Capital spending, Ratio of this level of government's expenditure on in Australia

Australia: Capital spending, Ratio of this level of government's expenditure on was 0.1922 in 2020. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2020)
0.1922
Change on year
up 7.1%
World rank
69th
of 78 countries
All-time high
0.3688
in 1992
All-time low
-0.6349
in 2000
Years of data
45
1972–2020

Capital spending, Ratio of this level of government's expenditure on in Australia, 1972–2020

-0.75-0.5-0.2500.251972199620201972: 0.1241973: 0.1251974: 0.1341975: 0.1771976: 0.1871977: 0.1691978: 0.1261979: 0.0941980: 0.1051981: 0.0661982: 0.1131983: 0.1471984: 0.1281985: 0.3381986: 0.3441987: 0.3551988: 0.3191989: 0.3441990: 0.3491991: 0.3451992: 0.3691993: 0.3211994: 0.3131999: 0.0992000: -0.6352001: 0.0422002: 0.1492003: 0.2052004: 0.2712005: 0.3042006: 0.3322007: 0.2752008: 0.2852009: 0.2872010: 0.2712011: 0.2632012: 0.282013: 0.0882014: 0.2622015: 0.3132016: 0.1962017: 0.0542018: 0.1652019: 0.182020: 0.192

Source: International Monetary Fund.

Analysis

In 2020, capital spending, ratio of this level of government's expenditure on in Australia stood at 0.1922.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 7.1% on the previous year and down 29.1% over ten years.

Over the whole period, capital spending, ratio of this level of government's expenditure on in Australia peaked at 0.3688 in 1992 and was at its lowest, -0.6349, in 2000.

That places Australia 69th out of 78 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the bottom quarter.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

Capital spending, Ratio of this level of government's expenditure on in Australia, year by year

Annual values for Capital spending, Ratio of this level of government's expenditure on this item to total general government expenditure on this, Percent (Central government) in Australia, 1972 to 2020.
Year Value Change
1972 0.124
1973 0.1249 +0.7%
1974 0.1337 +7.0%
1975 0.177 +32.4%
1976 0.187 +5.6%
1977 0.1688 -9.7%
1978 0.126 -25.3%
1979 0.0945 -25.0%
1980 0.1046 +10.7%
1981 0.066 -36.9%
1982 0.1132 +71.6%
1983 0.1472 +30.0%
1984 0.1285 -12.7%
1985 0.3382 +163.2%
1986 0.3442 +1.8%
1987 0.355 +3.1%
1988 0.3189 -10.2%
1989 0.3441 +7.9%
1990 0.3494 +1.6%
1991 0.3448 -1.3%
1992 0.3688 +7.0%
1993 0.3208 -13.0%
1994 0.3129 -2.4%
1999 0.0987 -68.5%
2000 -0.6349 -743.2%
2001 0.0421 -106.6%
2002 0.1488 +253.3%
2003 0.2047 +37.6%
2004 0.2711 +32.5%
2005 0.3045 +12.3%
2006 0.3323 +9.1%
2007 0.275 -17.3%
2008 0.2853 +3.8%
2009 0.287 +0.6%
2010 0.271 -5.6%
2011 0.2626 -3.1%
2012 0.2802 +6.7%
2013 0.0882 -68.5%
2014 0.2624 +197.6%
2015 0.3133 +19.4%
2016 0.1957 -37.6%
2017 0.054 -72.4%
2018 0.1651 +205.6%
2019 0.1796 +8.8%
2020 0.1922 +7.1%

Australia compared with similar countries

  • Australia's 0.1922 is below the median for high income countries, which is 0.5506, 35% of the median. (42 countries reporting)
  • Australia's 0.1922 is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 0.6327, 30% of the median. (10 countries reporting)

Biggest year-on-year movements

Years where Capital spending, Ratio of this level of government's expenditure on in Australia changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.

YearChange FromTo
2000 -743.2% 0.0987 -0.6349
2002 +253.3% 0.0421 0.1488
2018 +205.6% 0.054 0.1651
2014 +197.6% 0.0882 0.2624
1985 +163.2% 0.1285 0.3382

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1970s 0.142 0.0945 0.187 8
1980s 0.226 0.066 0.355 10
1990s 0.2992 0.0987 0.3688 6
2000s 0.1516 -0.6349 0.3323 10
2010s 0.2072 0.054 0.3133 10
2020s 0.1922 0.1922 0.1922 1

Countries ranked near Australia

  1. 66 Guatemala 0.2936 compare
  2. 67 France 0.267 compare
  3. 68 Korea 0.2363 compare
  4. 70 Canada 0.178 compare
  5. 71 United States of America 0.178 compare
  6. 72 Indonesia 0.1603 compare

See the full ranking of 78 places →

More public sector data for Australia

All data for Australia →

Frequently asked questions

What is capital spending, ratio of this level of government's expenditure on in Australia?
Capital spending, ratio of this level of government's expenditure on in Australia was 0.1922 in 2020, according to International Monetary Fund.
What is the highest capital spending, ratio of this level of government's expenditure on recorded in Australia?
The highest recorded value was 0.3688 in 1992.
What is the lowest capital spending, ratio of this level of government's expenditure on recorded in Australia?
The lowest recorded value was -0.6349 in 2000.
How does Australia rank for capital spending, ratio of this level of government's expenditure on?
Australia ranks 69th out of 78 countries with data for 2020.
Is capital spending, ratio of this level of government's expenditure on rising or falling in Australia?
Over the last ten years it is down 29.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Australia data come from?
The figures come from International Monetary Fund, published as part of Capital spending, Ratio of this level of government's expenditure on this item to total general government expenditure on this, Percent (Central government). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Capital spending, Ratio of this level of government's expenditure on in Australia. Statizoid, drawing on International Monetary Fund. Retrieved 15 September 2026, from https://public-sector.statizoid.com/stat/capital-spending-ratio-of-this-level-of-government-s-expenditure-on-this-item-to-total/australia/

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About this data

Indicator
Capital spending, Ratio of this level of government's expenditure on this item to total general government expenditure on this, Percent (Central government)
Source
International Monetary Fund
Licence
IMF Terms and Conditions (attribution required)
Coverage
78 places, 1,624 data points, 1972–2020
Last refreshed

The Fiscal Decentralization dataset includes fiscal decentralization indicators for a sample of IMF member countries. The following indicators are included in the dataset: Revenue and Expenditure Decentralization Shares; Transfer dependency and Vertical Fiscal Imbalances; Deficit and Debt; Allocation of expenditure (economic classification); Allocation of expenditure (functional classification); Allocation of non-Tax Revenues; and Allocation of Taxes.