In the latest Energy Use in the Australian Government's Operations Report, the Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts attributed the huge jump to better recording, and said total emissions had actually decreased.

Government emissions, excluding military operations, for 2007-08 were 1,933,923 tonnes, ''substantially higher'' than the 1,703,710 tonnes reported a year ago, but this was because the data was more comprehensive.

Emissions dropped 1.4 per cent on a year earlier, and by 16.8 per cent since 1999-2000 when using ''this more accurate calculation''.

However, military bases, which cut emissions by 4.8 per cent, were responsible for the decrease. The rest of the public service emitted an extra 36,000 tonnes of greenhouse gases, for a total of 1,157,068 tonnes in the year. This was a 3.2 per cent increase on the previous year, and an 8 per cent rise over the past eight years.

Non-military energy use rose 5 per cent in the year, to hit 5,891,003GJ.

Although some of this was also ''due to improvements in reporting [rather than actual increases in energy used]'', it had increased by almost 11per cent over the past eight years. The report attributed this rise to a 41 per cent increase in public servants since 1999-2000.

The Government's total energy use for 2007-08 was 20,936,953GJ, or about 5 per cent of the energy consumed by Australian households in a year.

The figures do not include military craft refuelled outside Australia, energy use by vehicles on novated leases, public servants' own transport and energy used by staff working from home.

Overall, the Government remained on track to meet long-term energy efficiency targets. By 2011, agencies should be using no more than 7500MJ per person each year for the light and power in buildings and 400MJ/m2 a year for offices' central services.

For more on this story, see today's Canberra Times.