LOCAL GOVERNMENT FUNDING
In 2007-08, local government funding for cultural activities was $1000.3m, which was 16% of total cultural funding provided by all levels of government. This was an increase of $74.6m or 8% on 2006-07 when local government funding for cultural activities was $925.7m.
The majority of local government cultural funding was allocated to Libraries in 2007-08 ($653.4m or 65.3%), compared with $626.7m (68%) in 2006-07. Most public libraries are funded at the local government level, except in Tasmania, the Northern Territory and the Australian Capital Territory where libraries are mainly or solely funded by the state and territory governments. As such, local governments in most states allocated a majority of their cultural funding to libraries in 2007-08. South Australia had the highest proportion of local government funding for libraries (75%), followed by New South Wales (74%), Western Australia (68%), Victoria (60%) and Queensland (59%).
4.2 Cultural Funding, Local Government(a) - 2007-08 |
|
 | | Art museums | Other museums and cultural heritage | Libraries | Performing arts | Cultural or arts services n.e.c. | Total cultural funding | Total cultural funding per person(b) | Change previous year |
| | $m | $m | $m | $m | $m | $m | $ | % |
|
| 2006-07 | | | | | | | | |
| New South Wales(c) | 20.9 | 14.4 | 238.5 | - | 17.6 | 291.4 | 42.49 | . . |
| Victoria(d) | - | - | 154.8 | - | 101.8 | 256.6 | 49.63 | . . |
| Queensland(e) | 13.6 | 8.3 | 101.1 | 22.1 | 25.4 | 170.5 | 41.18 | . . |
| South Australia | 2.8 | 4.6 | 63.6 | 5.2 | 9.1 | 85.2 | 54.05 | . . |
| Western Australia | - | - | 68.6 | - | 43.3 | 111.9 | 53.68 | . . |
| Tasmania | 0.4 | 1.6 | 0.1 | 3.4 | 2.0 | 7.5 | 15.25 | . . |
| Northern Territory(d) | - | - | - | - | 2.6 | 2.6 | 12.25 | . . |
| Australia(e) | 37.6 | 28.8 | 626.7 | 30.7 | 201.8 | 925.7 | 44.35 | . . |
| 2007-08 | | | | | | | | |
| New South Wales(c) | 33.5 | 13.1 | 231.4 | - | 33.0 | 311.0 | 44.79 | 6.7 |
| Victoria(d) | - | - | 155.0 | - | 104.3 | 259.2 | 49.26 | 1.0 |
| Queensland(e) | 14.8 | 7.3 | 120.7 | 27.4 | 35.8 | 205.9 | 48.53 | 20.8 |
| South Australia | 2.4 | 4.3 | 67.3 | 6.0 | 9.8 | 89.7 | 56.31 | 5.3 |
| Western Australia | - | - | 78.9 | - | 37.8 | 116.7 | 54.59 | 4.3 |
| Tasmania | 0.4 | 8.5 | - | 4.7 | 1.7 | 15.2 | 30.70 | 102.7 |
| Northern Territory(d) | - | - | - | - | 2.4 | 2.4 | 11.24 | -6.0 |
| Australia(e) | 51.0 | 33.1 | 653.4 | 38.1 | 224.8 | 1 000.3 | 47.10 | 8.1 |
|
| . . not applicable |
| - nil or rounded to zero (including null cells) |
| (a) Care should be taken when comparing categories between states and territories. For further information see the Explanatory notes in Cultural Funding by Government, Australia, 2007-08 (cat. no. 4183.0). |
| (b) Although the Australian Capital Territory does not have a local government, its population has been included in calculations of per person funding. For more information see the Explanatory notes in Cultural Funding by Government, Australia, 2007-08 (cat. no. 4183.0). |
| (c) The quality of New South Wales (NSW) data at the Local Government Purpose Classification (LGPC) 4 digit level is being adversely affected by the current structure of the collection instrument, as well as a marked decrease in the number of NSW councils reporting data by the LGPC for 2007-08. |
| (d) No data was recorded for Victoria and the Northern Territory for grants and subsidies provided by councils to community organisations. |
| (e) Data quality issues resulting from the local government amalgamations that occurred during the 2007-08 reference period have resulted in high imputation rates for Queensland councils. This data should be viewed with caution. |
| Source: Cultural Funding by Government, Australia, 2007-08 (cat. no. 4183.0). |
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