Where does Australian government spending go?
Every year the Australian Government publishes how much it plans to spend, split by function. This page shows the 2026-27 Budget expenses as a share of every $100 spent, so you can see how much goes to social security, health, education, defence and the rest. It is spending, not tax: the Government is paid for by tax and other revenue.
Spending by function, per $100
| Function | Per $100 spent | Total ($ million) |
|---|
How to read the categories
The categories are the Government's own functional classification from Budget Paper No. 1. The "Other purposes" line is mostly money passed on to the states and territories and interest on government debt, so it is not a single program. For your own tax, the take-home pay calculator shows how much tax you pay and where it sits against government spending.
Common questions
Is this where my tax goes?
Roughly, in proportion. Tax is one of several sources of revenue and goes into the general budget, not to individual programs, so this is the best simple picture of how government spending is split.
Which year is it?
The 2026-27 Budget, using total expenses from Budget Paper No. 1. The figures are estimates the Government published.
Does it include state spending?
No. This is the Australian Government only. States and territories spend on schools, hospitals and police from their own budgets and from grants listed here.