Federation rules · Parent: WP
Powerlifting Australia Rules
Powerlifting Australia dates to the early 1970s and is headquartered in Melbourne. The IPF excluded it in December 2017, and it now competes under the World Powerlifting Rules of Competition with local variations such as a one-hour weigh-in. Competition is unequipped under the WP rulebook, with separate PA-sanctioned equipped championships under the federation's own apparel rules. The federation is fully drug-tested through Sport Integrity Australia, and Best Lifter is scored on the Wilks Formula 2.
- Australian affiliate of World Powerlifting (WP); the Australian member federation of the IPF until December 2017
- Fully drug-tested, with in- and out-of-competition testing by Sport Integrity Australia under the WADA Prohibited List
See the current Powerlifting Australia records →
Weight classes
Bodyweight categories the federation contests separately for record purposes.
Men
| Class (kg) | Class (lb) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 62 | 137 | |
| 69 | 152 | |
| 77 | 170 | |
| 85 | 187 | |
| 94 | 207 | |
| 105 | 231 | |
| 120 | 265 | |
| 120+ | 265+ |
Women
| Class (kg) | Class (lb) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 48 | 106 | |
| 53 | 117 | |
| 58 | 128 | |
| 64 | 141 | |
| 72 | 159 | |
| 84 | 185 | |
| 100 | 220 | |
| 100+ | 220+ |
Age divisions
Each division is its own record category at the federation level.
| Division | Age range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Youth | 14 through 17 | Under 18 on 1 January in the year of competition and at least 14 on the day; uses a modified weight-class set. |
| Junior | 18 through 22 | Under 23 and over 18 on 1 January in the year of competition. |
| Open | 14 and upwards | Over 14 on the day of competition. |
| Masters | 40 and upwards | Five-year brackets from 40-44 through 75-79, then 80+, taken as at 31 December in the year of competition. |
Equipment categories
Separate record lines are kept for each equipment category the federation tracks.
-
Unequipped · records tracked
The World Powerlifting rulebook permits no supportive suits or shirts; a belt, knee sleeves, and wrist wraps are allowed.
-
Equipped · records tracked
PA additionally sanctions Equipped Powerlifting and Equipped Bench Press under its own apparel rules, with a separate and largely legacy record register.
Drug-testing policy
All Powerlifting Australia members are subject to in-competition and out-of-competition testing by Sport Integrity Australia under the WADA Prohibited List. Membership itself establishes testing availability, and entry to the Australian Open Championships requires six months of prior membership.
Records distinguish tested from untested: No.
The federation is fully tested, so there is no separate untested division. Records may only be set at meets where drug testing can take place, and records are struck from members later sanctioned for an anti-doping rule violation.
Banned-substance reference: WADA Prohibited List
Notable recent changes
Rule changes from the last decade across weight classes, age divisions, equipment, scoring, and eligibility.
- 2026-01-01 Other
New World Powerlifting Rules of Competition edition took effect.
- 2017-12-10 Affiliation
Excluded from the IPF; affiliated with World Powerlifting.
The IPF General Assembly excluded Powerlifting Australia, the Oceania Powerlifting Federation, and PA chief executive Robert Wilks effective 10 December 2017. PA has competed under World Powerlifting, founded by Wilks, since.
Reference materials
The federation's own published documents this page is sourced from.
- World Powerlifting Rules of Competition, effective 1 January 2026, §3.3 Age Groups, §3.4 Bodyweight Classes, §4 Apparel · retrieved 2026-06-12
- Powerlifting Australia Regulations (as at 1 January 2022), §1 Affiliations, §2.5 Testing availability, §4 Competitions, §6 Records, §8 Grading · retrieved 2026-06-12
- Powerlifting Australia anti-doping policy (Sport Integrity Australia testing, WADA list) · retrieved 2026-06-12