A black and white head shot of Mathias Cormann, who is smiling and wearing a dark jacket, shirt and tie.

Senator the Hon Mathias Cormann

Minister for Finance

18 September 2013 to 30 October 2020

Australian Government General Government Sector Monthly Financial Statements April 2017

Senator the Hon. Mathias Cormann
Minister for Finance
Deputy Leader of the Government in the Senate
Senator for Western Australia

Date

KEY POINTS

  • The underlying cash balance for the 2016-17 financial year to 30 April 2017 was a deficit of $36,078 million.
  • The fiscal balance for the 2016-17 financial year to 30 April 2017 was a deficit of $30,037 million.
AGGREGATESACTUAL
2016-2017
April
$m
ACTUAL
2016-2017
YTD April
$m
MYEFO Profile
2016-2017
YTD April
$m
MYEFO ESTIMATE*
2016-2017
Full Year $m
Revenue41,840339,297334,735411,112
Expenses34,009367,854372,294448,642
Net operating balance7,831-28,557-37,559-37,530
Net capital investment5031,4801,5213,953
Fiscal balance7,328-30,037-39,080-41,482
Receipts(a)37,728327,108328,117407,350
less Payments(b)34,577360,051363,273441,063
less Net Future Fund earnings3223,1352,4982,801
Underlying cash balance(c)2,829-36,078-37,654-36,514
Headline cash balance2,097-44,161-49,005-52,505
Total assets 523,976 522,675
Total liabilities 945,831 803,396
Net worth(d) -421,856 -280,721
Net debt(e) 317,384 317,193

*As published in the 2016-17 MYEFO.
(a) Cash receipts for operating activities and sales of non-financial assets.
(b) Cash payments for operating activities, purchases of non-financial assets and net acquisition of assets under finance leases.
(c) Excludes net Future Fund earnings. Consistent with Budget documents, the net adjustment for the Future Fund is shown separately.
(d) Net worth is calculated as total assets minus total liabilities.
(e) Net debt equals the sum of deposits held, government securities, loans and other borrowing, minus the sum of cash and deposits, advances paid, and investments, loans and placements.

Care needs to be taken when comparing monthly or cumulative data across years and to full-year estimates, as revenues and expenses vary from month to month.

The 2016-17 estimates were revised as part of the 2017-18 Budget (released on 9 May 2017) and will be used as the basis of comparison for the May 2017 monthly financial statements.

 

FISCAL OUTCOMES

Underlying Cash Balance

The underlying cash balance for the financial year to 30 April 2017 was a deficit of $36,078 million, which is $1,577 million lower than the 2016-17 Mid-Year Economic and Fiscal Outlook (MYEFO) profile deficit of $37,654 million.

  • Receipts
    Total receipts were $1,008 million lower than the 2016-17 MYEFO profile.
  • Payments
    Total payments were $3,222 million lower than the 2016-17 MYEFO profile.

Fiscal Balance

The fiscal balance for the year to 30 April 2017 was a deficit of $30,037 million, which is $9,043 million lower than the 2016-17 MYEFO profile deficit of $39,080 million. The difference results from higher than expected revenue and lower than expected expenses.

Assets and Liabilities

As at 30 April 2017:

  • Net worth is negative $421,856 million;
  • Net debt is $317,384 million; and
  • Net financial liabilities are $610,880 million.
Senator the Hon Mathias Cormann
Minister for Finance
Rosemary Huxtable PSM
Secretary
Department of Finance
Media Contact 
Karen Wu    0428 350 139

Australian Government general government sector operating statement

 NoteACTUAL
2016-2017
April
$m
ACTUAL
2016-2017
YTD April
$m
MYEFO Profile
2016-2017
YTD April
$m
MYEFO ESTIMATE*
2016-2017
Full Year $m
Revenue     
Taxation revenue1, 239,122317,235314,463386,345
Sales of goods and services 7317,0787,1318,905
Interest income 3203,0093,0233,771
Dividend income 2512,7792,1932,687
Other 1,4169,1967,9249,404
Total revenue 41,840339,297334,735411,112
Expenses     
Gross operating expenses     
Wages and salaries(a) 1,51315,83616,25120,060
Superannuation 7808,2248,1999,720
Depreciation and amortisation 9447,0516,6287,855
Supply of goods and services 6,70471,82371,97987,762
Other operating expenses(a) 5064,7594,6815,572
Total gross operating expenses 10,447107,694107,738130,969
Superannuation interest expense 7467,4647,1528,446
Interest expenses 1,46314,17714,15917,637
Current transfers     
Current grants 9,632113,032113,019135,615
Subsidy expenses 1,07310,89811,03713,509
Personal benefits 10,118108,483109,721129,749
Total current transfers 20,823232,413233,777278,873
Capital transfers     
Mutually agreed write-downs 871,0301,2431,479
Other capital grants 4435,0768,22411,239
Total capital transfers 5306,1079,46712,718
Total expenses334,009367,854372,294448,642
Net operating balance 7,831-28,557-37,559-37,530
Other economic flows     
- included in operating result     
Net write-downs of assets (including bad and doubtful debts) -1,449-9,092-7,139-8,178
Assets recognised for the first time 17250283328
Liabilities recognised for the first time 0000
Actuarial revaluations 000-8
Net foreign exchange gains -6381,2731-187
Net swap interest received 381344545
Market valuation of debt -3,24317,29924,09924,243
Other gains/(losses) 2,5994,4193,4664,558
Total other economic flows
- included in operating result
 -2,67714,28320,75420,801
Operating Result(b) -5,154-14,274-16,805-16,728
Non-owner movements in equity     
Revaluation of equity investments(c) -13-70-4,846
Actuarial revaluations 0011,665
Other economic revaluations(d) -15410,99012,186175
Total other economic flows
- included in equity
 -16710,98312,187-3,006
Comprehensive result
- Total change in net worth
 4,987-3,291-4,618-19,734
Net operating balance 7,831-28,557-37,559-37,530
Net acquisition of non-financial assets     
Purchases of non-financial assets 9848,5118,19112,284
less Sales of non-financial assets -292208118897
less Depreciation 9447,0516,6287,855
plus Change in inventories 17615750421
plus Other movements in non-financial assets -572270
Total net acquisition of non-financial assets 5031,4801,5213,953
Fiscal balance (Net lending/borrowing)(e) 7,328-30,037-39,080-41,482

*As published in the 2016-17 MYEFO.
(a) Consistent with Australian Bureau of Statistics' (ABS) Government Finance Statistics (GFS) classification, other employee related expenses are reported under other operating expenses.  Total employee expenses equal wages and salaries plus other operating expenses.
(b) Operating result under Australian Accounting Standards.
(c) Reflects changes in the market valuation of investments and any revaluations at the point of disposal or sale.
(d) Largely reflects other revaluation of assets and liabilities.
(e) The term fiscal balance is not used by the ABS.

Australian Government general government sector balance sheet

 ACTUAL
as at 30 April 2017
$m
MYEFO ESTIMATE*
as at 30 June 2017
$m
Assets  
Financial assets  
Cash and deposits6,0652,942
Advances paid55,97459,987
Investments, loans and placements173,842177,400
Other receivables56,29747,959
Equity investments  
Investments in other public sector entities53,36051,944
Equity accounted investments292299
Investments - shares42,48143,343
Total financial assets388,311383,874
Non-financial assets  
Land10,53610,613
Buildings25,70825,982
Plant, equipment and infrastructure71,48773,645
Inventories8,6028,499
Intangibles7,2358,097
Investment property141164
Biological assets4249
Heritage and cultural assets11,50111,413
Assets held for sale238227
Other non-financial assets174112
Total non-financial assets135,664138,801
Total assets523,976522,675
Liabilities  
Interest bearing liabilities  
Deposits held230217
Government securities535,195540,184
Loans16,16515,455
Other borrowing1,6741,666
Total interest bearing liabilities553,265557,522
Provisions and payables  
Superannuation liability(a)323,138175,047
Other employee liabilities18,74918,638
Suppliers payable3,5606,358
Personal benefits provisions and payable13,40812,677
Subsidies provisions and payable477931
Grants provisions and payable10,99311,710
Other provisions and payables22,24120,513
Total provisions and payables392,566245,874
Total liabilities945,831803,396
Net worth(b)-421,856-280,721
Net financial worth(c)-557,520-419,522
Net financial liabilities(d)610,880471,466
Net debt(e)317,384317,193

*As published in the 2016-17 MYEFO.
(a) For budget reporting purposes, a discount rate applied by actuaries in preparing Long Term Cost Reports is used to value the superannuation liability. This reduces the volatility in reported liabilities that would occur from year to year if the long-term government bond rate were used. Consistent with Australian Accounting Standards, the long-term government bond rate as at 30 June is used to calculate the superannuation liability for the purpose of actuals reporting.
(b) Net worth is calculated as total assets minus total liabilities.
(c) Net financial worth equals total financial assets minus total liabilities.
(d) Net financial liabilities equals total liabilities less financial assets other than investments in other public sector entities.
(e) Net debt equals the sum of deposits held, government securities, loans and other borrowing, minus the sum of cash and deposits, advances paid, and investments, loans and placements.

Australian Government general government sector cash flow statement(a)

 ACTUAL
2016-2017
April
$m
ACTUAL
2016-2017
YTD April
$m
MYEFO Profile
2016-2017
YTD April
$m
MYEFO ESTIMATE*
2016-2017
Full Year $m
Cash receipts from operating activities    
Taxes received35,328303,549304,893378,756
Receipts from sales of goods and services6546,8816,7458,766
Interest receipts2172,4702,4472,990
Dividends and income tax equivalents3216,0885,4845,828
Other receipts1,1647,9347,9098,673
Total operating receipts37,685326,922327,479405,013
Cash payments for operating activities    
Payments for employees-2,154-22,169-21,910-28,259
Payments for goods and services-5,848-72,480-72,471-87,328
Grants and subsidies paid-11,317-128,815-131,612-159,698
Interest paid-3,937-13,470-13,538-15,377
Personal benefit payments-10,088-110,023-111,082-132,884
Other payments-508-5,156-4,338-5,235
Total operating payments-33,852-352,114-354,952-428,781
Net cash flows from operating activities3,833-25,192-27,473-23,768
Cash flows from investments in non-financial assets    
Sales of non-financial assets431876382,337
Purchases of non-financial assets-725-7,928-8,318-12,282
Net cash flows from investments in non-financial assets-683-7,741-7,681-9,945
Net cash flows from investments in financial assets for policy purposes-1,054-11,219-13,848-18,792
Cash flows from investments in financial assets for liquidity purposes    
Increase in investments-4,166-22,108-12,397-27,724
Net cash flows from investments in financial assets for liquidity purposes-4,166-22,108-12,397-27,724
Cash flows from financing activities    
Borrowing (net)4,45371,47868,32282,682
Other financing (net)-801-2,792-2,760-3,149
Net cash flows from financing activities3,65168,68765,56279,533
Net increase/(decrease) in cash held1,5822,4274,163-696
Net cash flows from operating activities and investments in non-financial assets (Surplus(+)/deficit(-))3,151-32,933-35,154-33,713
Finance leases and similar arrangements(b)0-9-30
GFS cash surplus(+)/deficit(-)3,151-32,942-35,156-33,713
less Net Future Fund earnings3223,1352,4982,801
Equals underlying cash balance(c)2,829-36,078-37,654-36,514
plus Net cash flows from investments in financial assets for policy purposes-1,054-11,219-13,848-18,792
plus Net Future Fund earnings3223,1352,4982,801
Equals headline cash balance2,097-44,161-49,005-52,505

*As published in the 2016-17 MYEFO.
(a) A positive number denotes a cash inflow; a negative sign denotes a cash outflow.
(b) The acquisition of assets under finance leases decreases the underlying cash balance. The disposal of assets previously held under finance leases increases the underlying cash.
(c) The term underlying cash balance is not used by the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

Note 1: Income Tax

 ACTUAL
2016-2017
April
$m
ACTUAL
2016-2017
YTD April
$m
MYEFO Profile
2016-2017
YTD April
$m
MYEFO ESTIMATE*
2016-2017
Full Year $m
 
Individuals and other withholding taxes0000 
Gross income tax withholding13,901149,324150,129180,680 
Gross other individuals6,95936,49935,81646,700 
less Refunds1,02825,68526,23828,900 
Total individuals and other withholding taxation19,833160,139159,707198,480 
Fringe benefits tax9744,0434,1694,540 
Company tax7,64156,98654,66568,700 
Superannuation funds8677,1497,0078,080 
Resource rent taxes227971893920 
Total income taxation revenue29,541229,287226,439280,720 

*As published in the 2016-17 MYEFO.

Note 2: Indirect Tax

 ACTUAL
2016-2017
April
$m
ACTUAL
2016-2017
YTD April
$m
MYEFO Profile
2016-2017
YTD April
$m
MYEFO ESTIMATE*
2016-2017
Full Year $m
 
Goods and services tax6,16852,49953,03162,410 
Wine equalisation tax67703754910 
Luxury car tax64557520640 
Excise duty1,71618,05817,78121,410 
Customs duty1,15011,09911,17614,260 
Other indirect tax4175,0334,7625,995 
Total indirect taxation revenue9,58287,94988,024105,625 

*As published in the 2016-17 MYEFO.

Note 3: Total expenses by function

 ACTUAL
2016-2017
April
$m
ACTUAL
2016-2017
YTD April
$m
MYEFO ESTIMATE*
2016-2017
Full Year $m
Expenses by function   
General public services1,88321,25226,991
Defence2,56222,35726,816
Public order and safety4384,0055,117
Education1,76628,69833,339
Health5,38060,04672,842
Social security and welfare12,537128,792155,792
Housing and community amenities3593,5075,131
Recreation and culture2732,7353,532
Fuel and energy5805,5886,874
Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing1821,9252,914
Mining, manufacturing and construction2982,9934,052
Transport and communication(a)665,68110,296
Other economic affairs5897,3959,866
Other purposes   
Public debt interest1,39313,25615,984
Nominal superannuation interest7467,4648,446
General purpose inter-government transactions4,95752,16262,696
Natural disaster relief0032
Contingency reserve00-2,077
Total expenses34,009367,854448,642

*As published in the 2016-17 MYEFO.

 

NOTES: 

Australian Accounting Standard 1049

The Australian Government monthly financial statements have been prepared on a basis consistent with the Budget as required under section 47 of the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013. The statements are prepared in accordance with the Australian Accounting Standards Board 1049 – Whole of Government and General Government Sector Financial Reporting (AASB 1049), which require treatment based on the Australian Bureau of Statistics’ (ABS) Government Finance Statistics (GFS) except where Australian Accounting Standards (AAS) provide a better conceptual treatment for specific items. Departures are limited to complying with either ABS GFS or AAS.

Taxation revenue

While total tax collections are known with certainty at the end of each month, the distribution across the relevant heads of revenue cannot be finalised until all business activity statements are received and processed. The outcomes for some revenue items provided in this statement are therefore estimates, in accordance with the best judgement of the Commissioner of Taxation, and subject to revision. The taxation revenue items not affected are: petroleum resource rent tax, excise duty, customs duty, other taxes and individuals refunds.

Style conventions

Figures in tables and generally in the text have been rounded. Discrepancies in tables between totals and sums of components are due to rounding.

International Monetary Fund Special Data Dissemination Standards

The Government is committed to releasing the monthly financial statements in a timely fashion and will endeavour to do so in accordance with International Monetary Fund (IMF) Special Data Dissemination Standards (SDDS). Under these standards the timeframe for releasing the monthly financial statements is by the end of the following month. Australia applies a special flexibility option which allows it to publish late the last and first month of a financial year.

In accordance with the IMF SDDS, the approximate date of release of the data on debt guaranteed by the Australian Government (central government), is given on the IMF’s Data Dissemination Advance Release Calendar http://dsbb.imf.org. Monthly and quarterly data on debt guaranteed by the Australian Government (central government) that meet the coverage and timeliness requirements of the SDDS are published on the Australian Office of Financial Management website at http://aofm.gov.au/cgs-quarterly/quarterly-data-march-2017/.

Electronic access to monthly financial statements 

The Australian Government general government sector monthly financial statements and the historical series are available in electronic format at:

http://data.gov.au/dataset/australian-government-general-government-sector-monthly-financial-statements-tables-and-data.

Media Contact(s)

Karen Wu - 0428 350 139