 024	24 201
Pre-school & education not definable by level	2 038	2 128	2 287	2 439	2 983	3 089
Transportation of students	1 058	1 122	1 106	1 261	1 326	1 352
Education n.e.c.	759	647	708	763	1 930	3 719
Total	46 714	49 648	51 966	55 521	62 366	71 461

GOVERNMENT OPERATING EXPENSES ON EDUCATION, BY ECONOMIC TRANSACTION, ALL LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT
	2004-05	2005-06	2006-07	2007-08	2008-09	2009-10
	$m	$m	$m	$m	$m	$m
Employee expenses	25 484	27 180	28 257	30 172	32 934	35 022
Non-employee expenses	10 862	11 352	12 190	13 147	14 736	15 649
Depreciation of fixed assets	1 974	2 002	2 097	2 262	2 440	2 655
Current transfer expenses	8 108	8 764	9 146	9 612	11 738	15 740
Capital transfer expenses	287	350	276	328	518	2 396
Total	46 714	49 648	51 966	55 521	62 366	71 461