The administered program comprises activities undertaken by the department on behalf of the government. Administered expenses for 2017-18 were $3,728.2 million, a decrease of $974.8 million over 2016–17. The majority of the decrease was due to the lower contributions and lower valuation of investments, this year, into multilateral aid organisations such as the Asian Development Fund and the International Development Association.

As reported in PBS Program 1.2, the aid program of $3,067.7 million¹, an increase of $148.0 million from 2016–17, reflects the different development and economic trajectories across the region and continues the government’s commitment to development in the Indo-Pacific.

The department also managed a range of other administered programs. The majority of these expenses support the work of global United Nations Peace Keeping Operations ($200.2 million, a decrease of $26.6 million from 2016–17 due to a number of United Nations missions winding up this year), Australian membership of key international organisations ($139.5 million, an increase of $3.7 million from 2016–17) and support of international forums to continue to advance Australia’s foreign, trade and investment, development and security interests.

Income administered by the department on behalf of government in 2017-18 was $1,048.8 million, which is $436.6 million more than 2016–17. The increase is due predominantly to an upward revaluation in investments of $388.7 million. Passport, consular and other fee revenue also increased by $33.7 million due to the legislative fee increase from 1 January 2018 and an increase in the number of passport applications.

Chief Financial Officer Paul Wood signs the 2017-18 Financial Statement with Secretary Adamson, September [DFAT/Patrick Lawson]