This statement discusses trends in the fiscal balance, cash surplus and balance sheet data (net debt, net worth and net interest payments) for the total non-financial public sector at the Australian Government and state/local levels of government, and also at the consolidated level. These measures are discussed in greater detail in Statement 8.

This statement provides a broader context in which to consider developments in the Australian Government’s Budget.

For further information on the data used in the charts and tables in this statement, see Appendix B: Data. This statement uses the convention that references to the states include the territories, and that the combined state and local government sector is denoted as the state/local sector and includes territory governments unless otherwise stated.