Research and Experimental Development, Government and Private Non-Profit Organisations, Australia

In 2022-23, of total government expenditure on R&D (GOVERD):

• $2,800 million (64%) was contributed by Commonwealth government organisations,
• $1,544 million (36%) was contributed by State and territory government organisations.

Compared to 2020-21, R&D expenditure increased by:

• $463 million (20%) for Commonwealth government organisations,
• $263 million (21%) for State and territory government organisations.

GOVERD as a proportion of GDP remained unchanged at 0.17% in 2022-23.

Compared to 2020-21, GOVERD increased by:

• 20% in current price terms,
• 9% in chain volume terms.

Subsequent expenditure figures and supporting commentary relate to current price terms.

In 2022-23, GOVERD included:

• $4,022 million (93%) in Current expenditure,
• $322 million (7%) in Capital expenditure.

Compared to 2020-21:

• Current expenditure increased $680 million (20%),
• Capital expenditure increased $46 million (17%).

In 2022-23, the largest components of GOVERD were:

• Current expenditure – Labour costs at $2,312 million (53%),
• Other current expenditure at $1,710 million (39%).

Other current expenditure recorded the largest GOVERD increase of $354 million (26%) between 2020-21 and 2022-23.

Location of expenditure relates to the region in which R&D activity was performed. Please refer to the Methodology section for further information.

Compared to 2020-21, Victoria recorded the largest GOVERD increase in dollar terms, up $218 million (25%).

Between 2020-21 and 2022-23, two state/territories recorded an increase in the GOVERD/GSP ratio. South Australia recorded the largest increase, up 0.09 percentage points, and Victoria recorded an increase of 0.01 percentage points.

Fields of Research (FoR) classifies R&D expenditure based on the area of knowledge and methodology used in the R&D.

In 2022-23, the greatest contributions to GOVERD by FoR classification were recorded in:

• Agricultural, Veterinary and Food Sciences at $636 million (15%), 
• Biomedical and Clinical Sciences at $551 million (13%), 
• Engineering at $485 million (11%).

Compared to 2020-21, the largest dollar increases in FoR were recorded in:

• Environmental Sciences up $173 million (73%), 
• Information and Computing Sciences up $107 million (32%).

Socio-Economic Objectives (SEO) classifies R&D expenditure according to the areas that may benefit from the R&D.

In 2022-23, the greatest contributions to GOVERD by SEO classification were recorded in:

• Health at $806 million (19%),
• Defence at $753 million (17%).

Compared to 2020-21, the largest dollar increases in SEO were recorded in:

• Defence up $138 million (23%),
• Health up $136 million (20%).

In 2022-23, Australian government organisations devoted a total of 15,889 person years of effort (PYE) to R&D, an increase of 842 PYE (6%) in comparison to 2020-21.

Researchers accounted for most of the human resources effort devoted to R&D in 2022-23, totalling 8,423 PYE (53%).

• Expenditure on R&D performed by Australian private non-profit (PNP) organisations during the 2022-23 financial year was $1,595 million, an increase of $196 million (14%) compared to 2020-21.
• Private non-profit expenditure on R&D (PNPERD) as a proportion of GDP decreased from 0.07% in 2020-21 to 0.06% in 2022-23.

Compared to 2020-21, PNPERD increased by:

• 14% in current price terms,
• 9% in chain volume terms.

Subsequent expenditure figures and supporting commentary relate to current price terms.

In 2022-23, PNPERD included:

• $1,537 million (96%) in Current expenditure,
• $58 million (4%) in Capital expenditure.

Compared to 2020-21:

• Current expenditure increased $221 million (17%),
• Capital expenditure decreased $25 million (30%).

In 2022-23, the largest components of PNPERD were:

• Current expenditure - Labour costs at $864 million (54%),
• Other current expenditure at $674 million (42%).

The Current expenditure - Other current expenditure component of PNPERD recorded the greatest increase, up $111 million (20%) between 2020-21 and 2022-23.

In 2022-23, the main sources of funds for PNPERD were in:

• Commonwealth government funds, $471 million (30%),
• Own funds $354 million (22%).

Compared to 2020-21, the largest dollar increase in funds were recorded in:

• Other private non-profit organisations up $58 million (37%),
• Own funds up $54 million (18%).

Location of expenditure relates to the region in which R&D activity was performed. Please refer to the Methodology section for further information.

Compared to 2020-21, Victoria recorded the largest increase in PNPERD in dollar terms up $115 million (17%), followed by New South Wales with a $29 million (7%) increase.

Fields of Research (FoR) classifies R&D expenditure based on the area of knowledge and methodology used in the R&D.

In 2022-23, the greatest contributions to PNPERD by FoR classification were recorded in:

• Biomedical and Clinical Sciences at $1,140 million (72%),
• Health Sciences at $228 million (14%).

Compared to 2020-21, the largest dollar increases in FoR were recorded in:

• Health Sciences up $91 million (67%),
• Biomedical and Clinical Sciences up $76 million (7%).

Socio-Economic Objectives (SEO) classifies R&D expenditure according to the areas that may benefit from the R&D.

In 2022-23, the greatest contributions to PNPERD by SEO classification were recorded in:

• Health at $1,387 million (87%),
• Education and Training at $58 million (4%).

Compared to 2020-21, the largest dollar increases in SEO were recorded in:

• Health up $114 million (9%),
• Indigenous up $34 million (2271%).

Australian non-profit organisations devoted a total of 8,339 person years of effort (PYE) to R&D in 2022-23, an increase of 1,045 PYE (14%) in comparison to 2020-21.

Researchers accounted for most of the human resources effort devoted to R&D in 2022-23, totalling 4,943 PYE (59%).

This release previously used catalogue number 8109.0.