Government spend on culture remains steady

The ABS Director of Culture, Recreation and Migration Statistics, Andrew Middleton, said the Cultural Funding by Government, Australia release contains estimates of Australian public funding for environmental heritage and arts and cultural activities by the Australian Government, state and territory governments and local governments.

"Government spending for cultural activities was relatively consistent between 2010-11 and 2009-10, with an increase of less than 1 per cent ($21.5m)," said Middleton.

"The federal Government contributed one third ($2,271.6m), state and territory governments contributed nearly half (47 per cent or $3,118.9m) and local government contributed $1,259.9m.

"The highest expenditure of Australian Government funds was for radio and television services with $1,209.2m.

"At the state and territory government level, the highest expenditure of government funds was for environmental heritage, with $1.306.5m.

"The estimate of expenditure by the three tiers of government, in 2010-11, averaged $299.80 per person in Australia which was a fall from $302.30 in 2009-10.

"Recurrent expenditure was $5,771.8m, an increase of 2 per cent from 2009-10, and capital expenditure was $878.4m which was a decrease of 7 per cent from 2009-10" said Middleton.

Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics