Government R&D spending flatlines as percentage of GDP

Australian public spending rises by A$0.7 billion but stays at 0.17 per cent of GDP

Australian government spending on research and development has remained relatively flat over the past two years, according to a report from the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

The report on R&D spending by government and private not-for-profit organisations, published on 12 June, shows that although total government spending increased from A$3.6 billion in 2020-21 to A$4.3bn in 2022-23, it did not increase as a proportion of GDP from the previous 0.17 per cent. The report is issued every two years.