Australia’s youngest welfare recipients will receive a Centrelink boost more generous than the inflation rate on New Year’s Day – in addition to a series of changes taking place on January 1.
More than a million Australians will get an increase in their fortnightly benefits, regardless of whether they are studying or have a disability.
Victorians will also be able to connect gas to an existing home on January 1, but will have to pay a fee after Premier Jacinta Allan eased some of her polarizing Labor predecessor Daniel Andrews’ net-zero policies.
Polystyrene cups, plastic spoons and even wrapped straws on a juicer are also banned in New South Wales if they contain small, individual parts.
Bosses who deliberately underpay workers also face 10 years in prison or multi-million fines, while aged care workers get a pay rise.
Here’s what you need to know for the new year.
Centrumlink
Australia’s youngest Centrelink beneficiaries will see a 3.8 per cent increase in their payments on January 1, with the indexation significantly higher than the latest consumer price index of 2.8 per cent.
The youth allowance for teenagers under the age of 18 living at home will increase by $15 to $410.30 per fortnight – in line with the Abstudy rate for young people of the same age.
Australia’s youngest welfare recipients will get a Centrelink boost more generous than the inflation rate on New Year’s Day – in addition to a raft of changes taking place on January 1 (pictured are students from the University of New South Wales)
Those living and studying away from home, aged 18 to 24, will see their Youth Allowance or Austudy payment increase by $24.30 to $663.30.
The youth allowance applies to people between 16 and 21 years old who are looking for full-time work, for people between 18 and 24 years old who study full-time and for people between 16 and 24 years old who are doing an internship.
The disability pension for people living at home under the age of 18 will increase by $20.80 to $569.60.
Those aged 18 to 20 will get a boost of $23.10, taking it to $631.80.
Australians with disabilities who live independently will see their benefits increase by $30.10 every fortnight to $822.60.
The informal caregiver allowance will increase by $5.80 every two weeks to $159.30.
The 3.8 percent increase is much more generous than recent inflation figures: annual inflation in the September quarter was 2.8 percent based on temporary $300 electricity rebates from the federal government, while underlying inflation was higher at 3.5 percent without an increase. -off factors.
The benefits are linked to the annual consumer price index for the June quarter, rather than the latest inflation data.
Social Services Minister Amanda Rishworth said the indexation formula is intended to help Centrelink recipients cope with the cost of living.
“We want to reduce disadvantage and maintain Australia’s strong and sustainable social safety net by reaching out to those most in need,” she said.
‘Indexisation adjusts payments to changes in the cost of living, so people have more money in their pockets.’
Plastic straws, spoons
Polystyrene cups, plastic spoons and straws will no longer be able to be supplied in NSW from January 1 if they were produced as part of a ‘machine-automated process’.
This means that polystyrene cups containing dry noodles with sachets of flavoring or soup powder are illegal if they are machine sealed.
Plastic straws attached to the outside of a juice box, also known as a popper, will be banned from January 1
That includes plastic spoons in a plastic container that is also sealed on a production line, along with plastic straws attached to the outside of a juice box, known as poppers.
No extension of the ban will be granted, due to the hard deadline section of the Plastic Reduction and Circular Economy Act 2021 (the Act).
This means that stores and non-profit organizations are not allowed to supply these items to their customers even if they have unsold stock, with the state Environmental Protection Authority encouraging alternatives such as paper straws and bamboo spoons.
The ban on plastic cutlery comes into effect more than two years after the ban on single-use plastic bags was introduced on November 1, 2022.
Gas
Victorians can connect gas to an existing home, but from January 1 they will have to pay a $2,000 gas connection fee upfront.
Those who need to replace existing hobs and stoves can do so with a new gas appliance.
Victorians can connect to gas in an existing home, but from January 1 they will have to pay a $2,000 gas connection fee upfront
Prime Minister Jacinta Allan announced in September that residents would be able to continue using their gas hobs, even as Labour’s gas substitution roadmap aims to reduce the role of gas in the state’s energy network.
“I want to be very clear that Victorians can continue to cook with gas on their existing gas stove, and if they need to replace it, they will be able to do so,” she said..
“We wanted to provide this clarity and certainty as we undertake further consultations… because we have listened to Victorians and they have asked for this certainty.”
But this doesn’t mean Victorians can connect gas to new homes.
Her predecessor Daniel Andrews had introduced a ban on new natural gas connections from January 1, 2024, just a few months before he left office.
This meant that new houses, apartments and residential areas were not allowed to be connected to gas.
The state government has yet to clarify gas heating and hot water, which could be phased out and replaced by electric versions from 2026.
Wages under payment
Large and medium-sized employers across Australia will face millions in jail terms and fines from January 1 as deliberately underpaying wages becomes a criminal offence.
Australian hospitality workers are one of the key groups set to benefit from the crackdown on employers’ underpayment of wages (stock image)
Changes to the Fair Work Act mean individuals face a minimum fine of $1.565 million and up to 10 years in prison, while companies face a minimum fine of $7.825 million.
Small businesses, defined as fewer than 15 people, are exempt from these laws and therefore criminal charges, as a voluntary wage compliance code for small businesses has been established.
Wage increase for elderly care
New Year’s Day will also see a 3 per cent increase in the minimum wage in the aged care sector, including salaries previously covered by the nurses award and those covered by the social, community, home care and disability care award.
Sheep
Livestock, including sheep and goats born on or after January 1, must be tagged with an eID before leaving the farm in NSW.
Sheep and goats must now be tagged and checked when sold on farms in NSW
Land tax
Land tax thresholds in NSW will increase in the new year, with a general threshold of $1.075 million rising to $6.517 million for a premium threshold.
For foreign buyers, the land tax surcharge will increase from 4 percent to 5 percent based on the total home value.
Historically, the land tax threshold has changed annually. The 2024-2025 state budget announced a freeze on the general and premium thresholds for land tax for years after 2024.
The Treasurer will review these thresholds by June 1, 2027 to ensure they remain appropriate for property owners and market conditions.