List of postage rates in Australia

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Postage rate[edit]

For version of this table without cumulative inflation, see.[1]

Basic domestic[edit]

The basic postage rate for a small letter has increased over the years due to inflation but influenced in recent years by a complex interplay between Australia Post's monopoly over small items, and need to provide service to all Australian addresses at the mandated basic rate. [2]

In July 2009, Australia Post requested the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) to approve a stamp price rise in 2010 to 60 cents but the ACCC declined the approval of the price rise, however in April 2010, Australia Post resubmitted the proposed postal stamp rise. The ACCC approved this request on 28 May 2010 and it was published in the Government Gazette on 9 June 2010. [3][4][5]

On 26 December 2013, due to the heavy decline in mail usage due to competition from email, etc., Australia Post requested an increase in the base rate to 70c. [6]

On 4 January 2016, due to the heavy decline in mail usage due to competition from email, etc., Australia Post requested an increase in the base rate to $1.00.

On 1 February 2020, the base rate for domestic letters became $1.10. The base rate of inflation is also shown (INF). [7]

The current base rate for domestic letters is $1.20 (since 3 January 2023). 

PR   INF    YEAR
1d – 1.20 - 1911
3d – 2.50 - 1950 (Equals 2.50¢)
5d – 4.22 - 1959 (Equals 4.17¢)
4¢ – 4.93 - 1966 (Introduction of decimal currency)[8]
5¢ – 5.10 - 1967
6¢ – 5.59 - 1970
7¢ – 5.93 - 1971
10¢ – 7.91 - 1974
18¢ – 9.11 - 1975
20¢ – 12.52 - 1978
22¢ – 15.04 - 1980
24¢ – 16.47 - 1981
27¢ – 18.35 - 1982
30¢ – 20.18 - 1983
36¢ – 24.44 - 1986
37¢ – 26.51 - 1987
39¢ – 28.42 - 1988
41¢ – 20.55 - 1989[9]
43¢ – 32.78 - 1990 (effective 3 September 1990)
45¢ – 34.17 - 1992 (effective 2 January 1992)[10]
45¢ – 52.42 - 2000 (effective 1 July 2000. With the introduction of the GST, the postage component was decreased to absorb the new GST cost, so for the public there was no change in stamp prices. For businesses the GST claimable component of the postage rate was 4¢, leaving a reduced cost to business users of just 41¢.
50¢ – 45.10 - 2003 (effective 13 January 2003)[11]
55¢ – 52.42 - 2008 (effective 1 September 2008)
60¢ – 54.91 - 2010 (effective 28 June 2010)
70¢ – 60.61 - 2014 (effective 31 March 2014)[12]
$1.00 – 62.32 - 2016 (effective 4 January 2016)[13]
$1.10 – 66.27 - 2020 (effective 1 February 2020)[7]
$1.20 - ??.?? - now (effective 3 January 2023)[14]

Large letters[edit]

Since about 2005, larger letters have been charged a round multiple of the base postage rate, which is helpful to customers if they do not have stocks of the more expensive stamps.

260 x 360 x 20mm – Up to 125g – $2.20 260 x 360 x 20mm – Up to 250g – $3.30 260 x 360 x 20mm – Up to 500g – $5.50 A large letter, including packaging, cannot be more than 20mm thick or larger than 260x360mm, otherwise it will be considered a parcel, which as of 2019 costs a minimum of $8.30 (up to 500 grams).

References[edit]

  1. ^ Inflation on
  2. ^ Inflation since 1948
  3. ^ "Australia Post seeks postage increase". Inside Retailing. 24 July 2009. Archived from the original on 27 July 2009. Retrieved 22 April 2010.
  4. ^ Doherty, Elissa (13 April 2010). "Australia Post wants to raise the cost of stamp by five cents". Herald Sun. Retrieved 22 April 2010.
  5. ^ "Commonwealth Gazette, Edition 22, 2010". 9 June 2010. p. 1148. Archived from the original on 29 June 2011.
  6. ^ The Australian, 26 December 2013, page 1
  7. ^ a b "Post Charges" (PDF). Australia Post. 30 March 2020. Retrieved 27 March 2020.
  8. ^ "Postage to rise by 2c a letter on July 1". The Sydney Morning Herald. Sydney. 15 April 1989. p. 5.
  9. ^ "Postage to rise by 2c a letter on July 1". The Sydney Morning Herald. Sydney. 15 April 1989. p. 5.
  10. ^ "Treasury Submission to the National Competition Council Review of the Australian Postal Corporation Act" (PDF). reflecting an increase in the standard postage stamp price from 41 cents to 45 cents between September 1990 and January 1992
  11. ^ "ACCC announces final decision on postal prices". The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission today announced its final decision not to object to Australia Post's request to increase the price of the basic postage stamp from 45c to 50c. The increase, which will take effect from January 2003, will see the price of the basic postage stamp rise for the first time in 10 years
  12. ^ "Stamp prices". Australia Post. Retrieved 17 April 2014.
  13. ^ "Pricing updates". Australia Post. Retrieved 20 December 2015.
  14. ^ "Basic Postage Rate (BPR) price changes". Australia Post. Retrieved 6 February 2023.
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