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Government final consumption expenditure

Australian System of National Accounts: Concepts, Sources and Methods
Reference period
2020-21 financial year

Concept

10.65    Government final consumption expenditure (GFCE) is current expenditure by general government bodies on services to the community such as defence, education, and public order and safety. Because these are provided free of charge or at charges which cover only a small proportion of costs, the government is considered to be the consumer of its own output. Government output has no directly observable market value, and so it is valued in the national accounts at its cost of production. GFCE is estimated by deducting the value of any proceeds from sales of government output (e.g. statistical publications by the ABS) from this value of government output.

10.66    GFCE covers net outlays by general government on goods and services for current purposes; that is, outlays which do not result in the creation of capital assets, or in the acquisition of land and existing buildings or second-hand capital goods. Transfer payments are not included; for example, interest payments on government debt securities and social assistance benefits.

10.67    2008 SNA revised the treatment of defence expenditure. The purchases of durable military equipment such as ships and aircraft used as weapons platforms, and outlays on construction works that can only be used for military purposes are now to be treated as capital expenditure. (Expenditure on major items of military equipment with no equivalent civilian use was included in GFCE in 1993 SNA). The ASNA has adopted the 2008 SNA recommendations in this regard. Current expenditures such as compensation of employees and consumable military items such as boots, petrol and bullets, will continue to be treated as GFCE.

10.68    Government final consumption expenditure can be regarded as comprising the following:

compensation of employees paid to employees of general government bodies (other than any employees producing capital goods)
plusintermediate consumption of goods and services (e.g. purchases of office supplies and the services of consultants)
lessthe value of goods and services sold by general government to other sectors
plusconsumption of fixed capital
plusthe timing adjustment for overseas purchases of defence equipment.

10.69    Intermediate consumption for general government includes general government's share of the imputed financial services provided by banks and other financial intermediaries (FISIM).

10.70    ASNA classifies GFCE according to the functions of government. One classification has been developed; namely, the Classification of the Functions of Government - Australia (COFOG-A). It is designed for classifying current transactions (such as consumption expenditure, subsidies and current transfers), capital outlays (capital formation and capital transfers), and acquisition of financial assets by general government and its subsectors. The categories used in the classification are in accordance with the 2008 SNA Classification of the Functions of Government (COFOG), and are as follows:  

1General public services
2Defence
3Public order and safety
4Economic affairs
5Environmental protection
6Housing and community amenities
7Health
8Recreational, cultural and religion
9Education
10Social protection
11Transport

10.71    COFOG, is also used to help distinguish between expenditure by government on individual services and collective services. By convention, all government final consumption expenditures under each of the following headings are treated as expenditures on individual services, except for expenditures on general administration, regulation, research, etc.:

7Health
8Recreation, culture and religion
9Education
10Social protection

Changes to information regarding COFOG and GPC

From 04/03/2024,

ASNA classifies GFCE according to the functions of government. One classification has been developed; namely the Classification of the Functions of Government- Australia. This publication previously stated that the Government Purpose Classification (GPC) and Local Government Purpose Classification (LGPC) were also used. Paragraph 10.70.

COFOG is used to help distinguish between expenditure by government on individual services and collective services. This publication previously stated that the GPC was also used. Paragraph 10.71.

Removed paragraph 10.72 as it is no longer relevant after the changes mentioned above.

Paragraph 10.70 prior to 04/03/2024 update

10.70    ASNA classifies GFCE according to the functions of government. Two classifications have been developed, namely, the Government Purpose Classification (GPC) and the Local Government Purpose Classification (LGPC). These are designed for classifying current transactions (such as consumption expenditure, subsidies and current transfers), capital outlays (capital formation and capital transfers) and acquisition of financial assets by general government and its subsectors. The categories used in the classifications are in accordance with the 1993 SNA Classification of the Functions of Government (COFOG) and are as follows:

1General public services
2Defence affairs and services
3Public order and safety affairs 
4Education affairs and services 
5Health affairs and services 
6Social security and welfare affairs and services 
7Housing and community amenity affairs and services 
8Recreational, cultural and religious affairs and services
9Fuel and energy affairs and services 
10Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting affairs and services
11Mining and mineral resource affairs and services, other than fuels; manufacturing affairs and services; and construction affairs and services
12Transportation and communication affairs and services
13Other economic affairs and services 
14Expenditures not classified by major group

Paragraph 10.71 prior to 03/04/2024 update

10.71    COFOG, and consequently the GPC, is also used to help distinguish between expenditure by government on individual services and collective services. By convention, all government final consumption expenditures under each of the following headings are treated as expenditures on individual services, except for expenditures on general administration, regulation, research, etc.:

4Education
5Health
6Social security and welfare
8Recreation, sport and culture

Paragraph 10.72 prior to 04/03/2024 update

10.72    In addition, expenditures under the following subheadings should also be treated as individual when they are important:

7Part of the provision of housing, part of the collection of household refuse
12Part of the operation of transport systems

10.73    GFCE covers net outlays by general government on goods and services for current purposes; that is, outlays which do not result in the creation of capital assets, or in the acquisition of land and existing buildings or second-hand capital goods. Transfer payments are not included, for example, interest payments on government debt securities and social assistance benefits.

10.74    Detailed estimates of government final consumption expenditure classified by purpose are available, as a general rule, from 1961-62.

Sources and methods

10.75    GFCE estimates are compiled using Government Finance Statistics (GFS) data. Data is obtained from the Department of Finance, State and Territory Treasuries, local governments and universities. GFS data is classified by Economic Type Framework (ETF) which includes employee expenses, non-employee expenses and revenue from sales of goods and services that are captured in government consumption.

10.76    The current method is based on the Australian System of Government Finance Statistics: Concepts Sources and Methods, Australia 2015 (AGFS15) which was implemented in the Australian National Accounts in 2017. Estimates on an AGFS15 basis which includes data classified by ETF are available back to 2002. Estimates of Government Consumption prior to 2002 have been backcast to ensure consistency across the time series.

10.77    GFCE is compiled as the sum of the following components:

 employee expenses (i.e. wages, salaries, superannuation, and redundancies)
 social benefits to households (i.e. Medicare, Pharmaceutical Benefits, Child Care Subsidy, Aged care, National Disability Insurance Scheme, transport and energy concessions)
 other non-employee expenses (such as supplies, contractors and materials)
(less)sales of goods and services (such as licence fees, tuition fees and hospital fees)
(plus)ASNA adjustments

10.78    ASNA adjustments are scope and coverage adjustments which include the following four components:

  • Consumption of fixed capital (depreciation)
  • Consumption of FISIM
  • State and local consolidation adjustments (i.e. payroll tax paid by departments to own state treasury)
  • (less) Intellectual property which are capitalised (i.e. computer software, research and development and artistic originals)

Sources and methods - Annual

Benchmark years

10.79    Annual estimates of GFCE are disaggregated by level of government. The level of government disaggregation is National (which is further split between defence and non-defence) and State and local, which are combined. The National level of government is defined to include Commonwealth plus government bodies that are considered to be jointly administered by the Commonwealth and State and local governments. Public universities are the only government bodies that are currently considered to be jointly administered.

10.80    The table below outlines the data sources and methods used in the estimation of benchmark years estimates for GFCE. It includes both the current price estimates and volume estimates.

Table 10.27 Benchmark years annual government final consumption expenditure
ItemComment
Current price estimates

 

The data source is annual Government Finance Statistics (GFS). It is obtained from the Department of Finance, State and Territory treasuries, local government and universities.

The following adjustments are made to the GFS data:

  • payroll taxes paid by government agencies to their State/Territory revenue office – a consolidation adjustment;
  • FISIM;
  • current expenditure on developing intellectual property products which is treated as gross fixed capital formation. The products include:
    • computer software development;
    • research and development; and
    • film and television production.
  • consumption of fixed capital on intellectual property products – replace depreciation of these products from GFS.

GFS data are classified according to the General Purpose Classification (GPC). The GPC level data is mapped to the Input-Output Product Classification (IOPC) level. The IOPC level is then aggregated to the Supply-Use Product Classification (SUPC) level.

Supply and Use balancing process

The GFCE estimates at the SUPC level are inserted into the Use table which is balanced with the Supply table at the product level using the product flow method. Therefore, adjustments are likely to be applied to the initial GFCE estimate to obtain a balance between supply and use. The adjustments are determined by confronting the supply and use data with industry association data, annual reports of significant units within the industry, as well as other relevant ABS survey results.

For more information on the product flow method refer to Chapter 7.

The Supply and Use benchmark is disaggregated to National defence, National non-defence and State and local level. GFCE for each sector is derived using the quarterly data and the proportion of each sector to the total is applied to the supply and use benchmark.

Volume estimates

 

GFCE current price estimates are price deflated to obtain volume estimates and are summed to derive a total GFCE estimate. GFCE estimates are deflated by component using a range of prices indexes and government input cost deflators. A government input cost deflator is a weighted price index that measures input costs incurred by the government to provide the good/service. Given most government services are non-market and have no output price, prices are measured using input costs. The input cost deflator can include several underlying indexes from the Producer Price Index (PPI), Wage Price Index (WPI) and Consumer Price Index (CPI).

Latest year

10.81    GFCE data for the latest financial year (or latest two years for the June quarter in Australian National Accounts: National Income, Expenditure and Product is the sum of data reported for the four quarters for both current price estimates and chain volume measures.

10.80    The tables below outline the data sources and methods used in the estimation of latest year estimates for GFCE by level of government. They include both the current price estimates and volume estimates.

Table 10.28 Latest year annual government final consumption expenditure — National defence
ItemComment
Current price estimates

 

Government Finance Statistics is the data source which provides data relating to defence. It is sourced from the Department of Finance.

The data obtained are for the expenditures on defence employees (i.e. wages and salaries and employer social contributions) and on other defence inputs (i.e. operating expenses such as rent, electricity, stationery, etc.) plus details of the value of sales of goods and services. The estimate for government expenditure on Financial Intermediation Services Indirectly Measured (FISIM) is included as part of the costs (i.e. intermediate consumption) of general government.

Consumption of fixed capital is used in place of the depreciation recorded in government accounts. Consumption of fixed capital is the preferred conceptual treatment as it is compiled on a current replacement basis rather than the historical cost basis used to compute depreciation allowances. It is obtained from the Perpetual Inventory Method (PIM).

Current expenditures paid for in-house development of intellectual property are not included as intermediate consumption. They are capitalised and included in gross fixed capital formation.

National Defence expenditure state split ratios are updated on an annual basis from the Defence Force Annual Report. State ratios are compiled using the number of permanent personnel and reserves by location (excluding overseas members).

Volume estimates

 

Quarterly defence current price estimates are price deflated by each component to obtain volume estimates and are summed to derive a total defence estimate. Annual volume estimates are the sum of four quarters.

The deflator for employee expenses is weighted using wages and salaries data on army, airforce, navy, reserves and APS staff. The underlying indexes weighted include WPI Public administration and safety and WPI All industries.

Both sales of goods and services and use of goods and services are price deflated using a Commonwealth defence input cost deflator.

 

Table 10.29 Latest year annual government final consumption expenditure — National non-defence
ItemComment
Current price estimates

 

Government Finance Statistics is the data source. It is obtained from the Department of Finance. Public universities data are sourced from a survey of a sample of universities. Intellectual property products estimates are recorded as gross fixed capital formation in the ASNA.

The data obtained are for the expenditures by Commonwealth agencies (other than those classified to Defence) and by public universities on employees (i.e. wages and salaries and employer social contributions) and on other inputs (i.e. operating expenses such as rent, electricity, stationery, etc.) plus details of the value of sales of goods and services. The estimate for government expenditure on Financial Intermediation Services Indirectly Measured (FISIM) is included as part of the costs (i.e. intermediate consumption) of general government.

Consumption of fixed capital is used in place of the depreciation recorded in government accounts. Consumption of fixed capital is the preferred conceptual treatment as it is compiled on a current replacement basis rather than the historical cost basis used to compute depreciation allowances. It is obtained from the Perpetual Inventory Method (PIM).

Current expenditures paid for in-house development of intellectual property are not included as intermediate consumption. They are capitalised and included in gross fixed capital formation.

Commonwealth non-defence expenditure (excluding social benefits to households in kind) state split ratios are updated on an annual basis using Commonwealth public sector cash, wages and salaries from the Survey of Employment and Earnings (SEE).

Commonwealth non-defence social benefits to households in kind are split to state using estimated resident population.

Volume estimates
 

Quarterly national non-defence current price estimates are price deflated by each component to obtain volume estimates and are summed to derive a total national non-defence estimate. Annual volume estimates are the sum of quarters.

Commonwealth non-defence employee expenses are price deflated using WPI All industries (Commonwealth). Social benefits to households are deflated by a weighted index comprised of a Medicare, PBS, Child care and Commonwealth government input cost deflator. Other non-employee expenses are price deflated using a Commonwealth government input cost deflator.

Multi-jurisdictional employee expenses are price deflated using WPI Education and training (public). Sales of goods and services are deflated using CPI Higher education fees, while other non-employee expenses is price deflated using a Commonwealth (Multi-jurisdictional) input cost deflator.

Table 10.30 latest year annual government final consumption expenditure—state and local
ItemComment
Current price estimates

 

The State and Territory treasuries provide the State and Territory level data. Local government data are sourced from annual Government Finance Statistics.

The data obtained are for the expenditures by State and local government agencies on employees (i.e. wages and salaries and employer social contributions) and on other inputs (i.e. operating expenses such as rent, electricity, stationery, etc.) plus details of the value of sales of goods and services. The estimate for government expenditure on Financial Intermediation Services Indirectly Measured (FISIM) is included as part of the costs (i.e. intermediate consumption) of general government.

Consumption of fixed capital is used in place of the depreciation recorded in government accounts. Consumption of fixed capital is the preferred conceptual treatment as it is compiled on a current replacement basis rather than the historical cost basis used to compute depreciation allowances. It is obtained from the Perpetual Inventory Method (PIM).

Current expenditures paid for in-house development of intellectual property are not included as intermediate consumption. They are capitalised and included in gross fixed capital formation.

Volume estimates

 

Quarterly state and local current price estimates are price deflated by each component to obtain volume estimates and are summed to derive a total state and local estimate. Annual volume estimates are the sum of quarters.

State and local employee expenses are price deflated using WPI All industries (State and local government). Sales of goods and services are price deflated by a weighted index including a state and local government input cost deflator, state and local health input cost deflator and CPI Vocational Education and Training (VET) fees. Social benefits to households are price deflated using a state and local government input cost deflator. Other non-employee expenses are price deflated by a weighted price index comprised of a state and local government input cost deflator, state and local health input cost deflator and state and local education input cost deflator.

Sources and methods - Quarterly

10.83    Quarterly estimates of GFCE are disaggregated by the same levels of government as the annual benchmarks. The level of government disaggregation is National (which is further split between defence and non-defence) and State and local, which are combined. The National level of government is defined to include Commonwealth plus government bodies that are considered to be jointly administered by the Commonwealth and State and local governments. Public universities are the only government bodies that are currently considered to be jointly administered.

10.84    The tables below outline the data sources and methods used in the estimation of quarterly GFCE by level of government. They include both the current price estimates and volume estimates.

Table 10.31 Quarterly government final consumption expenditure — National defence
ItemComment
Current price estimates

 

The quarterly Government Finance Statistics is the data source which provides data relating to expenditures on defence. It is sourced from the Department of Finance. It is used as an indicator which is applied to the annual benchmarks.

The data obtained are for the expenditures on defence employees (i.e. wages and salaries and employer social contributions) and on other defence inputs (i.e. operating expenses such as rent, electricity, stationery, etc.) plus details of the value of sales of goods and services. The estimate for government expenditure on Financial Intermediation Services Indirectly Measured (FISIM) is included as part of the costs (i.e. intermediate consumption) of general government.

Consumption of fixed capital is used in place of the depreciation recorded in government accounts. Consumption of fixed capital is the preferred conceptual treatment as it is compiled on a current replacement basis rather than the historical cost basis used to compute depreciation allowances. It is obtained from the Perpetual Inventory Method (PIM).

Current expenditures paid for in-house development of intellectual property are not included as intermediate consumption. They are capitalised and included in gross fixed capital formation.

Volume estimates

 

Defence current price estimates are price deflated by each component to obtain volume estimates and are summed to derive a total defence estimate.

The deflator for employee expenses is weighted using wages and salaries data on army, airforce, navy, reserves and APS staff. The underlying indexes weighted include WPI Public administration and safety and WPI All industries.

Both sales of goods and services and use of goods and services are price deflated using a Commonwealth defence input cost deflator.

Table 10.32 Quarterly government final consumption expenditure — National non-defence
ItemComment
Current price estimates

 

Quarterly data are directly sourced from the Department of Finance quarterly ledger. Data for universities are collected from a sample of 36 public universities. Intellectual property products estimates are recorded as gross fixed capital formation in the ASNA.

The data obtained are for the expenditures by Commonwealth agencies (other than those classified to Defence) and by public universities on employees (i.e. wages and salaries and employer social contributions) and on other inputs (i.e. operating expenses such as rent, electricity, stationery, etc.) plus details of the value of sales of goods and services. The estimate for government expenditure on Financial Intermediation Services Indirectly Measured (FISIM) is included as part of the costs (i.e. intermediate consumption) of general government.

Consumption of fixed capital is used in place of the depreciation recorded in government accounts. Consumption of fixed capital is the preferred conceptual treatment as it is compiled on a current replacement basis rather than the historical cost basis used to compute depreciation allowances. It is obtained from the Perpetual Inventory Method (PIM).

Current expenditures paid for in-house development of intellectual property are not included as intermediate consumption. They are capitalised and included in gross fixed capital formation.

Volume estimates

 

National non-defence current price estimates are price deflated by each component to obtain volume estimates and are summed to derive a total national non-defence estimate.

Commonwealth non-defence employee expenses are price deflated using WPI All industries (Commonwealth). Social benefits to households are price deflated by a weighted index comprised of a Medicare, PBS, Child care and Commonwealth government input cost deflator. Other non-employee expenses are price deflated using a Commonwealth government input cost deflator.

Multi-jurisdictional employee expenses are price deflated using WPI Education and training (public). Sales of goods and services are price deflated using CPI Higher education fees while other non-employee expenses is price deflated using a Commonwealth (Multi-jurisdictional) input cost deflator.

Table 10.33 Quarterly government final consumption expenditure — State and local
ItemComment
Current price estimates

 

The State and Territory treasuries provide the State and Territory level data. The data comes from monthly and quarterly statements of receipts and expenditure, compiled from agency based financial reporting. Local government data are sourced from a quarterly sample (approximately 15 per cent) of local government authorities.

The data obtained are for the expenditures by State and local government agencies on employees (i.e. wages and salaries and employer social contributions) and on other inputs (i.e. operating expenses such as rent, electricity, stationery, etc.) plus details of the value of sales of goods and services. The estimate for government expenditure on Financial Intermediation Services Indirectly Measured (FISIM) is included as part of the costs (i.e. intermediate consumption) of general government.

Consumption of fixed capital is used in place of the depreciation recorded in government accounts. Consumption of fixed capital is the preferred conceptual treatment as it is compiled on a current replacement basis rather than the historical cost basis used to compute depreciation allowances. It is obtained from the Perpetual Inventory Method (PIM).

Current expenditures paid for in-house development of intellectual property are not included as intermediate consumption. They are capitalised and included in gross fixed capital formation.

Volume estimates

 

State and local current price estimates are price deflated by each component to obtain volume estimates and are summed to derive a total state and local estimate.

State and local employee expenses are price deflated using WPI All industries (State and local government). Sales of goods and services are price deflated by a weighted index including a state and local government input cost deflator, state and local health input cost deflator and CPI VET fees. Social benefits to households are price deflated using a state and local government input cost deflator. Other non-employee expenses are price deflated by a weighted price index comprised of a state and local government input cost deflator, state and local health input cost deflator and state and local education input cost deflator.