At a glance
- In 2022–23, $52.463 billion was spent on health in Queensland. The greatest proportion of health spending (40.9%) was for public and private hospitals ($21.435 billion).
- Health spending per person in Queensland was slightly higher than national spending in 2022–23, at $9,739 compared with $9,597 per person nationally.
- In 2022–23, public health expenditure was 2.1% of total health expenditure in Queensland.
Total spending on health
In 2022–23, $52.463 billion was spent on health in Queensland.1 This was one-fifth (20.8%) of national spending ($252.515 billion), consistent with Queensland’s population share (20.5%).1
Based on constant 2022–23 prices, total spending on health in Queensland increased by 3.3% per year from 2012–13 to 2022–23. Over this period, the average annual growth in:
- recurrent spending in Queensland (3.3%) was similar to national spending (3.3%)
- capital spending, spending on assets expected to last more than a year such as new buildings or medical equipment, was 2.6% per year in Queensland.1
Nationally, health spending accounted for 9.9% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in 2022–23, having decreased from 10.4% in 2021–22. Over the decade to 2022–23, health spending increased from 9.5% a decade earlier. The national annual increase in health spending was 3.3% per year since 2012–13, outstripping the 2.4% growth in GDP. Average annual growth rates based on constant prices from 2012–13 to 2022–23 by source of funds include:
- 2.8% per year increases by the Australian Government
- 4.5% per year increases by state and territory governments
- 2.7% per year increases by non-government sources.1
Queensland government
In the 2024–25 state budget, health was the largest component of Queensland Government budgeted expenditure ($26.739 billion; 29.5%) followed by education ($21.275 billion; 23.4%).2 This is similar to the 2023–24 state budget (28.8% and 23.5% for health and education, respectively).3 About one-third of tax revenue in Queensland was spent on health (35.2%) in 2022–23.1
Funding source
Governments funded 72.7% ($38.159 billion) of total health expenditure in Queensland in 2022–23 with non-government sources funding the remainder. In 2022–23, the percentage of total health expenditure by funding sources was:
- Australian Government: 41.7% ($21.890 billion)
- Queensland state and local government: 31.0% ($16.269 billion)
- individuals: 13.4% ($7.030 billion)
- health insurers: 7.5% ($3.928 billion)
- other non-government: 6.4% ($3.346 billion) (Figure 1).1
Figure 1: Total Queensland health expenditure ($ billion) by source in current prices
Health spending per person
Health spending per person in Queensland was slightly higher than national spending in 2022–23, at $9,739 compared with $9,597 per person nationally. Over the past decade, per person spending in Queensland increased by 1.7% per year.1
On average, Australians spent 2.0% of their income on health in 2022–23, estimated to be 0.3% of their net worth. Individuals’ health spending increased by 2.7% annually over the past decade while their annual wage growth was 2.4% and their annual net worth grew by 6.6%.1
Spending by area
The majority of total health expenditure in 2022–23 in Queensland was recurrent spending (93.8%) and the remaining 6.2% was capital, similar to the national spending (94.1% and 5.9% for recurrent and capital, respectively).1
The greatest proportion of health spending (40.9%) in Queensland was for public and private hospitals ($21.435 billion), followed by primary health care (33.4%, $17.500 billion) which includes GP/dental/other health practitioners, community health, public health and benefit-paid pharmaceuticals and other medications (Figure 2). Other areas of spending included referred medical services (8.6%; $4.508 billion), research (2.6%; $1.359 billion) and other services (8.4%; $4.398 billion) including patient transport, medical aids and administration.1
Figure 2: Area and funding source of Queensland’s health expenditure in current prices, 2022–23
Spending on public health
In 2022–23, public health spending in Queensland was 2.1% of total expenditure ($1.115 billion), and this included communicable disease control, organised immunisation, food standards and hygiene, cancer screening, prevention of hazardous and harmful drug use and preventive health.1 The allocation of the funds to each activity, however, are not clear.4 Public health spending saw a large increase in recent years during the COVID-19 pandemic period, but a reduction in the most recent year reported (Figure 3).
Based on constant prices, the proportion of health expenditure allocated to public health has increased from a decade ago (1.1% in 2012–13), however, this is a decrease from the pandemic high of 3.9% in 2021–22.1 Nationally and in all the states and territories including Queensland, public health spending remains below the 5% recommended by professional health organisations5 and national strategies.6
Figure 3: Trend of expenditure on public health
Additional information
Data and statistics
Additional expenditure information is available from:
- Australian Institute of Health and Welfare: Health expenditure
- Australian Institute of Health and Welfare: Health system spending on the response to COVID-19 in Australia 2019-20 to 2021-22
Figures on this page are interactive
To learn more about how to navigate interactive figures, dashboards, and visualisations see About this Report.
References
- Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. 2024. Health expenditure Australia 2022-23, Australian Government, Canberra, https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/health-welfare-expenditure/health-expenditure-australia-2022-23/contents/about, accessed 20 November 2024.
- Queensland Treasury. 2024. Queensland Budget 2024-25: budget strategy and outlook, Queensland Government, Brisbane, https://www.treasury.qld.gov.au/resource/state-budget-2024-25/, accessed 13 June 2024.
- Queensland Treasury. 2023. Queensland Budget 2023-24: budget strategy and outlook, Queensland Government, Brisbane, https://www.treasury.qld.gov.au/resource/state-budget-2023-24/, accessed 29 February 2024.
- Shiell A, Garvey K, Kavanagh S, et al. 2024. How do we fund Public Health in Australia? How should we?, Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health, 48(5):100187, doi:10.1016/j.anzjph.2024.100187.
- Public Health Association Australia. 2024. Public health outcomes can wait no longer: Pre-budget submission for the 2024-25 budget, ACT, https://www.phaa.net.au/common/Uploaded%20files/Submissions%202024/PHAA%20Budget%20Submission%202024-25%20v2.0.pdf, accessed 21 January 2025.
- Department of Health. 2021. National Preventive Health Strategy 2021–2030, Canberra, ACT, https://www.health.gov.au/resources/publications/national-preventive-health-strategy-2021-2030?language=en, accessed 24 September 2024.