In 2018–19, the department reported an operating profit of $2.8 million after adjusting for depreciation and amortisation expense. This result compares to a $14.0 million deficit in 2017–18 which was the result of an unexpected writedown of an IT system ($9.6 million), and an adjustment to appropriations following reclassification from capital to operating funding ($12.6 million).

The department also administered $39.2 billion in payments, of which $29.5 billion represented grants, which were delivered within budget. Further information on the department’s financial performance in 2018–19 is available in Part 4 of this report.