Gov ScoreAustralia

Charts

Every chart, one page

All 40 charts we track. Switch each one between this government, the last 10 or 20 years, and how Australia compares with the G20 where a fair comparison exists. Pick the ones you want to see and the page remembers your choice on this device. Open any chart for its sources and a plain-English explanation.

Figures as at 7 Oct 2026, 3:36 pm AEDT

Cost of living

What families pay, and whether pay packets have kept up.

Inflation

Is inflation back inside the Reserve Bank's 2-3% target band?

Outside target

4.0%

annual CPI inflation, measured over the past 12 months · August 2026

Since May 2022: Better−2.3 pts
  • Annual CPI inflation (quarterly)
  • Annual CPI inflation (new monthly CPI)
Sources and explanation →

Prices vs wages since the election

Have wages kept up with the cost of essentials?

6

of 8 essential price categories rose faster than wages · June quarter 2022 → June quarter 2026

  • Insurance43.3%
  • Electricity37.5%
  • Rents24.0%
  • Education22.9%
  • Health19.9%
  • Food18.1%
  • All prices (CPI)16.8%
  • Wages (WPI)15.1%
  • Child care14.1%
  • Petrol & fuel−0.6%
  • Wages (black line)
  • All prices
  • Essential items
Change in each price index, June quarter 2022 to June quarter 2026. The black line marks wage growth over the same period: bars that pass it rose faster than wages.
Sources and explanation →

Real wages: private vs public sector

Can a worker's pay buy more than it could when the government took office, and has the private sector done as well as government employees?

−1.4%

change in private-sector real wages since June quarter 2022 · June quarter 2026

Since May 2022: Worse−1.4%
  • Private sector
  • Public sector
Sources and explanation →

Mortgage interest and income tax

How much of household income now goes on mortgage interest and income tax?

5.4%

of household gross income goes on mortgage interest · June quarter 2026

Since May 2022: Higher+2.9 pts
  • Mortgage interest, % of household gross income
  • Income tax, % of household gross income
Sources and explanation →

Fuel prices

How much have petrol and diesel prices changed?

+13.5%

change in fuel prices over the past 12 months · August 2026

Since May 2022: little changed−0.6%
  • Fuel prices (CPI automotive fuel), June qtr 2022 = 100
  • All prices (CPI), June qtr 2022 = 100
Sources and explanation →

Energy

Power bills and the promises made about them.

Electricity prices

Did power bills come down, as promised?

+37.5%

change in electricity prices since June quarter 2022 · June quarter 2026

Since May 2022: Worse+37.5%
  • Electricity
  • All prices (CPI)
Sources and explanation →

Power bills: the $275 promise

Did household power bills fall by $275 as promised?

Not met

+$387

a year: rise in the default power price for a typical NSW household (Ausgrid) · 2022-23 → 2026-27

  • South Australia (SA Power Networks)+$494
  • NSW (Ausgrid)+$387
  • South-East Qld (Energex)+$368
  • Victoria (Victorian Default Offer)+$188
  • The promise−$275
Change in annual default electricity offer, 2022-23 to 2026-27 ($ a year, incl. GST), compared with the promised $275 cut.
Sources and explanation →

Wholesale gas prices

Have east-coast wholesale gas prices come down from the 2022 crisis?

$9.08/GJ

average east-coast wholesale gas price · June quarter 2026

Since May 2022: Better−68.0%

This series starts in Jun qtr 2022, so this shows its full history.

Selected quarters reported by AEMO Quarterly Energy Dynamics.
Sources and explanation →

Emissions target

Is Australia on track for the government's legislated 43% emissions cut by 2030?

Off track

25.0%

below 2005 emissions levels · Year to March 2026

  • Achieved (year to Mar 2026)25%
  • Projected by 2030 (govt)42%
  • Legislated 2030 target43%
Reduction below 2005 emissions levels. A land-sector recalculation in 2026 lowered reported reductions, so don't compare this with figures published earlier.
Sources and explanation →

Housing

Building targets, prices and mortgage pain.

Mortgage costs

How much more are households paying on a typical mortgage?

+$1,113

extra per month on a $600,000 loan vs May 2022 · July 2026

Since May 2022: Worse+3.10 pts
  • Owner-occupier variable rate (outstanding loans)
  • RBA cash rate target
Sources and explanation →

Interest rate rises

How many times have interest rates gone up under this government?

16

cash rate rises, versus 3 cuts · since 23 May 2022 (to 30 Sep 2026)

Since May 2022: Higher+3.25 pts
Sources and explanation →

Housing Accord: 1.2 million homes

Is the government on track to build 1.2 million new homes in five years from July 2024?

Off track

74%

of the required pace achieved · September quarter 2024 → June quarter 2026

Sources and explanation →

Home prices

Is home ownership getting further out of reach?

$1.10m

average price of a residential dwelling in Australia · June quarter 2026

Since May 2022: Higher+19.5%
Sources and explanation →

New residents per new home

Is home building keeping up with population growth?

2.3

new residents for every new home completed · 12 months to March quarter 2026

Since May 2022: Higher+17.0%
Sources and explanation →

Rents vs wages

Have rents risen faster than wages?

+24.0%

rise in rents, against +15.1% for wages · June quarter 2022 to June quarter 2026

Since May 2022: Higher+24.0%
  • Rents (CPI), June qtr 2022 = 100
  • Wages (WPI), June qtr 2022 = 100
Sources and explanation →

Home prices vs earnings

How many years of full-time pay does an average home cost?

9.8 years

of average full-time earnings to buy the average home · June quarter 2026

Since May 2022: Higher+1.7%
Sources and explanation →

Jobs, business & productivity

Who is hiring, who is going broke, and whether we're getting more productive.

Unemployment

Are more Australians out of work than when the government took office?

4.6%

unemployment rate · August 2026

Since May 2022: Worse+0.6 pts
Sources and explanation →

Public vs private sector jobs

Are government jobs growing faster than jobs in private business?

+10.9%

growth in public-sector jobs · June quarter 2022 → June quarter 2026

Since May 2022: Higher+10.9%
  • Public-sector jobs
  • Private-sector jobs
Sources and explanation →

Who is creating the jobs?

Is employment growth coming from the private economy or from taxpayer-funded sectors?

52%

of all new jobs were in health & social assistance (incl. NDIS), education and public administration · June quarter 2022 → June quarter 2026

  • Health care & social assistance453
  • Accommodation & food225
  • Education & training220
  • Professional, scientific & technical129
  • Construction125
  • Public administration & safety82
  • Retail trade75
  • Arts & recreation48
  • Transport, postal & warehousing47
  • Financial & insurance31
  • Mining30
  • Electricity, gas, water & waste25
  • Manufacturing9
  • Information media & telecoms9
  • Other services−1
  • Rental, hiring & real estate−4
  • Wholesale trade−8
  • Agriculture, forestry & fishing−23
  • Administrative & support−30
  • Largely publicly funded industries
  • Other industries
Change in filled jobs by industry ('000), June quarter 2022 to June quarter 2026, seasonally adjusted. Highlighted: largely publicly funded industries.
Sources and explanation →

Productivity

Are we producing more for every hour worked? Productivity drives lasting wage growth.

−0.86%

average annual productivity growth since the government took office · June quarter 2022 → June quarter 2026

Since May 2022: Worse−3.4%
Sources and explanation →

Business collapses

Are more businesses going under?

14,722

companies entering external administration for the first time · 2024-25 financial year

Since May 2022: Worse+199.7%

This series starts in 2018-19, so this shows its full history.

Sources and explanation →

Living standards

Growth that matters: per person, after inflation.

Consumer confidence

Do Australians feel confident about their finances and the economy?

80.4

consumer sentiment index (100 = optimists equal pessimists) · October 2026

Since May 2022: Worse−6.6%
Sources and explanation →

GDP per capita vs total GDP

Is the economy growing for each Australian, or only because there are more Australians?

−0.3%

change in real GDP per person since the government took office, while total GDP grew +7.4% · June quarter 2022 → June quarter 2026

Since May 2022: little changed−0.3%
  • GDP per capita
  • Total GDP
Real (inflation-adjusted) GDP and real GDP per person, seasonally adjusted, each set to 100 in the June quarter 2022. When the total line rises faster than the per-person line, the difference is population growth.
Sources and explanation →

Household income per person

After tax and inflation, are households better off per person?

−2.2%

change in real disposable income per person since June quarter 2022 · March quarter 2026

Since May 2022: Worse−2.2%
Sources and explanation →

Living standards by decade

How fast are living standards growing, compared with past decades?

+1.0%

average yearly growth in real national income per person in the 2020s so far · 2020 to June quarter 2026

  • 1970s (from 1974)0.3%
  • 1980s1.5%
  • 1990s1.7%
  • 2000s2.3%
  • 2010s1.3%
  • 2020s (so far)1.0%
Sources and explanation →

GP bulk billing

Can Australians see a GP without paying?

In progress

84.1%

of GP visits bulk billed · June quarter 2026

Since May 2022: Worse−7.4 pts

This series starts in 2021-22, so this shows its full history.

Sources and explanation →

Budget, debt & the size of government

Spending, debt, interest and the bureaucracy.

Size of government in the economy

How much of the economy is now government spending and investment?

28.8%

of the economy is public demand · June quarter 2026

Since May 2022: Higher+2.9 pts
Sources and explanation →

Tax take

How much of the economy does the Commonwealth collect in tax?

23.7%

of GDP collected in Commonwealth tax receipts · 2024-25

Since May 2022: Higher+0.7 pts
Sources and explanation →

Gross debt as a share of GDP

Is the Commonwealth's debt going up or down?

At risk

33.2%

gross government debt as a share of GDP (latest actual) · 2025-26

Since May 2022: Better−5.1 pts
Face value of Australian Government Securities on issue at 30 June, as a share of GDP. Lighter bars are 2026-27 Budget forecasts. The dollar figures are in the table and CSV.
Sources and explanation →

Budget deficits

Is the government living within its means?

−$31.5bn

underlying cash balance: a deficit · 2026-27 Budget estimate

Since May 2022: Better+$9.7bn
Bars below the line are deficits; bars above it are surpluses. Lighter bars are Budget forecasts. 2021-22 was the last Budget year of the previous government.
Sources and explanation →

Interest on government debt

How much are taxpayers paying just to service the debt?

$29.6bn

interest payments in one year · 2026-27 Budget estimate

Since May 2022: Worse+$9.6bn
Cash interest paid on government debt, general government sector, 1970-71 to 2029-30. 2025-26 is the Final Budget Outcome actual; lighter bars are Budget forecasts.
Sources and explanation →

Government spending (share of GDP)

How big is Commonwealth spending compared with the economy, and how does that compare with the past 55 years?

26.9%

of GDP spent by the Commonwealth, the highest in 40 years outside the COVID years · 2025-26 (Final Budget Outcome)

Since May 2022: Higher+0.5 pts
  • Payments, % of GDP
  • Tax receipts, % of GDP
Commonwealth general government cash payments and tax receipts, financial years ending 30 June, 1970-71 to 2029-30. 2025-26 is the Final Budget Outcome actual; 2026-27 onward are Budget estimates.
Sources and explanation →

Size of the public service

How fast has the Canberra bureaucracy grown?

+24.7%

growth in Australian Public Service (APS) headcount · 30 June 2022 → 30 June 2025

Since May 2022: Higher+24.7%

This series starts in 2020-21, so this shows its full history.

Ongoing plus non-ongoing employees at 30 June each year.
Sources and explanation →

NDIS cost growth

Is the government meeting its own target to rein in NDIS cost growth?

Off track

11.3%

annual growth in NDIS costs · 12 months to March 2026

Since May 2022: Worse+$17.9bn

This series starts in 2021-22, so this shows its full history.

Sources and explanation →

Who pays the income tax

What share of all personal income tax does each income group pay?

16.8%

of all personal income tax was paid by the top 1% of taxpayers · 2023-24

  • Top 1%
  • Next 9% (top 2% to 10%)
  • Middle 40%
  • Bottom 50%
Share of all net personal income tax paid by each group of taxpayers, ranked by taxable income. The 4 groups add up to 100%.
Sources and explanation →

Spending on consultants

How much do federal agencies commit to consultancy contracts each year?

$759.8m

in consultancy contracts starting in the year · 2025-26

Since May 2022: Higher+7.8%
Total value of contracts flagged as consultancies on AusTender, by the financial year the contract starts. Current value, including any later changes. Includes GST.
Sources and explanation →

Population

Migration and pressure on homes and services.

Net overseas migration

How fast is migration adding to demand for housing and services?

292,000

net overseas migration · 12 months to March quarter 2026

Since May 2022: Higher+40.5%
Sources and explanation →

Money sent overseas by individuals

How much do people living in Australia send to family and friends overseas?

$2.7bn

sent overseas as personal transfers in a year · 2025-26

Since May 2022: Higher+$0.8bn
Money and goods sent by people living in Australia to people overseas, each financial year. ABS estimate.
Sources and explanation →

Governance, defence & delivery

Legislation, defence and big-program delivery.

Defence spending

Is Australia spending enough on defence in a more dangerous region?

2.02%

of GDP on defence (traditional budget measure) · 2026-27 Budget

Since May 2022: little changed+0.15 pts

This series starts in 2021-22, so this shows its full history.

Budget-time figures as reported by defence analysts (2025-26 estimated actual; 2026-27 budget). Traditional appropriation measure.
Sources and explanation →

Laws passed

How much legislation has Parliament passed under this government?

354

Acts of Parliament passed in the government's first term · 47th Parliament (2022-2025)

  • 45th Parliament (2016-19)402
  • 46th Parliament (2019-22)407
  • 47th Parliament (2022-25)354
  • 48th Parliament (to 11 Sep 2026)133
Acts assented, counted from the Federal Register of Legislation by assent date.
Sources and explanation →