Budget & National Debt

Fifty years of federal finances — what the government raised, what it spent, whether the year ended in surplus or deficit, and how gross and net debt have grown.

Final budget outcomes & MYEFO · Last updated: 30 September 2025

Largest single-year deficit

$33.8bn

2022–23 — the biggest gap between spending and revenue in the series

Latest revenue

$795.7bn

2024–25

Latest balance

$11.9bn

Surplus

Gross debt

$625.9bn

15.2% of GDP

Surplus vs deficit years

20 / 30

Since 1975–76

Revenue, expenditure & balance

One combined view — tap a series to overlay or hide it

Revenue vs expenditure

Actual federal receipts and payments each financial year

Surplus & deficit

Final budget balance — green above the line, red below

Gross & net debt

Total government debt outstanding

Debt-to-GDP

Gross debt as a percentage of GDP

A negative balance is a deficit (the government spent more than it raised that year); a positive balance is a surplus. Debt figures are stock measures at year end, while revenue, expenditure and balance are flows over the financial year.

Year-by-year figures

50 records

2024–25

Revenue
$795.7bn
Expenditure
$783.7bn
Balance
$11.9bn
Gross debt
$625.9bn
Debt / GDP
15.2%

2023–24

Revenue
$736.7bn
Expenditure
$730.8bn
Balance
$5.9bn
Gross debt
$630.8bn
Debt / GDP
16.7%

2022–23

Revenue
$675.9bn
Expenditure
$709.7bn
Balance
-$33.8bn
Gross debt
$633.7bn
Debt / GDP
18.3%

2021–22

Revenue
$631.7bn
Expenditure
$624.1bn
Balance
$7.6bn
Gross debt
$598.9bn
Debt / GDP
18.6%

2020–21

Revenue
$574.3bn
Expenditure
$578.8bn
Balance
-$4.6bn
Gross debt
$476.5bn
Debt / GDP
16.4%

2019–20

Revenue
$526.8bn
Expenditure
$514.2bn
Balance
$12.6bn
Gross debt
$338.9bn
Debt / GDP
12.8%

2018–19

Revenue
$478.9bn
Expenditure
$471.8bn
Balance
$7.2bn
Gross debt
$351.5bn
Debt / GDP
14.6%

2017–18

Revenue
$451.8bn
Expenditure
$468.1bn
Balance
-$16.3bn
Gross debt
$356.7bn
Debt / GDP
15.8%

2016–17

Revenue
$407.1bn
Expenditure
$396.9bn
Balance
$10.2bn
Gross debt
$338.5bn
Debt / GDP
16.7%

2015–16

Revenue
$391.4bn
Expenditure
$388.3bn
Balance
$3.1bn
Gross debt
$340.6bn
Debt / GDP
17.6%

2014–15

Revenue
$365.8bn
Expenditure
$365.8bn
Balance
$0
Gross debt
$341.8bn
Debt / GDP
19.0%

2013–14

Revenue
$345.1bn
Expenditure
$363.4bn
Balance
-$18.3bn
Gross debt
$341.8bn
Debt / GDP
20.2%

2012–13

Revenue
$325.6bn
Expenditure
$337.6bn
Balance
-$12bn
Gross debt
$320.5bn
Debt / GDP
20.2%

2011–12

Revenue
$313bn
Expenditure
$326.2bn
Balance
-$13.1bn
Gross debt
$308.4bn
Debt / GDP
20.3%

2010–11

Revenue
$289.8bn
Expenditure
$293.9bn
Balance
-$4.1bn
Gross debt
$288.3bn
Debt / GDP
20.6%

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