4183.0 - Cultural Funding by Government, Australia, 2004-05  
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 24/08/2006   
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MEDIA RELEASE
August 24, 2006
Embargoed: 11:30 AM (AEST)
75/2006
Over $5 billion spent on cultural activities in Australia


More than $5 billion was spent by the public sector in Australia on cultural activities in 2004-05, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).

Governments in Australia gave the largest proportion of their total cultural funding to broadcasting and film ($1.2 billion) in 2004-05, followed by nature parks and reserves ($1.0 billion), libraries and archives ($515 million) and other museums ($483 million).

The Federal government outlaid $1.8 billion for cultural activities, an increase of 4% from 2003-04. Of this total, $1.3 billion (75%) was spent on arts related activity (which includes broadcasting and film), with the remainder ($432 million) spent on heritage activities.

State and territory governments spent $2.4 billion, a rise of 1% from the previous year. The largest recipient of funding from state and territory governments was nature parks and reserves which received 40% of the total ($936 million).

The local government sector put in almost $900 million towards cultural activities in 2004-05, a fall of 5% from the funding supplied in 2003-04.

More details are in Cultural Funding by Government, Australia (cat. no. 4183.0).