The Guides to Social Policy Law is a collection of publications designed to assist decision makers administering social policy law. The information contained in this publication is intended only as a guide to relevant legislation/policy. The information is accurate as at the date listed at the bottom of the page, but may be subject to change. To discuss individual circumstances please contact Services Australia.

1.1.A.375 AWOTE, relevant AWOTE, AWOTE weeks

Definition

The AWOTE is an ABS measure of earnings by Australians from ordinary time work each week. It is published biannually by the ABS. The AWOTE figures for February 1992 to the present date are provided at the end of this topic.

Note: Publication of the AWOTE changed from quarterly to biannually in 2012. The May quarter 2012 publication was the last quarterly issue. Commencing from the November quarter 2012, AWOTE is published twice each year relating to the May and November quarters.

Act reference: SSAct section 16A(1)-'relevant AWOTE'

Policy reference: SS Guide 3.1.7.30 Calculating the SWPP

AWOTE weeks

The AWOTE weeks are a notional figure determined as follows:

If the recipient is …then divide …
singlethe seasonal/intermittent work earnings (1.1.S.61) for the relevant period of seasonal work (1.1.S.60), by the relevant AWOTE.
a member of a couple (1.1.M.120)the combined seasonal/intermittent work earnings and earnings from personal exertion of the couple over the relevant period of the work, by TWICE the relevant AWOTE.

Explanation: This figure represents the number of weeks at average earnings that the seasonal earnings would cover.

Relevant AWOTE

Note: The relevant AWOTE figures are ONLY used for SWPP calculations.

For the purposes of the SWPP, the relevant AWOTE is the AWOTE that was last published by the ABS BEFORE 1 January of the same year that the recipient claims an allowance or payment. The relevant AWOTE for the calendar year 1998 to present date is detailed in the following table. Relevant AWOTE for SWPP purposes:

Claim lodged in calendar yearAWOTE ($)
1998706.00
1999736.70
2000753.70
2001796.60
2002837.60
2003878.80
2004931.40
2005960.00
20061,022.60
20071,051.30
20081,103.60
20091,145.10
20101,201.90
20111,259.40
20121,322.60
20131,352.70
20141,422.70
20151,453.90
20161,484.50
20171,516.00
20181,543.80
20191,586.20
20201,633.80
20211,713.90
20221,737.10
20231,769.80
20241,838.60
20251,924.60
20262,011.40

Example: The figures in the above table represent the relevant AWOTE used for SWPP calculations in the corresponding year that a claim was lodged in. If the recipient claims a payment on 20 October 2025, the relevant AWOTE used for calculating the SWPP is $1,924.60. This is the AWOTE that was last published by the ABS BEFORE 1 January of the year in which the recipient claimed the payment.

Policy reference: SS Guide 3.1.7 Seasonal work preclusion period

AWOTE figures for February 1992 to present date

Note: The figures in this table are used for Forgone Wages calculations (see 4.1.7 Deprivation related to farm transfers). This table should NOT be used for SWPP calculations.

The following table shows AWOTE figures from February 1992 to present date:

YearMonthAWOTE figure ($)
1992February589
May587
August587
November587
1993February592
May597
August602
November606
1994February601
May616
August623
November629
1995February637
May646
August654
November659
1996February664
May670
August678
November685
1997February691
May698
August705
November713
1998February720
May728
August735
November740
1999February745
May749
August753
November763
2000February774
May785
August795
November803
2001February812
May824
August838
November849
2002February859
May869
August879
November889
2003February903
May918
August931
November940
2004February948
May953
August960
November973
2005February991
May1,008
August1,023
November1,030
2006February1,036
May1,043
August1,051
November1,059
2007February1,070
May1,088
August1,104
November1,113
2008February1,123
May1,132
August1,145
November1,165
2009February1,183
May1,198
August1,202
November1,223
2010February1,243
May1,256
August1,259
November1,273
2011February1,288
May1,305
August1,323
November1,333
2012February1,345
May1,353
November1,393
2013May1,423
November1,438
2014May1,454
November1,476
2015May1,485
November1,499
2016May1,516
November1,533
2017May1,543
November1,570
2018May1,585
November1,606
2019May1,635
November1,658
2020May1,714
November1,712
2021May1,737
November1,748
2022May1,770
November1,808
2023May1,838
November1,889
2024May1,923
November1,976
2025May2,010

Policy reference: SS Guide 4.1.7 Deprivation related to farm transfers

Last reviewed: