Australian Government General Government Sector Monthly Financial Statements for May 2024

Print version [251.9 KB]

Senator the Hon Katy Gallagher
Minister for Finance
Minister for Women
Minister for the Public Service

KG 29/24
Friday, 28 June 2024

KEY POINTS

  • The Monthly Financial Statements for May 2024 report the budget position against the expected monthly profile for the 2023-24 financial year through to 31 May 2024, based on the 2023-24 Revised Budget estimates published in the 2024 25 Budget in May 2024.
  • The underlying cash balance for the 2023-24 financial year to 31 May 2024 was a surplus of $18.2 billion.
  • The fiscal balance for the 2023-24 financial year to 31 May 2024 was a surplus of $27.2 billion. 
AGGREGATES(a) ACTUAL
2023-2024
May
$b
ACTUAL
2023-2024
YTD May
$b
Revised Budget Profile
2023-2024
YTD May
$b
REVISED BUDGET
ESTIMATE*
2023-2024
FULL YEAR
$b
Receipts(b) 77.6 624.8 622.1 692.3
Payments(c) 59.6 606.6 608.1 683.0
Underlying cash balance 18.0 18.2 13.9 9.3
Headline cash balance 17.9 11.3 7.2 6.5
Revenue 77.3 643.2 641.3 706.9
Expenses 57.8 610.7 612.3 691.1
Net operating balance 19.6 32.5 29.0 15.8
Net capital investment 1.8 5.3 5.2 7.8
Fiscal balance 17.8 27.2 23.7 8.1
Total assets 843.9 825.9
Total liabilities 1,345.3 1,334.6
Net worth(d) -501.4 -508.6
Net debt(e) 486.1 499.9

*As published in the 2024-25 Budget.
(a) Discrepancies in tables between totals and sums of components are due to rounding. 
(b) Cash receipts for operating activities and sales of non-financial assets.
(c) Cash payments for operating activities, purchases of non-financial assets and principal payments of lease liabilities.
(d) Net worth is calculated as total assets minus total liabilities.
(e) Net debt is the sum of interest bearing liabilities less the sum of selected financial assets (cash and deposits, advances paid, and investments, loans and placements).

Monthly results are generally volatile due to timing differences between revenue and receipts, and expenses and payments. Care needs to be taken when comparing monthly or cumulative data across years and to full-year estimates, as revenue and receipts and expenses and payments vary from month to month.

FISCAL OUTCOMES

Underlying Cash Balance

The underlying cash balance for the financial year to 31 May 2024 was a surplus of $18.2 billion.

  • Receipts
    Total receipts were $2.8 billion higher than the 2023-24 Revised Budget profile. 
  • Payments
    Total payments were $1.5 billion lower than the 2023-24 Revised Budget profile.

Net Operating Balance

The net operating balance for the financial year to 31 May 2024 was a surplus of $32.5 billion.

Fiscal Balance

The fiscal balance for the financial year to 31 May 2024 was a surplus of $27.2 billion. 

Assets and Liabilities

As at 31 May 2024:

  • net worth is negative $501.4 billion;
  • net debt is $486.1 billion; and
  • net financial liabilities are $759.6 billion.
Senator the Hon Katy Gallagher
Minister for Finance
Minister for Women
Minister for the Public Service
 
Jenny Wilkinson PSM
Secretary
Department of Finance

 
Media Contact 
Patrick Cronan 0432 758 224

Australian Government general government sector operating statement

Note ACTUAL
2023-2024
May
$m
ACTUAL
2023-2024
YTD May
$m
Revised Budget Profile
2023-2024
YTD May
$m
REVISED BUDGET
ESTIMATE*
2023-2024
FULL YEAR
$m
Revenue
Taxation revenue 1,2 74,856 596,205 595,619 656,039
Sales of goods and services 233 19,372 19,425 20,274
Interest income 761 8,627 8,232 11,131
Dividend and distribution income 516 5,528 5,408 5,798
Other 976 13,511 12,595 13,635
Total revenue 77,341 643,243 641,279 706,877
Expenses
Gross operating expenses
Wages and salaries(a) 2,450 24,288 24,546 27,326
Superannuation 739 8,368 8,423 9,042
Depreciation and amortisation 1,108 12,015 11,865 12,889
Supply of goods and services 17,196 172,259 174,102 194,974
Other operating expenses(a) 973 9,114 8,789 9,248
Total gross operating expenses 22,466 226,045 227,726 253,478
Superannuation interest expense 1,114 12,259 12,259 13,374
Interest expenses 2,101 24,884 24,411 27,667
Current transfers
Current grants 14,654 178,357 178,967 203,194
Subsidy expenses 2,207 17,377 17,423 19,613
Personal benefits 13,119 140,837 140,442 152,866
Total current transfers 29,980 336,571 336,832 375,674
Capital transfers
Mutually agreed write-downs 613 2,453 2,524 3,039
Other capital grants 1,479 8,506 8,539 17,838
Total capital transfers 2,092 10,959 11,063 20,877
Total expenses 3 57,753 610,718 612,292 691,070
Net operating balance 19,587 32,525 28,987 15,807
Other economic flows
- included in operating result
Net write-downs of assets -1,876 -12,104 -10,734 -10,994
Assets recognised for the first time 54 364 253 298
Actuarial revaluations -14 -33 -20 652
Net foreign exchange gains -105 -7 -12 188
Net swap interest received 24 -180 -220 -347
Market valuation of debt -730 -334 -11,552 -10,639
Other gains/(losses) 1,943 12,814 11,367 9,262
Total other economic flows
- included in operating result
-705 520 -10,919 -11,578
Operating result(b) 18,882 33,045 18,069 4,228
Non-owner movements in equity
Revaluation of equity investments 0 0 5 -785
Actuarial revaluations 0 0 0 -1,002
Other economic revaluations 435 4,050 580 736
Total other economic flows
- included in equity
435 4,050 585 -1,051
Comprehensive result
- Total change in net worth
19,317 37,095 18,654 3,177
Net operating balance 19,587 32,525 28,987 15,807
Net acquisition of non-financial assets
Purchases of non-financial assets 2,771 17,988 18,201 21,771
less Sales of non-financial assets 16 893 789 777
less Depreciation 1,108 12,015 11,865 12,889
plus Change in inventories 110 263 -300 -351
plus Other movements in non-financial assets 0 -5 -2 -1
Total net acquisition of non-financial assets 1,757 5,339 5,245 7,754
Fiscal balance (Net lending/borrowing)(c) 17,830 27,186 23,742 8,053

*As published in the 2024-25 Budget.
(a) Consistent with the Australian Bureau of Statistics' (ABS) Government Finance Statistics (GFS) classification, other employee related expenses are classified separately from wages and salaries under other operating expenses.  Total employee expenses equal wages and salaries plus other operating expenses.
(b) Operating result under Australian Accounting Standards.
(c) The term fiscal balance is not used by the ABS.

Australian Government general government sector balance sheet

ACTUAL
as at 31 May 2024
$m
REVISED BUDGET

ESTIMATE*

as at 30 June 2024
$m
Assets
Financial assets
Cash and deposits 87,544 89,311
Advances paid 74,803 67,539
Investments, loans and placements 232,652 242,528
Other receivables 91,644 79,105
Equity investments
Investments in other public sector entities 45,139 44,934
Equity accounted investments 5,861 5,894
Investments - shares 93,126 84,931
Total financial assets 630,769 614,242
Non-financial assets
Land 14,360 13,506
Buildings 50,623 50,673
Plant, equipment and infrastructure 110,143 110,044
Inventories 12,605 11,763
Intangibles 12,386 12,697
Investment properties 237 220
Biological assets 4 5
Heritage and cultural assets 12,623 12,664
Assets held for sale 95 102
Other non-financial assets 10 14
Total non-financial assets 213,088 211,687
Total assets 843,857 825,929
Liabilities
Interest bearing liabilities
Deposits held 279 415
Government securities 829,764 847,774
Loans 31,492 31,772
Lease liabilities 19,555 19,302
Total interest bearing liabilities 881,090 899,263
Provisions and payables
Superannuation liability(a) 319,544 294,654
Other employee liabilities 43,869 42,228
Suppliers payables 18,295 13,305
Personal benefits payables 3,564 3,991
Subsidies payables 585 550
Grants payables 2,533 3,658
Other payables 7,303 7,115
Provisions 68,487 69,787
Total provisions and payables 464,180 435,287
Total liabilities 1,345,270 1,334,550
Net worth(b) -501,414 -508,621
Net financial worth(c) -714,501 -720,309
Net financial liabilities(d) 759,641 765,243
Net debt(e) 486,092 499,886

*As published in the 2024-25 Budget.
(a) For budget reporting purposes, a discount rate of 5.0 per cent determined by actuaries is used to value the superannuation liability. This reflects the average annual rate estimated to apply over the term of the liability and it reduces the volatility in reported liabilities that would occur from year to year if the spot rates on long-term government bonds were used. Consistent with Australian Accounting Standards, the superannuation liability for the 2023-24 Monthly Financial Statements was calculated using the spot rates on long-term government bonds as at 30 June 2023 that best matched each individual scheme’s liability duration. These rates were between 4.0 and 4.4 per cent per annum.
(b) Net worth equals total assets minus total liabilities.
(c) Net financial worth equals total financial assets minus total liabilities. 
(d) Net financial liabilities equals total liabilities less financial assets other than investments in other public sector entities.
(e) Net debt is the sum of interest bearing liabilities less the sum of selected financial assets (cash and deposits, advances paid, and investments, loans and placements).

Australian Government general government sector cash flow statement(a)

ACTUAL
2023-2024
May
$m
ACTUAL
2023-2024
YTD May
$m
Revised Budget Profile
2023-2024
YTD May
$m
REVISED BUDGET
ESTIMATE*
2023-2024
FULL YEAR
$m
Cash receipts from operating activities
Taxes received 74,122 575,899 573,699 638,750
Receipts from sales of goods and services 534 18,924 19,128 19,938
Interest receipts 1,024 9,928 9,662 10,404
Dividends, distributions and income tax equivalents 466 5,642 5,593 5,918
Other receipts 1,387 13,500 13,057 14,298
Total operating receipts 77,534 623,893 621,139 689,309
Cash payments for operating activities
Payments for employees(b) -3,951 -39,635 -39,785 -43,641
Payments for goods and services -16,991 -172,397 -173,552 -192,077
Grants and subsidies paid -17,691 -204,284 -205,099 -239,842
Interest paid -4,021 -21,020 -21,012 -22,685
Personal benefit payments -13,703 -140,916 -140,576 -152,828
Other payments(b) -879 -9,692 -9,384 -9,923
Total operating payments -57,237 -587,945 -589,408 -660,997
Net cash flows from operating activities 20,297 35,948 31,731 28,312
Cash flows from investments in non-financial assets
Sales of non-financial assets 26 931 917 2,999
Purchases of non-financial assets -2,176 -16,245 -16,448 -19,450
Net cash flows from investments in non-financial assets -2,150 -15,314 -15,531 -16,451
Net cash flows from investments in financial assets for policy purposes -99 -6,914 -6,725 -2,879
Net cash flows from investments in financial assets for liquidity purposes -230 -15,676 -15,361 -16,684
Cash flows from financing activities
Borrowing (net) 4,285 4,430 5,726 12,210
Other financing (net) -842 -4,642 -4,411 -4,910
Net cash flows from financing activities 3,444 -212 1,314 7,300
Net increase/(decrease) in cash held 21,262 -2,169 -4,572 -402
GFS cash surplus(+)/deficit(-)(c) 18,147 20,634 16,200 11,861
plus Principal payments of lease liabilities(d) -195 -2,415 -2,270 -2,515
Equals underlying cash balance(e) 17,952 18,219 13,930 9,346
plus Net cash flows from investments in financial assets for policy purposes -99 -6,914 -6,725 -2,879
Equals headline cash balance 17,853 11,305 7,205 6,467

*As published in the 2024-25 Budget.
(a) A positive number denotes a cash inflow; a negative number denotes a cash outflow.
(b) Consistent with the ABS GFS classification, other employee related payments are classified separately from wages and salaries under other payments.
(c) GFS cash surplus/deficit equals net cash flows from operating activities and investments in non-financial assets. 
(d) Principal payments of lease liabilities, which are financing cash payments, are deducted in the calculation of the underlying cash balance to maintain consistency of measure following the implementation of AASB 16.
(e) The term underlying cash balance is not used by the ABS.

Note 1: Income Tax

ACTUAL
2023-2024
May
$m
ACTUAL
2023-2024
YTD May
$m
Revised Budget Profile
2023-2024
YTD May
$m
REVISED BUDGET
ESTIMATE*
2023-2024
FULL YEAR
$m
Individuals and other withholding taxes
Gross income tax withholding 29,974 274,425 274,736 299,400
Gross other individuals 11,929 72,827 74,435 81,500
less Refunds 2,265 36,260 36,015 37,500
Total individuals and other withholding taxation 39,639 310,992 313,157 343,400
Fringe benefits tax 273 4,359 4,300 4,280
Company tax 17,494 129,548 126,963 144,900
Superannuation fund taxes 1,407 11,366 10,788 11,780
Petroleum resource rent tax 25 1,183 1,160 1,430
Total income taxation revenue 58,838 457,447 456,368 505,790

*As published in the 2024-25 Budget.

Note 2: Indirect Tax

ACTUAL
2023-2024
May
$m
ACTUAL
2023-2024
YTD May
$m
Revised Budget Profile
2023-2024
YTD May
$m
REVISED BUDGET
ESTIMATE*
2023-2024
FULL YEAR
$m
Goods and services tax 10,762 84,405 84,671 90,180
Wine equalisation tax 102 1,018 1,005 1,090
Luxury car tax 93 1,145 1,169 1,290
Excise duty 2,353 27,455 27,531 30,020
Customs duty 1,153 12,773 13,009 14,640
Other indirect tax 1,554 11,963 11,865 13,029
Total indirect taxation revenue 16,017 138,758 139,251 150,249

*As published in the 2024-25 Budget.

Note 3: Total expenses by function

ACTUAL
2023-2024
May
$m
ACTUAL
2023-2024
YTD May
$m
REVISED BUDGET
ESTIMATE*
2023-2024
FULL YEAR
$m
Expenses by function
General public services 2,722 27,961 31,442
Defence 3,873 38,930 45,128
Public order and safety 593 6,976 7,960
Education 2,912 45,327 49,099
Health 9,590 95,861 107,416
Social security and welfare 21,212 229,422 252,342
Housing and community amenities 536 5,149 7,955
Recreation and culture 542 4,262 5,050
Fuel and energy 994 10,788 13,273
Agriculture, forestry and fishing 286 2,743 4,068
Mining, manufacturing and construction 936 4,517 5,968
Transport and communication 1,510 9,073 14,928
Other economic affairs 1,185 11,823 14,011
Other purposes
Public debt interest 1,855 20,700 22,547
Nominal superannuation interest 1,114 12,259 13,374
General purpose inter-government transactions 7,877 84,481 92,917
Natural disaster relief 15 447 1,392
Contingency reserve 0 0 2,200
Total expenses 57,753 610,718 691,070

*As published in the 2024-25 Budget.

NOTES:

AASB 1049 Whole of Government and General Government Sector Financial Reporting (AASB 1049)

The Australian Government monthly financial statements have been prepared on a basis consistent with the Budget as required under section 47 of the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013. The statements are prepared in accordance with AASB 1049, which require treatment based on the Australian Bureau of Statistics’ (ABS) Government Finance Statistics (GFS) except where Australian Accounting Standards (AAS) provide a better conceptual treatment for specific items. Departures are limited to complying with either ABS GFS or AAS.

Taxation revenue

While total tax collections are known with certainty at the end of each month, the distribution across the relevant heads of revenue cannot be finalised until all business activity statements are received and processed. The outcomes for some revenue items provided in this statement are therefore estimates, in accordance with the best judgement of the Commissioner of Taxation, and subject to revision. The taxation revenue items not affected are: petroleum resource rent tax, excise duty, customs duty, other taxes and individuals refunds.

Style conventions

Figures in tables and generally in the text have been rounded. Discrepancies in tables between totals and sums of components are due to rounding.

International Monetary Fund Special Data Dissemination Standards

The Government is committed to releasing the monthly financial statements in a timely fashion and will endeavour to do so in accordance with International Monetary Fund (IMF) Special Data Dissemination Standards (SDDS). Under these standards the timeframe for releasing the monthly financial statements is by the end of the following month. Australia applies a special flexibility option which allows it to publish late the last and first month of a financial year.

In accordance with the IMF SDDS, the approximate date of release of the data on debt guaranteed by the Australian Government (central government), is given on the IMF’s Data Dissemination Advance Release Calendar http://dsbb.imf.org. Monthly and quarterly data on debt guaranteed by the Australian Government (central government) that meet the coverage and timeliness requirements of the SDDS are published on the Australian Office of Financial Management website at https://www.aofm.gov.au/data-hub.

Electronic access to monthly financial statements

The Australian Government general government sector monthly financial statements and the historical series are available in electronic format at:
http://data.gov.au/dataset/australian-government-general-government-sector-monthly-financial-statements-tables-and-data


Did you find this content useful?