RBA Cash Rate History

Complete timeline of Reserve Bank of Australia cash rate decisions from 1990 to today.

Historical RBA Decisions

DateRateChange
17 Mar 20264.10%+0.25%
4 Feb 20263.85%+0.25%
30 Jan 20263.60%Hold
DateRateChange
31 Dec 20253.60%Hold
28 Nov 20253.60%Hold
31 Oct 20253.60%Hold
30 Sep 20253.60%Hold
13 Aug 20253.60%-0.25%
31 Jul 20253.85%Hold
30 Jun 20253.85%Hold
21 May 20253.85%-0.25%
30 Apr 20254.10%Hold
31 Mar 20254.10%Hold
19 Feb 20254.10%-0.25%
31 Jan 20254.35%Hold
DateRateChange
31 Dec 20244.35%Hold
29 Nov 20244.35%Hold
31 Oct 20244.35%Hold
30 Sep 20244.35%Hold
30 Aug 20244.35%Hold
31 Jul 20244.35%Hold
28 Jun 20244.35%Hold
31 May 20244.35%Hold
30 Apr 20244.35%Hold
28 Mar 20244.35%Hold
29 Feb 20244.35%Hold
31 Jan 20244.35%Hold
DateRateChange
29 Dec 20234.35%Hold
8 Nov 20234.35%+0.25%
31 Oct 20234.10%Hold
29 Sep 20234.10%Hold
31 Aug 20234.10%Hold
31 Jul 20234.10%Hold
7 Jun 20234.10%+0.25%
3 May 20233.85%+0.25%
28 Apr 20233.60%Hold
8 Mar 20233.60%+0.25%
8 Feb 20233.35%+0.25%
31 Jan 20233.10%Hold
DateRateChange
7 Dec 20223.10%+0.25%
2 Nov 20222.85%+0.25%
5 Oct 20222.60%+0.25%
7 Sep 20222.35%+0.50%
3 Aug 20221.85%+0.50%
6 Jul 20221.35%+0.50%
8 Jun 20220.85%+0.50%
4 May 20220.35%+0.25%
29 Apr 20220.10%Hold
31 Mar 20220.10%Hold
28 Feb 20220.10%Hold
31 Jan 20220.10%Hold
DateRateChange
31 Dec 20210.10%Hold
30 Nov 20210.10%Hold
29 Oct 20210.10%Hold
30 Sep 20210.10%Hold
31 Aug 20210.10%Hold
30 Jul 20210.10%Hold
30 Jun 20210.10%Hold
31 May 20210.10%Hold
30 Apr 20210.10%Hold
31 Mar 20210.10%Hold
26 Feb 20210.10%Hold
29 Jan 20210.10%Hold
DateRateChange
31 Dec 20200.10%Hold
4 Nov 20200.10%-0.15%
30 Oct 20200.25%Hold
30 Sep 20200.25%Hold
31 Aug 20200.25%Hold
31 Jul 20200.25%Hold
30 Jun 20200.25%Hold
29 May 20200.25%Hold
30 Apr 20200.25%Hold
20 Mar 20200.25%-0.25%
28 Feb 20200.75%Hold
31 Jan 20200.75%Hold
DateRateChange
31 Dec 20190.75%Hold
29 Nov 20190.75%Hold
2 Oct 20190.75%-0.25%
30 Sep 20191.00%Hold
30 Aug 20191.00%Hold
3 Jul 20191.00%-0.25%
5 Jun 20191.25%-0.25%
31 May 20191.50%Hold
30 Apr 20191.50%Hold
29 Mar 20191.50%Hold
28 Feb 20191.50%Hold
31 Jan 20191.50%Hold
DateRateChange
31 Dec 20181.50%Hold
30 Nov 20181.50%Hold
31 Oct 20181.50%Hold
28 Sep 20181.50%Hold
31 Aug 20181.50%Hold
31 Jul 20181.50%Hold
29 Jun 20181.50%Hold
31 May 20181.50%Hold
30 Apr 20181.50%Hold
29 Mar 20181.50%Hold
28 Feb 20181.50%Hold
31 Jan 20181.50%Hold
DateRateChange
29 Dec 20171.50%Hold
30 Nov 20171.50%Hold
31 Oct 20171.50%Hold
29 Sep 20171.50%Hold
31 Aug 20171.50%Hold
31 Jul 20171.50%Hold
30 Jun 20171.50%Hold
31 May 20171.50%Hold
28 Apr 20171.50%Hold
31 Mar 20171.50%Hold
28 Feb 20171.50%Hold
31 Jan 20171.50%Hold
DateRateChange
30 Dec 20161.50%Hold
30 Nov 20161.50%Hold
31 Oct 20161.50%Hold
30 Sep 20161.50%Hold
3 Aug 20161.50%-0.25%
29 Jul 20161.75%Hold
30 Jun 20161.75%Hold
4 May 20161.75%-0.25%
29 Apr 20162.00%Hold
31 Mar 20162.00%Hold
29 Feb 20162.00%Hold
29 Jan 20162.00%Hold
DateRateChange
31 Dec 20152.00%Hold
30 Nov 20152.00%Hold
30 Oct 20152.00%Hold
30 Sep 20152.00%Hold
31 Aug 20152.00%Hold
31 Jul 20152.00%Hold
30 Jun 20152.00%Hold
6 May 20152.00%-0.25%
30 Apr 20152.25%Hold
31 Mar 20152.25%Hold
4 Feb 20152.25%-0.25%
30 Jan 20152.50%Hold
DateRateChange
31 Dec 20142.50%Hold
28 Nov 20142.50%Hold
31 Oct 20142.50%Hold
30 Sep 20142.50%Hold
29 Aug 20142.50%Hold
31 Jul 20142.50%Hold
30 Jun 20142.50%Hold
30 May 20142.50%Hold
30 Apr 20142.50%Hold
31 Mar 20142.50%Hold
28 Feb 20142.50%Hold
31 Jan 20142.50%Hold
DateRateChange
31 Dec 20132.50%Hold
29 Nov 20132.50%Hold
31 Oct 20132.50%Hold
30 Sep 20132.50%Hold
7 Aug 20132.50%-0.25%
31 Jul 20132.75%Hold
28 Jun 20132.75%Hold
8 May 20132.75%-0.25%
30 Apr 20133.00%Hold
28 Mar 20133.00%Hold
28 Feb 20133.00%Hold
31 Jan 20133.00%Hold
DateRateChange
5 Dec 20123.00%-0.25%
30 Nov 20123.25%Hold
3 Oct 20123.25%-0.25%
28 Sep 20123.50%Hold
31 Aug 20123.50%Hold
31 Jul 20123.50%Hold
6 Jun 20123.50%-0.25%
2 May 20123.75%-0.50%
30 Apr 20124.25%Hold
30 Mar 20124.25%Hold
29 Feb 20124.25%Hold
31 Jan 20124.25%Hold
DateRateChange
7 Dec 20114.25%-0.25%
2 Nov 20114.50%-0.25%
31 Oct 20114.75%Hold
30 Sep 20114.75%Hold
31 Aug 20114.75%Hold
29 Jul 20114.75%Hold
30 Jun 20114.75%Hold
31 May 20114.75%Hold
29 Apr 20114.75%Hold
31 Mar 20114.75%Hold
28 Feb 20114.75%Hold
31 Jan 20114.75%Hold

Understanding Rate Cycles

The RBA cash rate has moved through several distinct cycles over the past three decades. Major events like the 2008 Global Financial Crisis, COVID-19 pandemic, and the 2022-2023 inflation surge triggered significant rate movements.

Notable periods:

  • 1990s: Rates fell from 17.5% to around 4.75% as inflation was tamed
  • 2008 GFC: Emergency cuts took rates from 7.25% to 3% in just 7 months
  • 2020 COVID: Rates cut to historic low of 0.10%
  • 2022-2023: Fastest hiking cycle in RBA history to combat inflation

Frequently Asked Questions


The highest RBA cash rate was 17.50% in January 1990, during a period of high inflation. The rate was gradually reduced over the following years as inflation came under control.

Explore RBA Cash Rate

Mahendra
Written by

Mahendra Duddempudi

CTO & Head of Research

Mahendra Duddempudi is the CTO, Founder, and Head of Research at Bheja.ai. With 15+ years in software architecture, data engineering, and analytics, he combines technology and research to simplify complex topics in property, home loans, and finance. His work focuses on using AI, natural language search, and data-driven insights to make financial decisions clearer and more accessible for Australians.