Overview
The 2021 Australian Government Office Occupancy Report (Occupancy Report) provides insights into office tenancies with at least 500 square metres of usable office area that were leased or owned by non-corporate Commonwealth entities (entities), as at 30 June 2021.
Data is collected through the Australian Government Property Register (AGPR), which entities (through their Property Service Providers) are required to update annually.
The point-in-time nature of the data can add volatility to annual results. However, the information provides an understanding of medium and long-term trends, especially given the impact of leasing decisions become evident over several years.
The Occupancy Report, together with other data collected through the AGPR, provides an evidence base to assist entities to identify and progressively implement better property management practices, while also informing decisions in relation to whole-of-government leasing and property policy.
Key findings
Key findings of the 2021 Occupancy Report indicate an ongoing improvement in the efficiency of the Commonwealth’s property portfolio.
In particular, the Commonwealth’s national occupational density reduced from 15.1 m2 in 2020 to 14.7 m2 in 2021, and the percentage of leases meeting the occupational density target in 2021 increased from 40.1 per cent to 43.6 per cent.
The number of Commonwealth tenancies in 2021 increased by eight from the 2020 report. This accounts for the net impact of new tenancies, newly reported tenancies and expired tenancies. The overall controlled area has increased slightly by 22,192 m2 (0.8 per cent).
Cost indicators for 2021 remained relatively stable, with the national cost per m2 increasing by $15 per m2 in 2021, to $496 per m2.
Table 1: Key Metrics (2020 to 2021)
| Measure | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tenancies (n) | 568 | 609 | 617 |
| Controlled Area (m²) | 2,838,345 | 2,900,473 | 2,922,664 |
| Change in footprint (Controlled Area) (%) | 3.4 | 2.2 | 0.8 |
| Usable Office Area (m²) | 2,253,361 | 2,302,775 | 2,314,718 |
| Work-points (n) | 164,632 | 167,194 | 170,331 |
| Staff (n)(a) | 139,583 | 152,447 | 157,645 |
| Vacant Work-points (n) | 25,049 | 14,747 | 12,686 |
| Work-point Vacancy Rate (%) | 15.2 | 8.8 | 7.4 |
| National Fit-out Density (m²) | 13.7 | 13.8 | 13.6 |
| National Occupational Density (m²) | 16.1 | 15.1 | 14.7 |
| Tenancies Meeting the Occupational Density Target (%) | 27.6 | 40.1 | 43.6 |
| Net Tenancy Expenditure ($m) | 1,336.5 | 1,395.4 | 1,449.9 |
| Cost per Controlled Area ($) | 471 | 481 | 496 |
| Cost per Staff ($) | 9,575 | 9,153 | 9,197 |
| Cost per Work-point ($) | 8,118 | 8,346 | 8,512 |
(a) Staff is taken on a headcount basis and refers to all full-time, part-time and casual APS and non-APS staff (for example, contractors) that are allocated to a tenancy. For convenience, the term “staff” is used throughout this report, although it is not directly comparable with other workforce metrics, such as Average Staffing Level (ASL).
Background
The Department of Finance is responsible for co-ordinating the AGPR and reporting results in the Occupancy Report.
Download Previous releases
- 2020 Australian Government Office Occupancy Report
- 2019 Australian Government Office Occupancy Report
- 2018 Australian Government Office Occupancy Report
- 2017 Australian Government Office Occupancy Report
- 2016 Australian Government Office Occupancy Report
- 2015 Australian Government Office Occupancy Report