The study reveals residents in Victoria benefit the fourth-most from public health funding per capita in Australia.
The research by Australia’s top-ranked young university, the University of Technology Sydney Online analysed national health expenditure data released by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare between 2019 and 2024. The analysis calculated the average annual state spending and population figures to determine where Australians receive the most health investment per person.
Victoria ranks fourth, with $11,749 per capita health spending, which is 76% lower than the national average of $49,884 per capita between 2019 and 2024. The state recorded an average population of 5,618,800 over the five years and an average annual health expenditure of $66.02 billion. The highest spending year was 2021–2022, when Victoria allocated $70.18 billion to health services, while the lowest spending year was 2019–2020, with a total expenditure of $58.83 billion.
Looking at the findings, a spokesperson at the University of Technology Sydney Online commented:
“Victoria’s spending level reflects a large population served by a complex metropolitan hospital network. Demand remains high, especially for mental health services, elective surgery recovery, and ongoing chronic illness support following the pandemic period. Strategic workforce planning is key to easing pressure on hospital wait times.”
Table For Extended Results:
| Top Australian States with the Highest Total Health Spending per Capita (2019–2024 Average) | ||
| State | Average Total Health Spending per Capita ($) 2019-2024 | Rank |
| New South Wales | $295,200 | 1 |
| Western Australia | $48,300 | 2 |
| Queensland | $28,571 | 3 |
| Victoria | $11,749 | 4 |
| Australian Capital Territory | $11,128 | 5 |
| South Australia | $2,137 | 6 |
| Northern Territory | $1,104 | 7 |
| Tasmania | $884 | 8 |
The study was conducted by the University of Technology Sydney Online (UTS), Australia’s top-ranked young university, recognised among the Top 100 universities globally*. UTS offers fully online postgraduate courses that provide a flexible, high-quality education to fit diverse career goals.
Methodology
The study analysed national health expenditure data across all Australian states and territories from 2019 to 2024. The five-year average annual spending figures were compared against population data to determine average total health spending per capita and rank regions by per-person investment.
Data Sources
- Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (Table 4) → https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/health-welfare-expenditure/health-expenditure-australia-2023-24/data
- Research Dataset → https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1IsN3g7vQXgq_BjI0F1BX–JSszUk3wOeEzEF8dh2aaM/edit?gid=1845250639#gid=1845250639
- Study by → https://studyonline.uts.edu.au/
