Appendix F: Historical Australian Government data

This appendix provides historical data for Australian Government fiscal aggregates across the general government, public non-financial corporations and non-financial public sectors.

Under the accrual Government Finance Statistics (GFS) framework, flows are recorded in the period in which they occurred. As a result, prior period outcomes may be revised where information arises that could reasonably be expected to have been known in the past, is material in at least one of the affected periods and can be reliably assigned to the relevant period(s).

Estimates up to and including 1998-99 are on cash terms, while estimates from 1999-2000 are cash proxies derived from an accrual framework. Due to methodological and data-source changes associated with the move to an accrual accounting framework, time series data that include measures derived under both cash and accrual accounting should be used with caution.

There are other structural breaks within the data set, prior to the shift to accrual reporting. Classification differences and revisions, as well as changes to the structure of the budget, can impact on comparisons over such an extended period.

Specific factors that affect the comparability of data between years include:

• classification differences in the data relating to the period prior to 1976-77 (which means that earlier data may not be entirely consistent with data for 1976-77 onwards);

• adjustments in the coverage of agencies included in the accounts of the different sectors. These include the reclassification of Central Banking Authorities from the general government to the public financial corporations sector in 1998-99, and subsequent backcasting to account for this change;

• consistent with the revised GFS treatment announced by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) (Cat. No. 5501.0, released October 2002), the general government measures in this statement, from 1998-99 onwards, incorporate the interest component of superannuation related payments by the Australian Government general government in respect of accumulated public non-financial corporations’ superannuation liabilities;

• transfers of taxing powers between the Australian Government and the states and territories;

• other changes in financial arrangements between the Australian Government and the state/local government sector; and

• changes in arrangements for transfer payments, where tax concessions or rebates are replaced by payments through the social security system. This has the effect of increasing both cash revenues and payments, as compared with earlier periods, but not changing cash balances. Changes in the opposite direction (tax expenditures replacing outlays) reduce both cash payments and receipts.

While approximate adjustments can be made to identify trends in budget aggregates on a generally consistent basis, the further back the analysis is taken, the less manageable the task becomes.

Table F1: Australian Government general government sector receipts, payments and surplus^(a)

1. There is a break in the series between 1998-99 and 1999-2000. Data for the years up to and including 1998-99 are consistent with the cash ABS GFS reporting requirements. From 1999-2000, data are derived from an accrual ABS GFS reporting framework, with receipts proxied by receipts from operating activities and sales of non-financial assets, and payments proxied by payments for operating activities, purchases of non-financial assets and net acquisition of assets under finance leases. Due to associated methodological and data-source changes, time series data that encompass measures derived under both cash and accrual accounting should be used with caution.

na Not applicable, due to a structural break in the series.

Table F2: Australian Government general government sector taxation receipts, non-taxation receipts and total receipts^(a)

1. There is a break in the series between 1998-99 and 1999-2000. Data for the years up to and including 1998-99 are consistent with the cash ABS GFS reporting requirements. From 1999-2000, data are derived from an accrual ABS GFS reporting framework, with receipts proxied by receipts from operating activities and sales of non-financial assets. Due to associated methodological and data-source changes, time series data that encompass measures derived under both cash and accrual accounting should be used with caution.

na Not applicable, due to a structural break in the series.

Table F3: Australian Government receipts (cash basis)

1. Includes Medicare levy receipts ($5,000 million in 2002-03 and $5,560 million in 2003-04).
2. Consistent with GFS reporting standards, excludes fringe benefits tax collected from Australian Government agencies ($355 million in 2002-03 and $364 million in 2003-04).

 

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