SYDNEY, Dec 4 (Reuters) - Australian government spending on consumption and investment fell 2 percent in the third quarter of 2012 to an inflation adjusted A$82.55 billion ($85.8 billion), the Australian Bureau of Statistics reported on Tuesday.

This series feeds into gross domestic product (GDP) figures, due on Wednesday, and implies government spending was a sizable drag on economic growth in the quarter.

Government spending for consumption dipped 0.4 percent in the third quarter to A$66.0 billion in real terms. Investment spending by the government and public enterprises fell 8.2 percent to A$16.54 billion.

(Reporting by Wayne Cole) Keywords: AUSTRALIA ECONOMY/GOVERNMENT

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