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5.2.2.10 Maximum basic rates of pension - July 1909 to present date

Summary

This topic covers only the MBR of pension, also known as the maximum rate of the base pension.

This topic contains 2 tables of pension rates covering 2 periods:

Table NumberExplanation
11 July 1909 to 13 November 1961
214 November 1963, when a standard rate was introduced, to present date

Table 1: Maximum basic rates of pension from 1 July 1909 to 5 October 1961

The table below shows the rates in dollars per annum (p.a.).

Date Note APartnered rate ($ p.a.)
01/07/190952.00
12/10/191665.00
01/01/192078.00
13/09/192391.00
08/10/1925104.00
23/07/193191.00
13/10/193278.00
26/10/193391.00
04/07/193593.60
24/09/193698.80
09/09/1937104.00
26/12/1940109.20
03/04/1941111.80
11/12/1941122.20
02/04/1942130.00
01/10/1942132.60
07/01/1943135.20
01/04/1943137.80
05/08/1943140.40
05/07/1945169.00
03/07/1947195.00
21/10/1948221.00
02/11/1950260.00
01/11/1951312.00
02/10/1952351.00
29/10/1953364.00
27/10/1955416.00
24/10/1957455.00
08/10/1959494.00
06/10/1960520.00
05/10/1961546.00

Notes for Table 1

NoteExplanation
AThe dates on which the rates were first paid.

Table 2: Maximum basic rates of pension from 14 November 1963 to present date

The table below shows the rates in dollars per annum (p.a.).

Date Note CStandard rate ($ p.a.)Partnered rate ($ p.a.)
14/11/1963598.00546.00
01/10/1964624.00572.00
13/10/1966 Note D676.00611.00
10/10/1968728.00650.00
09/10/1969780.00689.00
08/10/1970806.00715.00 Note E
08/04/1971832.00 Note F741.00 Note F
07/10/1971897.00 Note F793.00 Note F
04/05/1972949.00832.00
05/10/19721,040.00897.00 Note G
14/12/19721,118.00975.00
04/10/19731,196.001,053.00
04/04/19741,352.001,183.00
08/08/19741,612.001,339.00
01/05/19751,872.001,560.00
13/11/19752,015.001,677.00
13/05/19762,145.00 Note H1,781.00 Note H
11/11/19762,262.001,885.00
12/05/19772,449.202,041.00
10/11/19772,563.602,137.20
11/05/19782,675.402,230.80
09/11/19782,766.40 Note I2,306.20 Note I
08/11/19793,010.802,509.00 Note J
08/05/19803,174.602,644.20
06/11/19803,333.202,776.80
07/05/19813,465.802,888.60
05/11/19813,624.403,021.20
06/05/19823,855.803,213.60
04/11/19824,017.003,348.80
05/05/19834,282.203,569.80
03/11/19834,466.803,723.20
03/05/19844,648.803,876.60
01/11/19844,778.803,985.80
02/05/19854,903.604,089.80
14/11/19855,090.804,245.80
01/05/19865,309.204,427.80
25/12/1986 Note K5,522.404,604.60
25/06/19875,831.804,862.00
24/12/19876,037.205,031.00
23/06/19886,242.605,202.60
22/12/19886,461.005,384.60
22/06/19896,718.405,600.40
23/11/1989 Note L6,947.205,790.20
26/04/19907,342.406,120.40
27/09/19907,584.206,323.20
28/03/19917,841.606,539.00
26/09/19917,841.606,539.00
26/03/19927,958.606,637.80
24/09/19927,958.606,637.80
28/01/1993 Note M8,114.606,767.80
20/09/1993 Note N8,221.206,856.20
20/03/19948,270.606,897.80
20/09/19948,361.606,973.20
20/03/19958,478.607,072.00
20/09/19958,733.407,285.20
20/03/19968,907.607,430.80
20/09/19969,006.407,511.40
20/03/19979,042.807,542.60
20/09/19979,042.807,542.60
20/03/19989,219.607,690.80
20/09/19989,289.807,750.60
20/03/19999,396.407,841.60
20/09/19999,529.007,953.40
20/03/20009,672.008,073.00
01/07/20009,672.008,073.00
20/09/20009,851.408,223.80
20/03/200110,049.008,390.20
20/09/200110,262.208,569.60
20/03/200210,550.808,811.40
20/09/200210,740.608,970.00
20/03/200311,018.809,201.40
20/09/200311,338.609,469.20
20/03/200411,629.809,713.60
20/09/200411,793.609,848.80
20/03/200511,934.009,965.80
20/09/200512,256.4010,233.60
20/03/200612,529.4010,462.40
20/09/200612,841.4010,725.00
20/03/200713,176.8011,003.20
20/09/2007 Note O13,499.2011,273.60
20/03/200813,728.0011,466.00
20/09/200814,112.8011,785.80
20/03/200914,307.8011,949.60
20/09/200916,010.8012,069.20
20/03/201016,749.2012,625.60
20/09/201017,118.4012,903.80
20/03/201117,443.4013,148.20
20/09/201117,914.0013,504.40
20/03/201218,077.8013,626.60
20/09/201218,512.0013,954.20
20/03/201319,076.2014,380.60
20/09/201319,544.2014,731.60
20/03/201419,916.0015,012.40
20/09/201420,194.2015,223.00
20/03/201520,337.2015,329.60
20/09/201520,498.4015,451.80
20/03/201620,664.8015,576.60
20/09/201620,745.4015,639.00
20/03/201721,015.8015,841.80
20/09/201721,164.0015,953.60
20/03/201821,481.2016,192.80
20/09/201821,694.4016,354.00
20/03/201921,933.6016,533.40
20/09/201922,110.4016,666.00
20/03/202022,375.6016,866.20
20/09/202022,375.6016,866.20
20/03/202122,575.8017,017.00
20/09/202122,937.2017,290.00
20/03/202223,420.8017,654.00
20/09/202224,356.8018,361.20
20/03/202325,259.0019,039.80
20/09/202326,065.0019,648.20
20/03/202426,535.6020,001.80
20/09/202427,224.6020,521.80
20/03/202527,333.8020,605.00

Notes for Table 2

NoteExplanation
C

The dates in the table immediately above, are:

  • where the date shown is before 20 September 1993, the common fortnightly Thursday pension pay day on which the base pension was first paid at the corresponding maximum annual rate shown
  • where the date shown is between 20 September 1993 and 30 June 1999, both inclusive, the date of indexation, on the first common Thursday pension pay day after which the base pension was first paid at the corresponding maximum annual rate shown, and
  • where the date shown is on or after 1 July 1999, the date on and from which the corresponding maximum annual rate shown has been payable, at the equivalent daily rate, for each and every day, within a pensioner's fortnightly entitlement period, for which the pensioner is both qualified and payable.
DFrom 7 August 1968 Age and invalid pensions were regarded as being paid in fortnightly instalments of one twenty-sixth of the annual rate, payment being made for each instalment falling due while eligibility existed. This was based on F174.103, C1707/45 issued by the Secretary on 7 August 1968.
EStandard rate became payable to married Age and invalid pensioners where the living expenses of a wife or husband were or were likely to be greater than they would otherwise be by reason that they were unable, as a result of the illness or infirmity of either or both of them, to live together in a matrimonial home (subsection 33(2) of the 1947 Act applied).
FMaximum increase paid where means as assessed less than $520.00. Amount of increase reduced by half of means as assessed in excess of $520.00.
GWP replaced wife's allowance. It became payable to the wife of an Age or invalid pensioner at the same rate and subject to the same means test as Age and invalid pensions. Subsection 33(2) of the 1947 Act did not apply to WP.
HPension rates became subject to automatic increases from 1 May and 1 November each year, based on movements in the CPI.
IPension increases above the May 1978 rates were payable to persons aged 70 years or more, subject to the income test.
JStandard rate pension became payable to wife pensioners under subsection 38(2) of the 1947 Act, a similar provision to subsection 33(2) of the 1947 Act (see note (4)).
KAutomatic CPI based increases in pension rates deferred for 42 days, the operative dates now being 13 December and 13 June each year.
LOperative dates for automatic CPI based pension rate increase advanced by 84 days in 3 stages, each of 28 days. Future dates from which automatic increases will apply are 15 November 1989, 18 April 1990 and each successive 20 September and 20 March.
MAd hoc increase to pension in order to maintain pension at 25% of MTAWE.
NWithdrawal rate of pension asset test eased. For every $1,000 of assets (1.1.A.290) above allowable limit, pension reduced by $78.00 per annum.
OWithdrawal rate of pension asset test eased. For every $1,000 of assets above allowable limit, pension reduced by $39.00 a year.

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