Welfare spending by governments, non-government community
services organisations and households was nearly $80 billion in
2003-04 according to the Australian Institute of Health and
Welfare's latest expenditure report, Welfare Expenditure
Australia 2003-04.
Mr John Goss of the Institute's Expenditure and Economics Unit
said this is an increase of 15%, or more than $10 billion since
2002-03.
Welfare expenditure on older people accounted for the largest
share of the $80 billion total ($28 billion) followed by families
and children ($27 billion) and people with disabilities ($14
billion). The remaining $11 billion was spent on a range of other
groups.
Of the $80 billion welfare expenditure, $20 billion was spent on
welfare services - an increase of $2.4 billion, and an 8.3%
increase over the previous year.
'This was higher than the growth in any year in the last five
years, and was mostly due to a 38% increase in funding from
non-government community services organisations,' Mr Goss said.
Welfare services for older people was the area of most rapid
growth in funding by the Australian Government, averaging 11% per
year from 1998-99 to 2003-04.
On a per person basis, expenditure on welfare services (in
current price terms) in 200304 was $1,006, up from $655 in
1998-99.
Almost half of the expenditure incurred by non-government
community services organisations was funded by governments with a
further 25% funded by clients' fees for services, and 26% from the
non-government community services organisations own funding
sources.
The greatest percentage of household contributions (83%) was in
the form of client fees for services provided by non-government
community service organisations. An additional 10% was spent on
services provided by governments, and the remaining 7% for informal
child care.
In 2003-04, total welfare concessions to households (including
Australian Government tax expenditures) were estimated at $22.2
billion. Most of this (92.8%) was in the form of Australian
Government social tax expenditures or tax exemptions for
individuals. About three-quarters of this amount went to older
people with the remainder going to families and others, such as low
income earners.
7 September 2006
Further information: Mr John Goss, AIHW, tel.
02 6244 1151, or mob. 0402 346 379.
Ms Maneerat Pinyopusarerk, AIHW, tel. 02 6244 1161.
For media copies of the report: Publications
Officer, AIHW, tel. 61 2 6244 1032.
Availability: Check the AIHW Publications
Catalogue for availability of the Welfare Expenditure
Australia 2003-04 report.