Financial Performance of Government Trading Enterprises 2000-01 to 2004-05
Commission research paper
This commission research paper was released on 20 July 2006.
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Government trading enterprises (GTEs) provide services in key sectors of the economy — including electricity, water, urban transport, railways, ports and forestry. In 2004 05, the 85 GTEs monitored in this report controlled assets valued at more than $186 billion and generated $63 billion in revenue.
Aggregate profitability increased in the electricity, water and urban transport sectors in 2004-05 compared with the previous year. Profitability declined in the railways, forestry and ports sectors.
Over a five year period, the profitability of the 54 GTEs (excluding Telstra) monitored continuously since 2000 01 improved, with the aggregate return on assets increasing from 6.8 per cent in 2000 01 to 8 per cent in 2005 04.
Nearly half of the currently monitored GTEs earned less than the long-term bond rate in 2004 05. An even greater proportion failed to earn a commercial rate of return (which includes a margin for risk), suggesting impediments to improved performance remain for most GTEs.
In total, the 85 currently monitored GTEs made dividend payments to owner governments of almost $4.8 billion in 2004 05 ($2.7 billion excluding Telstra). Tax and tax-equivalent payments to governments totalled $3.4 billion ($1.6 billion excluding Telstra).
The average degree of financial leverage or 'gearing' of GTEs has declined over the last ten years and is generally lower than that of private sector utilities.
- However, there is a paucity of information that would allow the community to assess the appropriateness of GTE capital structures.
Government ownership and government borrowing arrangements attenuate the incentives to maximise shareholder return and operational efficiency that flow from appropriate capital structures and market engagement.
Recent equity withdrawals by governments — one means of restructuring business capital — do not appear to have significantly affected financial performance.
- Notwithstanding this, transparency (and therefore accountability) associated with the transactions remains below private sector reporting requirements.