With the new year come new policies, laws, taxes and reforms. Here’s everything to know about changes on 1 January, 2025 that could affect you.
Centrelink payments will increase
Centrelink payments, including youth allowance, Austudy and carer allowance, will increase in line with inflation.
Youth allowance payments to single recipients over 18 who live at home will increase by $17.30 a fortnight from $459.80 to $477.10. Those living away from home will receive $670.30 instead of $646. Recipients with children will get an extra $30.60 a fortnight, totalling $845.80 a fortnight.
Austudy recipients with no dependent children will receive $670.30 a fortnight, while those with children will get $845.80.
Those on the carer allowance will get an extra $5.80 a fortnight, totalling $159.30 a fortnight.
Passport fees rise
The cost of a 10-year adult Australian passport goes up to $412, and a five-year children’s passport to $208. The 3.5% increase is simply due to indexation for inflation, but comes on top of a 15% one-off rise in July, which took the adult fee from $346 to $398. The rise means Australia is in no danger of losing its ranking for the most expensive passports in the world.
Intentional wage underpayments a criminal offence
Employers who intentionally underpay their employees can be fined up to $7.8m (corporations) or $1.6m (individuals). Individuals can also face up to 10 years in jail.
The offence will only cover underpayments made on or after 1 January, including when they are part of conduct that started prior to that date.
Ban on imported engineered stone
The importation of bench tops, slabs and panels made from engineered stone will be banned, to protect workers from silicosis, a lung disease caused by the inhalation of silica dust.
The ban follows the domestic ban on the use, supply and manufacture of engineered stone products from 1 July 2024.
Changes to ATMs near gambling areas
As part of a package of reforms aimed at minimising gambling harms, ATMs must be located outside a five-metre radius of gaming areas in a hotel or club in NSW, and must not be visible from gaming machines or entry to gaming areas. Gaming machines and areas must also not be visible from ATMs.
Medicare safety net threshold increase
The amount you’ll have to spend on out-of-hospital medical costs before being eligible for a higher rebate – also known as the Medicare safety net threshold – will increase from $560.40 to $576.
The extended medicare safety net will increase from $811.80 to $834.50 for concession card holders and from $2,544.30 to $2,615.50 for other Medicare users.
Pay rise for aged care staff
Aged care staff will receive a wage boost, with the exact amount varying between staff.
Indirect care workers will receive a pay rise from 3% to 7%. Direct care workers (who can receive up to a 13% cumulative increase) will receive half their pay increase on 1 January and the remainder on 1 October.
Updated Queensland electrical safety rules
Laws seeking to protect workers from electrical risk will extend to those performing work “near energised electrical equipment” or who work in, or enter, roof spaces.
The changes reflect the risk of arc flash – the light and heat produced from an arc fault.
Victorian land tax extended to state regions
Victoria’s vacant residential land tax, which applies to properties empty for more than six months in a calendar year, will be extended to properties in regional Victoria.
Some holiday homes will be exempt if used as a holiday home by the owner or their close relatives for at least four weeks in a calendar year, though an owner will only be able to use an exemption on one property.
Expanded NSW single-use plastics ban
The ban’s transition period – which began in November 2022 – has now ended.
Changes to entry-level classifications and minimum pay rates
Twenty awards – including the Australian government award – will introduce new rules for introductory classifications, temporary classifications that typically apply to the first stage of a job, and can be paid at under the national minimum wage.
The rules will differ between awards. Along with changes to introductory classification rules, a further 15 awards have changed their minimum pay rates.
More South Australians eligible for household concessions
South Australia will scrap the co-resident income assessment, meaning more people will be eligible for cost-of-living concessions.
More people have right to inspect a will in SA
More people – such as the deceased’s former spouses, and those named in earlier versions of a will – can now inspect a will before the will is recognised as valid by the supreme court and the estate is distributed.
Mandatory climate reporting
Large companies will be required to provide climate-related information in their annual financial reports from the financial year starting 1 January.
Legal Aid Northern Territory to cut services
Legal Aid NT will scale back services due to funding cuts. The organisation will not represent adult clients charged with criminal offences, cease remote court services, stop grants of aid for referrals for criminal law services in “remote bush courts” and cease contracting private lawyers acting as duty lawyers from 1 January.
Payroll tax waived for some employers in NT
Employers with taxable wages of $2.5m or less will not be required to pay tax for liabilities incurred between 1 January 2025 and 30 June 2025.
Vehicle efficiency standards introduced
The emissions of new cars will be capped to incentivise companies to supply low- and zero-emissions vehicles.
