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Report on Government Services 2010

This report was released on 29 January 2010. It has been produced by the Steering Committee for the Review of Government Service Provision (SCRGSP). The report has been published in two volumes. Also released with the report are attachment tables. These are not part of the printed report but are available on this web page.

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Media release

The Report on Government Services 2010 is being released. This is the fifteenth edition of the Report, produced by a Steering Committee of senior officials from Australian, State and Territory governments for the Council of Australian Governments (COAG). The Steering Committee is chaired by Gary Banks, Chairman of the Productivity Commission.

Mr Banks observed that the Report promotes open and informed debate about the performance of government services across the country. 'The information in this Report is important to us all: everyone relies on government services at different stages of their lives. Such services are particularly important for the more disadvantaged members of society. Improving government services is therefore important to the community. It is also important economically. Governments spent over $136 billion on the services covered in this year's Report, equivalent to around 13 per cent of Australia's national income'.

During 2009, COAG endorsed a high level officials' review of the Report, which found that it had made an important contribution and should continue to be the key tool to measure and report on the efficiency and effectiveness of government services. There is a link to the review report on the Steering Committee website.

Gary Banks drew attention to significant improvements in this year's Report, including alignment of education and training performance indicators with those in the related National Agreements. (The Steering Committee collates National Agreement performance information for the COAG Reform Council.)

Other improvements in the Report include new information on access to aged care residential services for veterans, new juvenile justice performance indicators, enhancement of the Health preface to include data on risk factors, and new data on housing access and affordability.

Reporting on services to Indigenous Australians has improved over recent years and remains a priority. Developments in this Report include: enhanced reporting of participation by Indigenous people in the VET system, and additional reporting of Indigenous recipients of Extended Aged Care at Home Dementia services.

Further information on each service covered by the Report is summarised in the attached Fact Sheets. Improvements in the 2010 Report are outlined in chapter 2 'Recent developments in the Report'. The most recent data and any errata will appear on the Steering Committee's web page.

Factsheets

Errata

The following errata have been issued for the Report on Government Services 2010. All chapters and attachment tables have been amended on the website to reflect these errata.

Part C: Justice Preface

Police expenditure data provided for Victoria have been revised (Errata - Chapter 6: Police services). Police recurrent expenditure for 2008-09 was over stated by $173 million. In addition the corrective services expenditure data provided for the ACT have been revised (see Errata - Chapter 8: Corrective services). Corrective services recurrent expenditure for 2008-09 was under stated by $8 million.

The revisions affect the following:

  • Text on page C.12 and associated table C.5 on page C.13 'Real recurrent expenditure (less revenue from own sources) on justice services by Australian, State and Territory governments (2008-09 dollars)' - reflects the decrease in police recurrent expenditure of $173 million and the increase in corrective services of $8 million in 2008 09. Overall the revisions are reflected by a decrease in the total justice system expenditure of $165 million for 2008-09.
  • Text on page C.13 and associated table C.6 on page C.14 'Real recurrent expenditure (less revenue from own sources) per person on justice services, 2008-09'. The revisions are reflected by:
    • a decrease in recurrent expenditure on police in Victoria ($32 per person), the total justice system in Victoria ($33 per person) and the Australian figure for police ($8 per person)
    • an increase in recurrent expenditure per person on corrective services in the ACT ($23 per person), the total justice system in the ACT ($23 per person) and the Australian figure for corrective services ($1 per person)
    • an overall decrease in the Australian figure for the total justice system ($8 per person).
  • Table C.7 on page C.15 'Real recurrent expenditure (less revenue from own sources) per person on the justice system - time series and growth rates (2008-09 dollars)'. The revisions are reflected by:
    • a decrease in recurrent expenditure per person for Victoria ($33) in 2008-09
    • an increase in recurrent expenditure per person for the ACT ($23) in 2008-09
    • and an overall decrease in the associated Australian figure for 2008-09.

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Chapter and attachment 6: Police services

Data provided for Victoria have been revised. Recurrent expenditure was over-stated by $173 million. The revisions affect the following:

  • Chapter text on page 6.10 and associated figure 6.5 'Real recurrent expenditure per person (less revenue from own sources and payroll tax) on police services (2008-09 dollars)' - reflects the decrease in recurrent expenditure for Victoria per person and the Australian average per person for 2008-09.
  • Attachment table 6A.2 'Police service expenditure, staff and asset descriptors, Victoria' - reflects the decrease in recurrent expenditure for Victoria per person and the Australian average per person for 2008-09.
  • Attachment table 6A.10 'Real recurrent expenditure (less revenue from own sources and payroll tax) on police services (2008-09 dollars)' shows the flow on effects for Victoria, Australia and related average calculations.

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Chapter and attachment 8: Corrective services

Data provided for ACT expenditure have been revised. Total overall recurrent expenditure was underestimated by $8 million across both prisons and community corrections. The associated line items were adjusted accordingly:

  • net operating expenditure and capital costs for prisons increased
  • prison transport and escort services decreased
  • community corrections net operating expenditure increased
  • community corrections capital costs decreased.

The revisions affect the following:

  • Chapter text on page 8.4 relating to the national 'net operating expenditure on corrective services including depreciation' - reflects the increase in expenditure for the ACT.
  • Chapter text and figure 8.1 on page 8.4 relating to 'Real net operating expenditure on prisons and community corrections plus depreciation, per head of population per year (2008-09 dollars)' - reflects the increase in expenditure of $23 per head of the population per year for the ACT for 2008-09 and the associated Australian figure.
  • Chapter text on page 8.23 and associated figure 8.11 on page 8.24 'Total cost per prisoner per day, 2008-09' - reflects the increase in expenditure for the ACT of $110 per prisoner per day and the associated Australian figure.
  • Figure 8.12 on page 8.24 relating to 'Real net operating expenditure per prisoner per day (2008-09 dollars)' - reflects the increase in expenditure for the ACT of $110 per prisoner per day and the associated Australian figure for 2008-09.
  • Figure 8.13 on page 8.25 relating to 'Real net operating expenditure per offender per day (2008-09 dollars) - reflects the increase in expenditure for the ACT of $1 per offender per day and the associated Australian figure for 2008-09.
  • Attachment table 8A.6 'Total recurrent expenditure on prisons and community corrections, 2008-09' - reflects the revised expenditure items for the ACT of and the associated Australian figures.
  • Attachment table 8A.7 'Net recurrent expenditure, per prisoner and offender, 2008-09' - reflects the revised expenditure items for the ACT and the associated Australian figures.
  • Attachment table 8A.8 'Real net operating expenditure on prisons 2008-09 $'000)' - reflects the increase in expenditure for the ACT of $7 473 000 and the associated Australian figure.
  • Attachment table 8A.9 'Real net operating expenditure, per prisoner per day (2008-09 dollars)' - reflects the increase in expenditure for the ACT of $110 per prisoner per day and the associated Australian figure.
  • Attachment table 8A.10 'Real net operating expenditure on community corrections (2008-09 $'000)' - reflects the increase in expenditure for the ACT of $573 and the associated Australian figure for 2008-09.
  • Attachment table 8A.11 'Real net operating expenditure, per offender per day (2008-09 dollars)' - reflects the increase in expenditure for the ACT of $1 per offender per day and the associated Australian figure for 2008-09.
  • Attachment table 8A.12 'Real net operating expenditure on prisons and community corrections plus depreciation (2008-09 $'000)' - reflects the increase in expenditure for the ACT of $8046 and the associated Australian figure for 2008-09.
  • Attachment table 8A.13 'Real net operating expenditure on prisons and community corrections plus depreciation, per head of population per year (2008-09 dollars)' - reflects the increase in expenditure for the ACT of $23 per head of population per year and the associated Australian figure for 2008-09.
  • Attachment table 8A.63 'Descriptors, prisons'- reflects the revised expenditure items for the ACT for 2008-09.
  • Attachment table 8A.67 'Efficiency, prison and periodic detention'- reflects the revised expenditure items for the ACT for 2008-09.
  • Attachment table 8A.68 'Descriptors, community corrections'- reflects the revised expenditure items for the ACT for 2008-09.
  • Attachment table 8A.70 'Efficiency, community corrections'- reflects the revised expenditure items for the ACT for 2008-09.

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Chapter 10: Public hospitals

Data provided for NSW have been revised. Sentinel events for 'Procedures involving the wrong patient or body part resulting in death or major permanent loss of function' reduced by 14 for 2007-08 and by 6 for 2006-07. Sentinel events for 'Retained instruments or other material after surgery requiring re-operation or further surgical procedure' reduced by 5 for 2007-08. Sentinel events for 'Medication error leading to the death of a patient reasonably believed to be due to incorrect administration of drugs' reduced by 11 for 2007-08 and increased by 1 for 2006-07.

The revisions affect the following:

  • table 10.16 on page 10.70 'Nationally agreed core sentinel events, 2007-08'
  • attachment table 10A.81 'Nationally agreed core sentinel events (number)'.

Download the errata

Chapter 16: Housing

A number of figures in the Commonwealth Rent Assistance (CRA) section have been corrected. The associated text and attachment table data remain correct and therefore have not changed. The revisions affect the following chapter figures:

  • Figure 16.15 on page 16.75 'Income units paying more than 30 per cent of income on rent, with and without CRA, 2009' - automated chart link has been manually redirected to the correct chart source document.
  • Figure 16.16 on page 16.76 'Indigenous income units receiving CRA paying more than 30 per cent of income on rent, with and without CRA, 2009' - automated chart link has been manually redirected to the correct chart source document.
  • Figure 16.17 on page 16.77 'Income units receiving a Disability Support Pension paying more than 30 per cent of income on rent, with and without CRA, 2009' - automated chart link has been manually redirected to the correct chart source document.
  • Figure 16.18 on page 16.78 'Income units aged 24 years or under paying more than 30 per cent of income on rent, with and without CRA, 2009' - automated chart link has been manually redirected to the correct chart source document.
  • Figure 16.19 on page 16.79 'Income units aged 75 years or over paying more than 30 per cent of income on rent, with and without CRA, 2009' - automated chart link has been manually redirected to the correct chart source document.

Download the errata

Download the report by chapters

Part A (Introduction)

Part B (Early Childhood, Education and Training)

Early Childhood, Education and Training Preface

Chapter 3 Children's services

Chapter 4 School education

Chapter 5 Vocational education and training

Part C (Justice)

Chapter 6 Police services

Chapter 7 Court administration

Chapter 8 Corrective services

Part D (Emergency Management)

Chapter 9 Emergency management

Part E (Health)

Health preface

Chapter 10 Public Hospitals

Chapter 11 Primary and community health

Chapter 12 Health management issues

Part F (Community services)

Chapter 13 Aged care services

Chapter 14 Services for people with a disability

Chapter 15 Protection and support services

Part G (Housing)

Chapter 16 Housing

Appendix A Statistical appendix

Indigenous Compendiums

The Indigenous compendium ceased from the 2015 RoGS. From the 2016 RoGS onwards a reference list is now included on the Indigenous data tab on each sector overview/chapter page where performance data are available.