Government Finance Statistics, Annual

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Statistics about finances of the general government and public corporation sectors for the various levels of government in Australia

Reference period
2021-22 financial year
Released
26/04/2023

Key statistics

In the year 2021-22:

  • General government net operating balance rose $110.9b from -$145.5b in 2020-21 to -$34.6b
  • General government borrowing was $87.3b
  • Total public sector borrowing was $96.6b
  • All Australia general government net debt (L2) reached 33.8% as a percentage of GDP.

Unless indicated, all figures presented in this publication are current prices, original series.

Content published as web tables in previous Government Finance Statistics, Annual releases are available in the Key tables section of Data downloads below. Data downloads previously included in the Government Finance Statistics, Education publication (ceased 2020-21) are now included in this publication.

For the latest information on Government Finance Statistics, please visit the Government Finance Statistics quarterly publication.

Included in this publication is an Insights into Government Finance Statistics, Annual, 2021-22 which examines the key stories and economic narratives of the 2021-22 annual Government Finance Statistics data.

Fiscal measures

Government finance statistics fiscal measures, original
 2018-192019-202020-212021-22

2020-21 to
2021-22

$m$m$m$m% change
Taxation revenue
 General government560,057551,751593,105683,02515.2%
Total revenue
 General government694,040681,603727,993831,35214.2%
 Public non-financial corporations86,01790,01697,630103,5556.1%
 Non-financial public sector (a) (c)753,033746,092797,237907,60113.8%
 Total public sector (b) (c)765,039757,239810,694926,55414.3%
Total expenses
 General government677,451789,739873,510865,903-0.9%
 Public non-financial corporations94,40499,223105,129104,713-0.4%
 Non-financial public sector744,713863,430950,220943,309-0.7%
 Total public sector762,160880,735968,333960,464-0.8%
GFS Net Operating Balance
 General government16,589-108,136-145,517-34,551np
 Public non-financial corporations-8,387-9,207-7,499-1,158np
 Non-financial public sector8,320-117,338-152,983-35,708np
 Total public sector2,879-123,496-157,640-33,910np
GFS Net Lending (+)/Borrowing (-)
 General government-24,134-151,691-193,011-87,292np
 Public non-financial corporations-19,219-18,396-14,162-10,969np
 Non-financial public sector-43,042-170,119-207,346-98,322np
 Total public sector-48,248-176,314-212,035-96,624np

np indicates this value not available for publication but included in totals where applicable, unless otherwise indicated

  1. The non-financial public sector comprises general government and public non-financial corporations.
  2. The total public sector comprises general government, public non-financial corporations and public financial corporations.
  3. The sum of individual levels of government or sectors may not agree with the non-financial public sector and total public sector figures due to transfers between level of government.

Net operating balance

All levels of general government net operating balance was -$34.6b in 2021-22.

Net Worth

Net worth for all levels of general government rose $335.2b to $1014.4b in 2021-22 as liabilities decreased and assets increased. Commonwealth government drove the rise due to a fall in provisions for defined benefit superannuation, a fall in debt securities, an increase in cash and deposits, and offset by a fall in equity and contributed capital. 

Net debt

All Australia general government net debt (L2) reached $779.4b or 33.8% of GDP in 2021-22. 

  1. L2 debt is comparable to government reporting of net debt under Australian accounting standards
  2. Using the GDP annual, current prices series as published in Table 36 in the December quarter 2022 issue of Australian National Accounts: National Income, Expenditure and Product.

Revisions and changes

Revisions

Victorian Capital Asset Charge historical revision

AUSTRAC Industry Contribution Levy historical revision

Non-government schools education historical revision

Divergences with government fiscal reporting

Previous catalogue number

Data downloads

Government Finance Statistics, Annual, 2021-22

Data files

Related releases

Taxation Revenue, Australia

Statistics about taxation revenue collected by the various levels of government in Australia.

The 2021-22 issue of Taxation Revenue, Australia was published on 26 April 2023.

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