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 …
single the 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

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 year AWOTE ($)
1998 706.00
1999 736.70
2000 753.70
2001 796.60
2002 837.60
2003 878.80
2004 931.40
2005 960.00
2006 1,022.60
2007 1,051.30
2008 1,103.60
2009 1,145.10
2010 1,201.90
2011 1,259.40
2012 1,322.60
2013 1,352.70
2014 1,422.70
2015 1,453.90
2016 1,484.50
2017 1,516.00
2018 1,543.80
2019 1,586.20
2020 1,633.80
2021 1,713.90
2022 1,737.10
2023 1,769.80
2024 1,838.60

Example: If the recipient claims an allowance or payment on 20 October 2019, the relevant AWOTE used for calculating the SWPP is the one that was published before 1 January 2019, which is the figure published in August 2018 relating to the May 2018 reference period.

Policy reference: SS Guide 3.1.7 Seasonal work preclusion period

AWOTE figures for February 1992 to present date

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:

Year Month AWOTE figure ($)
1992 February 589
May 587
August 587
November 587
1993 February 592
May 597
August 602
November 606
1994 February 601
May 616
August 623
November 629
1995 February 637
May 646
August 654
November 659
1996 February 664
May 670
August 678
November 685
1997 February 691
May 698
August 705
November 713
1998 February 720
May 728
August 735
November 740
1999 February 745
May 749
August 753
November 763
2000 February 774
May 785
August 795
November 803
2001 February 812
May 824
August 838
November 849
2002 February 859
May 869
August 879
November 889
2003 February 903
May 918
August 931
November 940
2004 February 948
May 953
August 960
November 973
2005 February 991
May 1,008
August 1,023
November 1,030
2006 February 1,036
May 1,043
August 1,051
November 1,059
2007 February 1,070
May 1,088
August 1,104
November 1,113
2008 February 1,123
May 1,132
August 1,145
November 1,165
2009 February 1,183
May 1,198
August 1,202
November 1,223
2010 February 1,243
May 1,256
August 1,259
November 1,273
2011 February 1,288
May 1,305
August 1,323
November 1,333
2012 February 1,345
May 1,353
November 1,393
2013 May 1,423
November 1,438
2014 May 1,454
November 1,476
2015 May 1,485
November 1,499
2016 May 1,516
November 1,533
2017 May 1,544
November 1,568
2018 May 1,586
November 1,604
2019 May 1,634
November 1,659
2020 May 1,714
November 1,712
2021 May 1,737
November 1,748
2022 May 1,770
November 1,806
2023 May 1,839

Policy reference: SS Guide 4.1.7 Deprivation related to farm transfers

Last reviewed: