Interest Rates•Series ID: FIRMMCRT•1976–2026
RBA Cash Rate Target & Overnight Cash Rate - Historical Data
Combines the official RBA Cash Rate Target (1990–present) with the Interbank Overnight Cash Rate (1969–1989) from RBA Table F1.1.
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Current Statistics & Historical Records
Latest Reading (Sep 2026)
4.36%
Prev (Aug 2026): 4.35%+0.01 pp
Highest Recorded (Aug 1982)
20.77%
Early 1980s recession & drought
Lowest Recorded (Dec 2020)
0.10%
COVID-19 pandemic shock & 0.10% cash rate floor
Long-Run Mean (1976–2026)
6.48%
51 annual observations · Monthly
RBA Cash Rate Target & Overnight Cash Rate - Historical Series (1976–2026)
% p.a.Drag to pan, scroll to zoom, or toggle between full annual history (1976–2026) and recent monthly releases.
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Source: Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) / Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) (FIRMMCRT) Latest: 4.36 % p.a. (Sep 2026)
RBA Cash Rate Target & Overnight Cash Rate by Decade (1976–2026)
Decade averages, peaks, and troughs across Australian economic cycles
1970s1976–1979
8.34%
High (1979):9.50%
Low (1976):6.37%
1980s1980–1989
13.37%
High (1985):19.39%
Low (1983):4.76%
1990s1990–1999
6.71%
High (1990):12.58%
Low (1993):4.75%
2000s2000–2009
5.24%
High (2007):6.75%
Low (2009):3.74%
2010s2010–2019
2.43%
High (2010):4.75%
Low (2019):0.75%
2020s2020–2026
2.84%
High (2026):4.36%
Low (2020):0.10%
RBA Cash Rate Target & Overnight Cash Rate - Historical Table (1976–2026)
Unit: % p.a. · Source: Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) / Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) (FIRMMCRT)
| Year | RBA Cash Rate (% p.a.) | Year Range (Low – High) | Historical Context / Year Snapshot |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 4.36% | 3.60% – 4.36% | The Australian Economy in 2026 → |
| 2025 | 3.60% | 3.60% – 4.35% | Disinflation & monetary policy recalibration |
| 2024 | 4.35% | 4.35% | The Australian Economy in 2024 → |
| 2023 | 4.35% | 3.10% – 4.35% | The Australian Economy in 2023 → |
| 2022 | 3.05% | 0.10% – 3.05% | Post-pandemic inflation surge & rapid RBA tightening cycle |
| 2021 | 0.10% | 0.10% | The Australian Economy in 2021 → |
| 2020 | 0.10% | 0.10% – 0.75% | COVID-19 pandemic shock & 0.10% cash rate floor |
| 2019 | 0.75% | 0.75% – 1.50% | The Australian Economy in 2019 → |
| 2018 | 1.50% | 1.50% | The Australian Economy in 2018 → |
| 2017 | 1.50% | 1.50% | The Australian Economy in 2017 → |
| 2016 | 1.50% | 1.50% – 2.00% | The Australian Economy in 2016 → |
| 2015 | 2.00% | 2.00% – 2.50% | The Australian Economy in 2015 → |
| 2014 | 2.50% | 2.50% | The Australian Economy in 2014 → |
| 2013 | 2.50% | 2.50% – 3.00% | The Australian Economy in 2013 → |
| 2012 | 3.03% | 3.03% – 4.25% | The Australian Economy in 2012 → |
| 2011 | 4.30% | 4.30% – 4.75% | China mining investment & Terms of Trade supercycle peak |
| 2010 | 4.75% | 3.75% – 4.75% | The Australian Economy in 2010 → |
| 2009 | 3.74% | 3.00% – 4.25% | The Australian Economy in 2009 → |
| 2008 | 4.35% | 4.35% – 7.25% | Global Financial Crisis (GFC) & emergency rate cuts |
| 2007 | 6.75% | 6.25% – 6.75% | The Australian Economy in 2007 → |
| 2006 | 6.25% | 5.50% – 6.25% | The Australian Economy in 2006 → |
| 2005 | 5.50% | 5.25% – 5.50% | The Australian Economy in 2005 → |
| 2004 | 5.25% | 5.25% | The Australian Economy in 2004 → |
| 2003 | 5.23% | 4.75% – 5.23% | The Australian Economy in 2003 → |
| 2002 | 4.75% | 4.25% – 4.75% | The Australian Economy in 2002 → |
| 2001 | 4.28% | 4.28% – 6.25% | The Australian Economy in 2001 → |
| 2000 | 6.25% | 5.00% – 6.25% | Introduction of the 10% Goods and Services Tax (GST) |
| 1999 | 5.00% | 4.75% – 5.00% | The Australian Economy in 1999 → |
| 1998 | 4.76% | 4.76% – 5.00% | The Australian Economy in 1998 → |
| 1997 | 5.00% | 5.00% – 6.00% | The Australian Economy in 1997 → |
| 1996 | 6.18% | 6.18% – 7.50% | The Australian Economy in 1996 → |
| 1995 | 7.50% | 7.50% | The Australian Economy in 1995 → |
| 1994 | 7.05% | 4.75% – 7.05% | The Australian Economy in 1994 → |
| 1993 | 4.75% | 4.75% – 5.75% | RBA formalises 2–3% inflation targeting |
| 1992 | 5.75% | 5.75% – 7.69% | The Australian Economy in 1992 → |
| 1991 | 8.50% | 8.50% – 12.00% | Early 1990s recession ("The recession we had to have") |
| 1990 | 12.58% | 12.58% – 14.00% | Monetary tightening peak (17.5% Cash Rate) |
| 1989 | 18.16% | 14.82% – 18.18% | The Australian Economy in 1989 → |
| 1988 | 14.59% | 10.62% – 14.59% | The Australian Economy in 1988 → |
| 1987 | 11.30% | 11.30% – 16.62% | October 1987 sharemarket crash |
| 1986 | 15.50% | 14.71% – 18.91% | The Australian Economy in 1986 → |
| 1985 | 19.39% | 11.27% – 19.39% | The Australian Economy in 1985 → |
| 1984 | 12.01% | 9.13% – 15.15% | The Australian Economy in 1984 → |
| 1983 | 4.76% | 4.76% – 16.73% | Float of the Australian Dollar & Prices and Incomes Accord |
| 1982 | 11.46% | 11.46% – 20.77% | Early 1980s recession & drought |
| 1981 | 15.62% | 10.68% – 15.62% | The Australian Economy in 1981 → |
| 1980 | 10.88% | 8.86% – 13.73% | The Australian Economy in 1980 → |
| 1979 | 9.50% | 7.83% – 10.63% | The Australian Economy in 1979 → |
| 1978 | 8.32% | 7.67% – 9.40% | The Australian Economy in 1978 → |
| 1977 | 9.15% | 7.36% – 9.67% | The Australian Economy in 1977 → |
| 1976 | 6.37% | 6.37% – 8.02% | The Australian Economy in 1976 → |
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Source Information & Methodology
- Primary Institution:
- Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) / Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS)
- Dataset / Publication:
- Interest Rates and Yields - Money Market Cash Rate Target
- Series / Table ID:
- RBA Statistical Table F1.1 / A2 (FIRMMCRT)
- Release Frequency:
- Monthly
• Primary source: Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) / Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) - Interest Rates and Yields - Money Market Cash Rate Target (RBA Statistical Table F1.1 / A2).
• Observation frequency: Monthly. Annual table values represent calendar year-end observations.
• Series coverage spans 1976 to 2026 (51 annual observations).
APA Citation:Reserve Bank of Australia & Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2026). Interest Rates and Yields - Money Market Cash Rate Target (F1.1 / A2: FIRMMCRT). Retrieved October 2026 from https://www.rba.gov.au/statistics/tables/
Frequently Asked Questions: RBA Cash Rate Target & Overnight Cash Rate
- What is the current RBA Cash Rate Target & Overnight Cash Rate?
- As of Sep 2026, the latest recorded RBA Cash Rate Target & Overnight Cash Rate is 4.36 (% p.a.), compared with 4.35 in Aug 2026.
- What is the highest and lowest RBA Cash Rate Target & Overnight Cash Rate ever recorded in Australia?
- Across the historical series (1976–2026), the highest observation was 20.77 (% p.a.) in Aug 1982, while the lowest was 0.1 (% p.a.) in Dec 2020. The long-run historical average is 6.48.
- Where is the official RBA Cash Rate Target & Overnight Cash Rate data sourced from?
- This series is compiled from Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) / Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) (Interest Rates and Yields - Money Market Cash Rate Target, Series ID: FIRMMCRT) and is updated on a monthly basis under CC BY 4.0 International / RBA Terms.