Australian Government General Government Sector Monthly Financial Statements for May 2025

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

KG 18/25
Friday, 27 June 2025

KEY POINTS

  • The Monthly Financial Statements for May 2025 report the budget position against the expected monthly profile for the 2024‑25 financial year through to 31 May 2025, based on the 2024‑25 Revised Budget estimates published in the 2025‑26 Budget in March 2025.
  • The underlying cash balance for the 2024‑25 financial year to 31 May 2025 was a deficit of $5.5 billion.
  • The fiscal balance for the 2024‑25 financial year to 31 May 2025 was a surplus of $4.4 billion.
AGGREGATES(a) ACTUAL
2024-2025
May
$b
ACTUAL
2024-2025
YTD May
$b
Revised Budget Profile
2024-2025
YTD May
$b
REVISED BUDGET
ESTIMATE*
2024-2025
FULL YEAR
$b
Receipts(b) 76.1 652.8 643.0 703.9
Payments(c) 62.4 658.3 663.2 731.5
Underlying cash balance 13.7 -5.5 -20.2 -27.6
Headline cash balance 12.2 -16.4 -32.9 -46.7
Revenue 80.4 673.9 658.5 717.6
Expenses 63.2 664.6 670.1 762.8
Net operating balance 17.2 9.3 -11.6 -45.2
Net capital investment 1.1 4.9 3.5 5.5
Fiscal balance 16.1 4.4 -15.1 -50.6
Total assets 900.6 857.6
Total liabilities 1,437.1 1,428.1
Net worth(d) -536.5 -570.5
Net debt(e) 523.6 556.0

*As published in the 2025-26 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 2025 was a deficit of $5.5 billion.

  • Receipts
    Total receipts were $9.8 billion higher than the 2024-25 Revised Budget profile.
  • Payments
    Total payments were $4.9 billion lower than the 2024‑25 Revised Budget profile.

Net Operating Balance

The net operating balance for the financial year to 31 May 2025 was a surplus of $9.3 billion.

Fiscal Balance

The fiscal balance for the financial year to 31 May 2025 was a surplus of $4.4 billion.

Assets and Liabilities

As at 31 May 2025:

  • net worth is negative $536.5 billion;
  • net debt is $523.6 billion; and
  • net financial liabilities are $809.9 billion. 
Senator the Hon Katy Gallagher
Minister for Finance
Minister for Women
Minister for the Public Service
Minister for Government Services
 
Richard Windeyer
Acting Secretary
Department of Finance

 
Media Contact 
Phoenix Campbell0411 113 850

Australian Government general government sector operating statement

Note ACTUAL
2024-2025
May
$m
ACTUAL
2024-2025
YTD May
$m
Revised Budget Profile
2024-2025
YTD May
$m
REVISED BUDGET
ESTIMATE*
2024-2025
FULL YEAR
$m
Revenue
Taxation revenue 1,2 76,991 623,568 609,639 663,208
Sales of goods and services 660 20,337 20,064 21,166
Interest income 695 8,832 8,028 10,532
Dividend and distribution income 526 6,349 6,632 7,205
Other 1,521 14,822 14,131 15,458
Total revenue 80,393 673,910 658,494 717,568
Expenses
Gross operating expenses
Wages and salaries(a) 2,735 26,707 26,612 29,439
Superannuation 802 8,490 8,225 8,728
Depreciation and amortisation 1,487 12,281 12,855 14,092
Supply of goods and services 19,123 189,856 194,028 214,656
Other operating expenses(a) 1,337 13,145 12,184 12,707
Total gross operating expenses 25,483 250,479 253,904 279,622
Superannuation interest expense 1,180 12,984 12,991 14,241
Interest expenses 2,370 26,232 26,295 31,157
Current transfers
Current grants 15,498 191,792 192,458 219,567
Subsidy expenses 1,779 17,647 17,813 19,965
Personal benefits 13,951 150,001 149,443 162,616
Total current transfers 31,228 359,440 359,714 402,147
Capital transfers
Mutually agreed write-downs 683 3,178 2,738 14,884
Other capital grants 2,252 12,285 14,421 20,706
Total capital transfers 2,935 15,463 17,159 35,589
Total expenses 3 63,197 664,598 670,064 762,756
Net operating balance 17,196 9,311 -11,569 -45,188
Other economic flows
- included in operating result
Net write-downs of assets -1,643 -12,996 -12,193 -13,186
Assets recognised for the first time -1 291 303 368
Actuarial revaluations 16 -1 -19 2,191
Net foreign exchange gains -52 -56 -125 182
Net swap interest received 166 -1,402 -1,271 -478
Market valuation of debt 1,543 -21,938 -13,339 -11,466
Other gains/(losses) 4,500 19,074 15,730 13,430
Total other economic flows
- included in operating result
4,529 -17,028 -10,914 -8,957
Operating result(b) 21,725 -7,717 -22,483 -54,145
Non-owner movements in equity
Revaluation of equity investments 0 -60 -60 -718
Actuarial revaluations 0 0 0 -842
Other economic revaluations 417 4,672 629 707
Total other economic flows
- included in equity
417 4,612 568 -853
Comprehensive result
- Total change in net worth
22,142 -3,105 -21,915 -54,998
Net operating balance 17,196 9,311 -11,569 -45,188
Net acquisition of non-financial assets
Purchases of non-financial assets 2,922 18,694 18,203 22,133
less Sales of non-financial assets 41 2,294 2,216 2,538
less Depreciation 1,487 12,281 12,855 14,092
plus Change in inventories -260 818 407 -43
plus Other movements in non-financial assets -1 2 -3 0
Total net acquisition of non-financial assets 1,133 4,939 3,536 5,459
Fiscal balance (Net lending/borrowing)(c) 16,062 4,373 -15,106 -50,647

*As published in the 2025-26 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 2025
$m
REVISED BUDGET
ESTIMATE*
as at 30 June 2025
$m
Assets
Financial assets
Cash and deposits 81,663 73,008
Advances paid 76,078 66,347
Investments, loans and placements 250,399 239,767
Other receivables 103,603 86,469
Equity investments
Investments in other public sector entities 50,522 51,637
Equity accounted investments 6,253 6,349
Investments - shares 109,156 113,455
Total financial assets 677,674 637,032
Non-financial assets
Land 15,218 14,647
Buildings 51,859 50,951
Plant, equipment and infrastructure 116,099 115,529
Inventories 12,312 11,604
Intangibles 14,193 14,723
Investment properties 310 221
Biological assets 5 5
Heritage and cultural assets 12,837 12,800
Assets held for sale 81 86
Other non-financial assets 7 6
Total non-financial assets 222,922 220,572
Total assets 900,595 857,604
Liabilities
Interest bearing liabilities
Deposits held 207 418
Government securities 881,592 883,713
Loans 31,322 32,385
Lease liabilities 18,594 18,584
Total interest bearing liabilities 931,715 935,100
Provisions and payables
Superannuation liability(a) 317,521 303,276
Other employee liabilities 62,179 60,944
Suppliers payables 18,308 15,268
Personal benefits payables 4,023 4,299
Subsidies payables 630 680
Grants payables 3,000 5,998
Other payables 9,393 6,144
Provisions 90,289 96,413
Total provisions and payables 505,342 493,023
Total liabilities 1,437,057 1,428,123
Net worth(b) -536,462 -570,519
Net financial worth(c) -759,384 -791,091
Net financial liabilities(d) 809,906 842,728
Net debt(e) 523,575 555,978

*As published in the 2025-26 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 2024-25 Monthly Financial Statements was calculated using the spot rates on long-term government bonds as at 30 June 2024 that best matched each individual scheme’s liability duration. These rates were between 4.2 and 4.8 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
2024-2025
May
$m
ACTUAL
2024-2025
YTD May
$m
Revised Budget Profile
2024-2025
YTD May
$m
REVISED BUDGET
ESTIMATE*
2024-2025
FULL YEAR
$m
Cash receipts from operating activities
Taxes received 73,015 597,449 587,883 645,242
Receipts from sales of goods and services 769 21,233 21,109 21,796
Interest receipts 847 9,526 8,899 9,520
Dividends, distributions and income tax equivalents 382 6,451 6,759 7,380
Other receipts 1,081 17,865 18,087 19,719
Total operating receipts 76,094 652,524 642,737 703,657
Cash payments for operating activities
Payments for employees(b) -4,238 -43,236 -43,105 -46,880
Payments for goods and services -17,951 -189,010 -192,229 -211,495
Grants and subsidies paid -19,186 -221,413 -224,718 -251,076
Interest paid -4,409 -21,747 -21,805 -24,413
Personal benefit payments -13,844 -151,123 -150,536 -163,057
Other payments(b) -1,058 -11,837 -11,152 -11,821
Total operating payments -60,686 -638,367 -643,546 -708,740
Net cash flows from operating activities 15,407 14,157 -808 -5,083
Cash flows from investments in non-financial assets
Sales of non-financial assets 39 290 248 265
Purchases of non-financial assets -1,495 -17,452 -17,248 -20,047
Net cash flows from investments in non-financial assets -1,456 -17,162 -17,000 -19,782
Net cash flows from investments in financial assets for policy purposes -1,557 -10,877 -12,633 -19,076
Net cash flows from investments in financial assets for liquidity purposes -4,187 -11,158 -7,593 -4,520
Cash flows from financing activities
Borrowing (net) 598 15,425 16,228 29,583
Other financing (net) -634 -6,040 -5,597 -5,432
Net cash flows from financing activities -36 9,385 10,631 24,152
Net increase/(decrease) in cash held 8,172 -15,654 -27,402 -24,310
GFS cash surplus(+)/deficit(-)(c) 13,952 -3,005 -17,808 -24,866
plus Principal payments of lease liabilities(d) -217 -2,507 -2,440 -2,740
Equals underlying cash balance(e) 13,735 -5,512 -20,248 -27,605
plus Net cash flows from investments in financial assets for policy purposes -1,557 -10,877 -12,633 -19,076
Equals headline cash balance 12,178 -16,389 -32,881 -46,681

*As published in the 2025-26 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
2024-2025
May
$m
ACTUAL
2024-2025
YTD May
$m
Revised Budget Profile
2024-2025
YTD May
$m
REVISED BUDGET
ESTIMATE*
2024-2025
FULL YEAR
$m
Individuals and other withholding taxes
Gross income tax withholding 28,666 274,958 272,822 296,800
Gross other individuals 13,620 80,646 79,355 86,200
less Refunds 2,271 37,657 37,598 39,200
Total individuals and other withholding taxation 40,015 317,947 314,579 343,800
Fringe benefits tax 265 4,769 4,746 5,070
Company tax 18,396 131,621 124,536 136,500
Superannuation fund taxes 1,824 24,446 22,163 22,830
Petroleum resource rent tax -6 1,498 1,485 1,500
Total income taxation revenue 60,494 480,281 467,509 509,700

*As published in the 2025-26 Budget.

Note 2: Indirect Tax

ACTUAL
2024-2025
May
$m
ACTUAL
2024-2025
YTD May
$m
Revised Budget Profile
2024-2025
YTD May
$m
REVISED BUDGET
ESTIMATE*
2024-2025
FULL YEAR
$m
Goods and services tax 11,424 89,275 88,184 94,420
Wine equalisation tax 147 1,060 1,024 1,120
Luxury car tax 82 999 1,038 1,170
Excise duty 2,417 28,311 28,542 31,000
Customs duty 927 10,676 10,475 11,430
Other indirect tax 1,499 12,967 12,866 14,368
Total indirect taxation revenue 16,496 143,288 142,130 153,508

*As published in the 2025-26 Budget.

Note 3: Total expenses by function

ACTUAL
2024-2025
May
$m
ACTUAL
2024-2025
YTD May
$m
REVISED BUDGET
ESTIMATE*
2024-2025
FULL YEAR
$m
Expenses by function
General public services 3,510 29,304 33,052
Defence 4,907 42,518 49,344
Public order and safety 683 7,671 8,778
Education 2,838 48,254 63,503
Health 10,221 105,137 117,067
Social security and welfare 23,459 250,595 274,901
Housing and community amenities 802 6,808 18,122
Recreation and culture 598 4,968 5,859
Fuel and energy 1,163 12,975 16,437
Agriculture, forestry and fishing 298 3,074 4,461
Mining, manufacturing and construction 529 4,857 5,866
Transport and communication 1,886 11,446 15,980
Other economic affairs 1,118 11,670 14,063
Other purposes
Public debt interest 2,032 21,871 23,940
Nominal superannuation interest 1,180 12,984 14,241
General purpose inter-government transactions 7,811 89,566 97,382
Natural disaster relief 162 900 1,506
Contingency reserve 0 0 -1,747
Total expenses 63,197 664,598 762,756

*As published in the 2025-26 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:
https://data.gov.au/data/dataset/australian-government-general-government-sector-monthly-financial-statements-tables-and-data


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