- Home
- About Us
- The Department
- Budget and Financial Reporting
Budget and Financial Reporting
Deputy Secretary: Cath Patterson
Phone: 02 66215 2566
Budget & Financial Reporting (BFR) contributes to the outcome 'sustainable government finances'. It provides policy and financial advice to the Minister for Finance, senior ministers and a number of Cabinet committees, including the Expenditure Review Committee (ERC) of Cabinet, on policy proposals, government expenditure and non-taxation revenue in order to facilitate the Government’s Budget and other major economic updates throughout the year.
The Budget is produced each year and embodies the policy priorities and fiscal targets of the elected Government, as well as reporting on the updated financial position of Government. Once authorised by Parliament, the Budget documentation forms part of the legal framework that authorises the spending of public money on the financial proposals announced in Budget.
BFR is comprised of four divisions that work together to provide whole-of-government advice on expenditure and non-taxation policy issues:
- Budget Policy and Coordination Division (BPCD)
- Government and Defence Division (GDD)
- Industry, Education and Infrastructure Division (IEID)
- Social Policy Division (SPD)
The Social Policy Division (SPD), Industry, Education and Infrastructure Division (IEID) and Government and Defence Division (GDD) consist of Agency Advice Units (AAU) that work with corresponding portfolio agencies and other central agencies in order to provide Government with advice on budget matters – the pros and cons of a new policy proposal, its cost and competing priorities. As part of this advice, the AAUs analyse the design of new policy proposals for Government consideration to estimate its costs and financial risks, and help ensure resources are used efficiently and effectively.

Cath Patterson
Deputy Secretary
Budget Policy and Coordination
First Assistant Secretary: Amanda Lee
Phone: 02 6215 2448
The core role of Budget Policy and Coordination Division (BPCD) is to provide advice on whole‑of‑government budget trends and policy issues, budget processes and methodologies for compiling budget estimates. BPCD coordinates the annual Budget process, including bringing together information from AAUs and other central agencies to provide advice to Government.
BPCD produces the Budget Process Operational Rules (agreed by Government), provides guidance to portfolio agencies on their input into budgetary processes, and undertakes analysis and management of budget estimates in the Central Budget Management System (CBMS).
Budget Advice and Coordination
Assistant Secretary: Jillian Moses
Phone: 02 6215 3056
Budget Estimates and Advice (BEA) is responsible for the overall coordination of the Budget process, including advising the Government on the timetable for the Budget and other economic updates. BEA supports government decision-making on expenditure, in particular through the ERC, and coordinates Finance’s input into Budget Paper 2. BEA is the key liaison point for working with the Parliamentary Budget Office. BEA also provides analysis on the Final Budget Outcome (FBO) report.
Budget Analysis and Policy
Assistant Secretary: Elicia Rudnicki
Phone: 02 6215 3692
Budget Analysis and Policy (BAP) provides analysis and advice on the Budget outlook and on program estimates and other expenditure trends, such as trends in demand and cost-price changes. BAP coordinates and contributes to a range of key Budget documents as well as advising the Government and agencies on the strategy and framework for the Budget and other economic updates. BAP also undertakes analysis and briefing on economic conditions and forecasts to monitor the effect on payments growth and the overall budget position.
Industry, Education and Infrastructure
First Assistant Secretary: Libor Pelecky
Phone: 02 6215 3580
Industry, Education and Infrastructure division (IEID) provides policy and financial advice to Government in the areas of education, training, child care, employment, the environment, energy, resources, industry, innovation, science, agriculture and regional development, local government, water, infrastructure, transport, communications and the arts. IEID has three Branches:
Education and Employment
Assistant Secretary: Elizabeth Hickey
Phone: 02 6215 2153
Education and Employment Branch provides policy and financial advice to the Government on early childhood and child care, early learning, schools, higher education, skills and training and financial assistance for students. This branch also provides policy and financial advice for the Employment, Skills, Small and Family Business portfolio, including small business, employment services, youth employment and seasonal workers.
Environment, Agriculture and Industry
Assistant Secretary: Stephen Sorbello
Phone: 02 6215 3220
Environment, Agriculture and Industry Branch provides policy and financial advice to Government across three portfolio agencies including, the Department of the Environment and Energy for policy related to environmental protection and conservation, energy and climate change, the Department of Agriculture for water policy, rural assistance, biosecurity, forestry, fisheries and agricultural trade policy, and the Department of Industry, Innovation and Science for policy related to industry development, business capability and competitiveness, and scientific and research collaboration.
Infrastructure and Communications
Assistant Secretary: Louise Sasaki
Phone: 02 6215 3930
Infrastructure and Communications Branch provides policy and financial advice on infrastructure and other proposals for rail, land transport, maritime, aviation, airports, cities and regional development. This branch also provides policy and financial advice for the Communications and the Arts portfolio, including proposals related to Australia’s creative sector, the classification of content, copyright and communication services such as the NBN, phone services, spectrum, postal services, radio and television.
Government and Defence
First Assistant Secretary: Anna Harmer
Phone: 02 6215 3079
Government and Defence Division (GDD) provides policy and financial advice to government on strategic defence policy and acquisitions, intelligence issues, security, law and justice, foreign affairs, trade and overseas development assistance, immigration and border protection, territories, financial and economic regulation, revenue collection, superannuation and the central operations of the Executive Government and the Parliament. GDD has three branches:
Central Agencies and Attorney General's
Assistant Secretary: Paul Pfitzner
Phone: 02 6215 3412
Central Agencies and Attorney General's Branch provides policy and financial advice on the operations of agencies performing central functions, primarily the Treasury, Prime Minister and Cabinet and the Finance portfolios as well as Parliamentary services. This covers advice on economics, finance and statistics, asset management and procurement, information technology, market regulation, deregulation, taxation and superannuation, Commonwealth-State relation issues and electoral services. The branch also provides policy and financial advice on the Attorney General’s portfolio including law enforcement, federal courts and tribunals, legal aid, workplace relations, and work health and safety as well as disaster relief and resilience issues covered by the Home Affairs portfolio.
Defence
Assistant Secretary: Marlena Davis
Phone: 02 6215 2585
Defence Branch provides policy and financial advice on defence strategy, operations and capability, and on defence security and intelligence matters. This includes supporting work on the Defence Integrated Investment Program, including advising on proposals relating to major defence equipment acquisitions, ICT and the Defence Estate and the associated analysis of costs, risks, priority and affordability.
Home and Foreign Affairs
Assistant Secretary: Scott Austin
Phone:
Home and Foreign Affairs Branch provides policy and financial advice on immigration, border protection, citizenship, settlement services, social cohesion and multicultural affairs, foreign affairs, customs, tourism, trade policy and assistance to exporters, the overseas aid program, including official development assistance, law enforcement, and national security.
Social Policy
First Assistant Secretary : Martin Graham
Phone: 02 6215 2015
Social Policy Division (SPD) provides policy and financial advice in the areas of social security and welfare payments, health, disability services including the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS), housing, community services, Indigenous affairs, aged care, veterans' affairs, and government service delivery. SPD has three branches:
Aged Care, Preventative Health and Sport
Assistant Secretary: Christine.Duke@finance.gov.au
Phone: 02 6215 3821
Health
Assistant Secretary: Chris Schweizer
Phone: 02 6215 3532
Health Branch provides policy and financial advice and analysis in the areas of health and ageing, including preventative health care programs, primary health care services, pharmaceutical and medical benefits schemes, funding for the hospital system, aged care services, sport, and Indigenous health issues.
Social Services and Indigenous Australians
Assistant Secretary: Donna Valenti
Phone: 02 6215 2043
Social Services and Indigenous Australians Branch provides policy and financial advice and analysis on service delivery through Services Australia, Centrelink, Medicare Australia and the NDIS. The branch also provides analysis and advice on veterans' affairs policy delivery through the Department of Veterans’ Affair, and programs relating to Indigenous education, training, employment, families, community services, housing and land.
Veterans and Service Delivery
A/g Assistant Secretary: Jeremy Fields
Phone: 02 6215 3806