The Indigenous expenditure report quantifies government spending on First Nations people and programs in New South Wales. The 2023-24 report seeks to improve outcomes for First Nations people and communities through increasing the quality and quantity of information available to inform government investment.

The report seeks to empower First Nations communities by:

• Sharing data and information on government expenditure on First Nations communities and programs.
• Quantifying the proportion of government investment that goes to Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations.
• Identifying areas of government expenditure where First Nations people are over-or-under-represented.
• Identifying First Nations programs funded by government that have and have not been evaluated.

Key findings:

The NSW Government budgeted an estimated $1.2 billion for First Nations specific services and programs, representing around 1.0 per cent of total NSW Government expenditure.

The largest expenditure areas were:

• $301.8 million for housing and community amenities
• $237.8 million for education
• $226.3 million for social protection.

Of this, the majority (60.7 per cent) went to NSW Government service providers and around 30.9 per cent was directed to Aboriginal community controlled organisations (ACCOs).

Around 11.5 per cent of programs had a completed evaluation, and a further 57.7 per cent had an evaluation planned, in development or underway.