Australia’s non-profit R&D spending rose 6% in dollars and fell 1% in volume

The two expenditure measures moved in different directions

Between 2022-23 and 2024-25, current-price spending rose A$96 million from A$1.595 billion. Chain-volume spending declined from A$1.712 billion to A$1.691 billion. The series coincide in the reference year. Earlier values diverge because the chain-volume measure adjusts for price movements. Source 1 Source 2

More effort and a larger labour bill

Private non-profits recorded 8,562 person-years of R&D effort, up from 8,339. Researchers accounted for 5,096 of those person-years. Labour costs increased to A$982 million and represented 58% of reported spending. Capital spending was A$51 million, or about 3% of the total. Source 1

Health dominates when research is grouped by purpose

The ABS assigns A$1.512 billion to the health objective, about 89% of expenditure. On a separate field-of-research classification, it attributes A$1.295 billion to biomedical and clinical sciences. The objective identifies who may benefit. The field identifies the area of knowledge used in the work. Source 1 Source 2

The work is recorded where it is performed

Victoria recorded A$829 million and New South Wales A$525 million in 2024-25, about 80% of the national sector total together. The ABS locates expenditure where research is performed. Its private non-profit survey therefore shows a different part of the research system from university, government and business spending series. Source 1 Source 2

Sources

• ABS government and private non-profit research and experimental development 2024-25
• ABS survey scope and chain-volume methodology