National

Australian government spending flat in Q1, no boost to GDP

By Reuters Reuters
A shopper looks at vegetables displayed at a Coles supermarket in Bondi Junction, ahead of Coles Group announcing their first-quarter sales results, in Sydney, Australia, October 29, 2025. REUTERS/Hollie Adams
A shopper looks at vegetables displayed at a Coles supermarket in Bondi Junction, ahead of Coles Group announcing their first-quarter sales results, in Sydney, Australia, October 29, 2025. REUTERS/Hollie Adams Hollie Adams Reuters

SYDNEY - Australian government spending was flat in the first quarter, data showed on Tuesday, offering no impetus to economic growth early in the year after a run of strong outcomes.

Spending on operational items fell 0.2% in the March quarter from the previous quarter to an inflation-adjusted A$159.3 billion ($114.09 billion), the Australian Bureau of Statistics reported.

Total investment in fixed assets by the government and public enterprises rose 0.9% quarter-on-quarter to A$38.9 billion. In all, the ABS estimated total public spending added nothing to first quarter gross domestic product.

($1 = 1.3963 Australian dollars)

(Reporting by Wayne ColeEditing by Shri Navaratnam)

Copyright Reuters or USA Today Network via Reuters Connect.

This story was originally published June 1, 2026 at 6:51 PM.

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