Just like the rest of us common folk, Australia herself will be diving into a new era once that calendar evolves from 2024 to 2025. And with that new era, comes a bunch of new changes to taxes, new laws, pay rises and welfare payments.
So, without further ado, here are some of the major changes that’ll kick off right once January 1, 2025, hits Down Under.
Passport prices to rise
Because Australia is boujee — in the worst way possible, ‘cos duh, cozzie livs — Aussie passport fees are bound to rise, just like my blood pressure.
You see, every January 1 passport fees are increased due to indexation.
While there hasn’t been an official announcement from the government, the Australian Financial Review reports that a 10-year passport will increase to $412 from $398 from January 1, 2025.
Pay rises & more rewards for select jobs
Aged care workers are set to be in for a treat in 2023 after the Fair Work Commission approved a pay rise of between 2.3 and 13.5 per cent in 2025, 9News reports.
The saucy pay rise is set to come into effect on January 1. However, some aged care workers will receive the pay rise in two stages, with the second phase starting in October 2025.
Alongside aged care workers folks in a wide array of fields — including architects, airline ground staff and manufacturing — will cop awards and new minimum pay rates for entry-level classifications from January 1, 2025. Check out which jobs those changes apply to right here.
Employers who underpay staff could face criminal penalties
Continuing on from our chats about money, employers who are found to have deliberately underpaid their staff could face huge criminal penalties are the Federal Government’s “Closing Loopholes” workplace legislation that will kick off on January 1.
Under the new laws, individuals who are found to be committing wage theft risk 10 years imprisonment and a $1.57 million fine or triple the value of the wage theft. For business, it could face up to fines of $8.25 million or three times the amount of wages that were stolen.
Changes to foreign student visas
Foreigners in Australia who are applying for a student visa will be required to submit a confirmation of enrolment during the application process from January 1.
Before the change, only offshore applicants had to submit to the Department of Home Affairs a letter from their institution alongside their applications.
Students and carers on welfare support to be reimbursed
More than one million Aussies who receive youth allowance and carer support will see a 3.8 per cent boost in their payments due to indexation from January 1.
The Department of Social Services announced that single recipients of the Youth Allowance with dependent children will have their payments increase by $30.60, with a maximum rate of $845.80 a fortnight.
It also said for over 600,000 carers, Carer Allowance payments will increase by $5.80, bringing those depending on the allowance $159.30 per fortnight.
Medicine costs stay the same
If one thing that’s not in the “new year, new me” spirit, it’s the cost of medicine. THANK FUCK.
Per the 2024 Federal Budgement Announcement, medicines listed under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme will have their prices frozen for everyone in 2025, 9News reports.
Usually, medicines on the godforsaken list have their prices increased alongside inflation on January 1.
Not today, Satan. Not today.
The post Here Are Some Major Changes Australia Is About Cop In 2025 & It’s Giving New Year, New Me Vibes appeared first on PEDESTRIAN.TV .
