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 January 2018

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

Date

KEY POINTS

  • The underlying cash balance for the 2017-18 financial year to 31 January 2018 was a deficit of $28,170 million.
  • The fiscal balance for the 2017-18 financial year to 31 January 2018 was a deficit of $24,979 million.
AGGREGATESACTUAL
2017-2018
January
$m
ACTUAL
2017-2018
YTD January
$m
MYEFO Profile
2017-2018
YTD January
$m
MYEFO ESTIMATE*
2017-2018
FULL YEAR
$m
Revenue31,823244,453240,260448,702
Expenses40,333269,148272,266466,937
Net operating balance-8,510-24,695-32,006-18,235
Net capital investment477284-612193
Fiscal balance-8,986-24,979-31,394-18,428
Receipts(a)30,605239,694234,818437,075
less Payments(b)36,552265,196266,818457,606
less Net Future Fund earnings2752,6682,3163,076
Underlying cash balance(c)-6,222-28,170-34,316-23,608
Headline cash balance-8,261-33,319-39,884-39,573
Total assets 514,760 537,962
Total liabilities 923,148 848,622
Net worth(d) -408,388 -310,660
Net debt(e) 353,359 343,778

*As published in the 2017-18 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.

Comparators for the January 2018 monthly financial statements are based on the 2017-18 Mid-Year Economic and Fiscal Outlook published in December 2017. 

FISCAL OUTCOMES

Underlying Cash Balance

The underlying cash balance for the financial year to 31 January 2018 was a deficit of $28,170 million, which is $6,146 million lower than the 2017-18 MYEFO profile deficit of $34,316 million.

  • Receipts
    Total receipts were $4,876 million higher than the 2017-18 MYEFO profile.
  • Payments
    Total payments were $1,622 million lower than the 2017-18 MYEFO profile.

Net Operating Balance

The net operating balance for the year to 31 January 2018 was a deficit of $24,695 million, which is $7,311 million lower than the 2017-18 MYEFO profile deficit of $32,006 million. The difference primarily results from higher than expected revenue and lower expenses.

Fiscal Balance

The fiscal balance for the year to 31 January 2018 was a deficit of $24,979 million, which is $6,415 million lower than the 2017-18 MYEFO profile deficit of $31,394 million. As with the net operating balance, the difference primarily results from higher than expected revenue and lower expenses.

Assets and Liabilities

As at 31 January 2018:

  • Net worth is negative $408,388 million;
  • Net debt is $353,359 million; and
  • Net financial liabilities are $600,929 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
2017-2018
January
$m
ACTUAL
2017-2018
YTD January
$m
MYEFO Profile
2017-2018
YTD January
$m
MYEFO ESTIMATE*
2017-2018
FULL YEAR
$m
Revenue     
Taxation revenue1, 229,845228,994225,473421,508
Sales of goods and services 7875,5405,73610,491
Interest income 3042,1451,8773,580
Dividend income 1992,3611,9503,112
Other 6895,4135,22410,012
Total revenue 31,823244,453240,260448,702
Expenses     
Gross operating expenses     
Wages and salaries(a) 1,47611,08711,45520,083
Superannuation 1,0574,3934,1737,748
Depreciation and amortisation 6554,9395,5649,507
Supply of goods and services 6,21956,80958,019104,308
Other operating expenses(a) 4943,7033,3615,832
Total gross operating expenses 9,90180,93082,571147,478
Superannuation interest expense 7985,7905,6089,240
Interest expenses 1,53810,33710,35918,027
Current transfers     
Current grants 15,48784,02284,848140,142
Subsidy expenses 9466,7846,77911,869
Personal benefits 10,03876,43176,758128,483
Total current transfers 26,471167,237168,385280,495
Capital transfers     
Mutually agreed write-downs 1011,4841,4411,913
Other capital grants 1,5243,3693,9029,784
Total capital transfers 1,6254,8535,34311,697
Total expenses340,333269,148272,266466,937
Net operating balance -8,510-24,695-32,006-18,235
Other economic flows     
- included in operating result     
Net write-downs of assets (including bad and doubtful debts) -152-3,844-4,307-7,852
Assets recognised for the first time -23121119204
Actuarial revaluations 232758
Net foreign exchange gains 8711,4020-64
Net swap interest received 24182204250
Market valuation of debt 4,0556,059-2,260-1,303
Other gains/(losses) 3,0572,7932,3597,443
Total other economic flows
- included in operating result
 7,8556,739-3,881-1,314
Operating Result (b) -654-17,956-35,886-19,549
Non-owner movements in equity     
Revaluation of equity investments(c) 269-125-2,055-6,231
Actuarial revaluations 0038-2,274
Other economic revaluations(d) 1,6258139-302
Total other economic flows
- included in equity
 1,894687-2,008-8,807
Comprehensive result
- Total change in net worth
 1,240-17,268-37,894-28,355
Net operating balance -8,510-24,695-32,006-18,235
Net acquisition of non-financial assets     
Purchases of non-financial assets 1,0637,1796,44012,993
less Sales of non-financial assets 851,9361,5823,699
less Depreciation 6554,9395,5649,507
plus Change in inventories 106-57114405
plus Other movements in non-financial assets 4737-201
Total net acquisition of non-financial assets 477284-612193
Fiscal balance (Net lending/borrowing)(e) -8,986-24,979-31,394-18,428

*As published in the 2017-18 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 31 January 2018
$m
MYEFO ESTIMATE*
as at 30 June 2018
$m
Assets  
Financial assets  
Cash and deposits7,3964,400
Advances paid50,04863,049
Investments, loans and placements159,279186,430
Other receivables53,29053,945
Equity investments  
Investments in other public sector entities52,10246,725
Equity accounted investments79200
Investments - shares52,12842,546
Total financial assets374,322397,295
Non-financial assets  
Land11,02910,882
Buildings25,39926,280
Plant, equipment and infrastructure75,89174,670
Inventories8,3678,538
Intangibles7,5738,381
Investment property159113
Biological assets4854
Heritage and cultural assets11,67811,601
Assets held for sale19686
Other non-financial assets9761
Total non-financial assets140,438140,666
Total assets514,760537,962
Liabilities  
Interest bearing liabilities  
Deposits held214218
Government securities552,474580,340
Loans15,71615,518
Other borrowing1,6781,582
Total interest bearing liabilities570,082597,658
Provisions and payables  
Superannuation liability(a)284,553181,257
Other employee liabilities18,48818,600
Suppliers payables5,4048,015
Personal benefits payables3,0202,993
Subsidies payables342554
Grants payables2,9423,350
Other payables4,3052,183
Provisions34,01234,012
Total provisions and payables353,066250,964
Total liabilities923,148848,622
Net worth(b)-408,388-310,660
Net financial worth(c)-548,826-451,326
Net financial liabilities(d)600,929498,052
Net debt(e)353,359343,778

*As published in the 2017-18 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, that best matches each individual scheme's liability duration, 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
2017-2018
January
$m
ACTUAL
2017-2018
YTD January
$m
MYEFO Profile
2017-2018
YTD January
$m
MYEFO ESTIMATE*
2017-2018
FULL YEAR
$m
Cash receipts from operating activities    
Taxes received26,819221,174217,735409,350
Receipts from sales of goods and services1,1305,7596,13010,609
Interest receipts2352,1041,7433,249
Dividends and income tax equivalents2473,5153,1874,174
Other receipts6455,4745,3288,305
Total operating receipts29,076238,026234,123435,686
Cash payments for operating activities    
Payments for employees-2,243-15,477-15,983-28,917
Payments for goods and services-6,403-57,746-57,345-101,030
Grants and subsidies paid-17,370-95,119-96,326-162,144
Interest paid-734-8,945-9,107-16,623
Personal benefit payments-8,756-77,542-78,119-130,231
Other payments-446-3,995-3,434-5,498
Total operating payments-35,952-258,824-260,314-444,443
Net cash flows from operating activities-6,876-20,798-26,191-8,757
Cash flows from investments in non-financial assets    
Sales of non-financial assets1,5291,6686951,389
Purchases of non-financial assets-600-6,281-6,504-13,163
Net cash flows from investments in non-financial assets929-4,613-5,809-11,774
Net cash flows from investments in financial assets for policy purposes-2,314-7,817-7,884-19,042
Cash flows from investments in financial assets for liquidity purposes    
Increase in investments13,07625,63236,8828,165
Net cash flows from investments in financial assets for liquidity purposes13,07625,63236,8828,165
Cash flows from financing activities    
Borrowing (net)-4,00111,70910,47433,746
Other financing (net)-333-1,823-1,408-3,076
Net cash flows from financing activities-4,3349,8869,06630,669
Net increase/(decrease) in cash held4812,2906,064-739
GFS cash surplus(+)/deficit(-)(b)(c)-5,947-25,411-32,000-20,531
less Finance leases and similar arrangements(d)09100
less Net Future Fund earnings2752,6682,3163,076
Equals underlying cash balance(e)-6,222-28,170-34,316-23,608
plus Net cash flows from investments in financial assets for policy purposes-2,314-7,817-7,884-19,042
plus Net Future Fund earnings2752,6682,3163,076
Equals headline cash balance-8,261-33,319-39,884-39,573

*As published in the 2017-18 MYEFO.
(a) A positive number denotes a cash inflow; a negative sign denotes a cash outflow.
(b) Due to the implementation of the 2015 ABS GFS Manual in the 2017-18 Budget, finance leases are no longer deducted in the derivation of the GFS cash surplus/deficit.
(c) GFS cash surplus/deficit equals net cash flows from operating activities and investments in non-financial assets.
(d) The acquisition of assets under finance leases worsens the underlying cash balance. The disposal of assets previously held under finance leases improves the underlying cash balance.
(e) The term underlying cash balance is not used by the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

Note 1: Income Tax

 ACTUAL
2017-2018
January
$m
ACTUAL
2017-2018
YTD January
$m
MYEFO Profile
2017-2018
YTD January
$m
MYEFO ESTIMATE*
2017-2018
FULL YEAR
$m
 
Individuals and other withholding taxes     
Gross income tax withholding13,871109,697109,183190,600 
Gross other individuals1,72420,91920,56847,800 
less Refunds1,20223,10523,25029,200 
Total individuals and other withholding taxation14,393107,511106,501209,200 
Fringe benefits tax7862,7082,6294,080 
Company tax7,05247,04145,99683,800 
Superannuation fund taxes507,7807,57510,570 
Petroleum resource rent tax2408398091,030 
Total income taxation revenue22,521165,880163,510308,680 

*As published in the 2017-18 MYEFO.

Note 2: Indirect Tax

 ACTUAL
2017-2018
January
$m
ACTUAL
2017-2018
YTD January
$m
MYEFO Profile
2017-2018
YTD January
$m
MYEFO ESTIMATE*
2017-2018
FULL YEAR
$m
 
Goods and services tax3,35536,40035,57365,560 
Wine equalisation tax83518525920 
Luxury car tax57440401680 
Excise duty1,94013,44413,40022,350 
Customs duty1,3208,2038,05414,800 
Other indirect tax5694,1094,0108,518 
Total indirect taxation revenue7,32463,11461,963112,828 

*As published in the 2017-18 MYEFO.

Note 3: Total expenses by function

 ACTUAL
2017-2018
January
$m
ACTUAL
2017-2018
YTD January
$m
MYEFO ESTIMATE*
2017-2018
FULL YEAR
$m
Expenses by function   
General public services2,98313,90524,371
Defence1,74816,14531,022
Public order and safety6633,0945,249
Education7,71623,87733,793
Health5,75543,64575,942
Social security and welfare11,12594,752163,953
Housing and community amenities5032,5925,383
Recreation and culture691,7973,731
Fuel and energy6094,0047,393
Agriculture, forestry and fishing2581,3413,027
Mining, manufacturing and construction2382,0073,557
Transport and communication4053,2959,389
Other economic affairs7265,69710,106
Other purposes   
Public debt interest1,4559,88616,959
Nominal superannuation interest7985,7909,240
General purpose inter-government transactions5,28137,32164,347
Natural disaster relief0012
Contingency reserve00-538
Total expenses40,333269,148466,937

*As published in the 2017-18 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/.

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