– Tax Revenue (% of GDP) refers to the total tax revenue collected by the central government, expressed as a percentage of Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
Australia Tax Revenue as Percentage of GDP was 23.56 Percentage in 2022, up 2.4% on 2021. The Tax Revenue as a Percentage of GDP dataset for Australia provides a comprehensive assessment of the country's tax collection performance relative to the size of its economy, offering valuable insights into fiscal capacity, government revenue generation, and public finance trends.
Australia Tax Revenue as Percentage of GDP moved from 21.79 Percentage in 2015 to 23.56 Percentage in 2022 (+8.2%), an average of +1.1% a year. The series high was 23.56 Percentage in 2022 and the low 21.79 Percentage in 2015.
The gap between the series high (2022) and low (2015) is 1.78 Percentage. The sharpest single-year move was +5% in 2018.
Among the 29 countries in this dataset, Australia ranks 9 for 2022, behind Denmark (30.73 Percentage) and Sweden (28.17 Percentage). It accounts for 162.5% of the global total in 2022.
Full series
Complete annual series with year-on-year change. Values are reported in Percentage.
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| Year | Percentage | Change vs prior year |
|---|---|---|
| 2022Peak | 23.56 | +2.4% |
| 2021 | 23.00 | +2.2% |
| 2020 | 22.51 | −3.5% |
| 2019 | 23.31 | +0.8% |
| 2018 | 23.12 | +5% |
| 2017 | 22.02 | −0.7% |
| 2016 | 22.19 | +1.8% |
| 2015 Trough | 21.79 | — |
Regional context
Tax Revenue as Percentage of GDP by country, 2022, Percentage. Australia is highlighted.
Data definition
Tax Revenue as Percentage of GDP — – Tax Revenue (% of GDP) refers to the total tax revenue collected by the central government, expressed as a percentage of Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Tax revenue consists of compulsory, unrequited payments made by individuals and businesses to the government for public purposes. The indicator measures the relative size of tax collections compared with the overall economy and is widely used to assess a government's revenue-generating capacity, fiscal performance, and tax effort.
The data includes compulsory tax payments collected by the central government, such as taxes on income, profits and capital gains, payroll taxes, property taxes, taxes on goods and services (including VAT, GST, and excise duties), taxes on international trade, customs duties, and other taxes recorded under the IMF Government Finance Statistics (GFS) framework. The indicator is expressed as a percentage of GDP using standardized national accounts and government finance statistics.
The data excludes non-tax government revenue such as grants, fees, licenses, administrative charges, dividends from state-owned enterprises, and income from government assets. It also excludes fines, penalties, most social security contributions, refunds treated as negative revenue, and informal or unrecorded tax collections not captured in official government finance statistics. For many countries, the indicator reflects central government tax revenue only and may not include taxes collected by state, provincial, or local governments.
Tax Revenue as Percentage of GDP — – Tax Revenue (% of GDP) refers to the total tax revenue collected by the central government, expressed as a percentage of Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Tax revenue consists of compulsory, unrequited payments made by individuals and businesses to the government for public purposes. The indicator measures the relative size of tax collections compared with the overall economy and is widely used to assess a government's revenue-generating capacity, fiscal performance, and tax effort.
Measured as a Percentage, the dataset covers the available period 2015–2022 and indicates a generally stable upward trend in tax revenue relative to GDP. Tax revenue increased from 21.79% in 2015 to 22.19% in 2016, remained above 22% throughout the period, reached 23.31% in 2019, moderated slightly to 22.51% in 2020, and recovered to 23.00% in 2021 before reaching 23.56% in 2022, the highest level in the available dataset.
The year-wise trend reflects Australia's resilient fiscal framework, effective tax administration, and recovery in government revenue following pandemic-related economic disruptions. The consistently strong tax-to-GDP ratio demonstrates the government's ability to finance healthcare, education, infrastructure, social services, and broader economic development while maintaining fiscal sustainability.
This dataset serves as an important indicator for policymakers, economists, financial institutions, investors, researchers, and international organizations evaluating fiscal performance, taxation efficiency, and macroeconomic stability. It supports benchmarking Australia against regional and global economies, assessing the effectiveness of tax policy reforms, monitoring historical revenue trends, forecasting future government income, and analyzing the relationship between taxation, economic growth, and public expenditure. The data also contributes to research on fiscal policy, public finance, government budgeting, and sustainable economic development.
As the available data extends through 2022, the dataset should be interpreted as a historical reference for the reported period. Nevertheless, it provides a reliable foundation for fiscal analysis, policy evaluation, comparative studies, and long-term economic forecasting when combined with future data releases.
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Definition – Tax Revenue (% of GDP) refers to the total tax revenue collected by the central government, expressed as a percentage of Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Tax revenue consists of compulsory, unrequited payments made by individuals and businesses to the government for public purposes. The indicator measures the relative size of tax collections compared with the overall economy and is widely used to assess a government's revenue-generating capacity, fiscal performance, and tax effort.
Australia Tax Revenue as Percentage of GDP was 23.56 Percentage in 2022, up 2.4% on 2021.
Australia Tax Revenue as Percentage of GDP moved from 21.79 Percentage in 2015 to 23.56 Percentage in 2022 (+8.2%), an average of +1.1% a year. The series high was 23.56 Percentage in 2022 and the low 21.79 Percentage in 2015.
The highest value was 23.56 Percentage in 2022 and the lowest was 21.79 Percentage in 2015.
Included: The data includes compulsory tax payments collected by the central government, such as taxes on income, profits and capital gains, payroll taxes, property taxes, taxes on goods and services (including VAT, GST, and excise duties), taxes on international trade, customs duties, and other taxes recorded under the IMF Government Finance Statistics (GFS) framework. The indicator is expressed as a percentage of GDP using standardized national accounts and government finance statistics. Excluded: The data excludes non-tax government revenue such as grants, fees, licenses, administrative charges, dividends from state-owned enterprises, and income from government assets. It also excludes fines, penalties, most social security contributions, refunds treated as negative revenue, and informal or unrecorded tax collections not captured in official government finance statistics. For many countries, the indicator reflects central government tax revenue only and may not include taxes collected by state, provincial, or local governments.
The series is sourced from data.worldbank.org (https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/GC.TAX.TOTL.GD.ZS). It covers 2015–2022 and is reported in Percentage.
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