Variable fees are an arrangement that existed in hostels prior to 1 October 1997, that allowed proprietors to charge over the basic 85% of pension and rent assistance.
Hostel proprietors could also choose to charge up to 85% of the resident private income as an additional fee that the proprietor could use to supplement the revenue received by the hostel.
Links
[1] https://clik.dva.gov.au/user/login?destination=node/32624%23comment-form