On Sunday July 1, the way Australians live and work will be drastically affected by a long list of changes.
The minimum wage will increase by 3.5 per cent from $694.90 to $719.20 per week, while penalty rates for some workers will decrease.
Students will now have to start paying their HECS debt off as soon as they start earning $45,000 per year.
Power prices will drop by about 1 per cent for some customers, while gas prices may increase.
And airport security will toughen for international flyers, who will have to present all powders in their carry-on baggage separately for screening.
Australia’s 2.3 million minimum wage earners will receive an additional $24.30 a week in the wage increase introduced by the Fair Work Commission (stock image)
Centrelink recipients claiming Newstart or Youth Allowance may now have to meet with their Employment Service Provider before receiving their first appointment
International flyers will have to display present powdered items they are taking on board amidst tougher screening measures
Origin Energy and AGL both announced that power bills would slightly drop
MINIMUM WAGE AND PENALTY RATES
Australia’s 2.3 million minimum wage earners will receive an additional $24.30 a week in the wage increase introduced by the Fair Work Commission.
The weekly minimum wage will jump by 3.5 per cent from $694.90 to $719.20 per week, or $18.93 per hour.
Full and part-time hospitality workers will have penalty rates decrease by 10 per cent, while retail worker penalty rates will drop by 15 per cent.
Fast food employees will see their penalty rates drop by 10 per cent, while pharmacy employees will see a cut of 15 per cent.
An historic $144 billion worth of personal income tax cuts mean an extra $10.20 per week in the pocket for Australians earning up to $90,000 a year
TAX CUTS
An historic $144 billion worth of personal income tax cuts have passed federal parliament in what’s been hailed as a major victory for the Turnbull Government.
Under the first of three stages in the seven year plan, low and middle income earners will get tax relief of up to $530 a year from July 1.
It means an extra $10.20 per week in the pockets of Australians earning up to $90,000 a year.
‘The Turnbull Government has delivered income tax cuts for all Australian workers paying tax. In passing our Personal Income Tax Plan through the Parliament,’ treasurer Scott Morrison tweeted after the bill was passed.
The Government has ensured Australians will be paying less tax, and be rewarded for their hard work both now and into the future,’
Students will now have to start paying back their HECS debt sooner after the higher education changes passed the Senate
HECS REPAYMENTS
Students will now have to start paying back their HECS debt sooner after the higher education changes passed the Senate.
The Government has dropped the repayment threshold from the current $54,000 to $45,000 annually.
This means university graduates will need to start paying back at least 1 percent of their taxable income from Sunday.
A $45,000 salary works out at about $700 a week after tax.
An online shopping tax will be introduced to the online purchase of clothing, electronics and furniture from overseas retailers who have an annual turnover greater than $75,000
ONLINE SHOPPING TAX
An online shopping tax will be introduced to the online purchase of clothing, electronics and furniture from overseas retailers who have an annual turnover greater than $75,000.
Purchases under $1,000 – which were previously exempt – will incur a 10 per cent GST.
Amazon will no longer ship to Australian addresses from its international website, forcing Australian shoppers onto the Australian site. It’s anticipated that other large companies will follow.
PARKING FINES
Ten common parking fines are to be reduced by 25 per cent in New South Wales.
It will impact areas around Barangaroo and the Sydney foreshore, The Botanic Gardens, Centennial Park, Sydney Olympic Park, and Wentworth and Parramatta Parks.
The fines include: Park for longer than permitted, park without ticket displayed, park after ticket expired, stand vehicle in area longer than allowed, stop in restricted parking area, park after meter expired, not stand vehicle in marked parking space, remain in ticket-operated loading zone after ticket expired, park without current loading zone ticket, park without paying meter fee.
Melbourne commuters this year copped a 4.7 per cent rise in public fares, while Brisbane residents were hit with a 1.5 per cent increase
PUBLIC TRANSPORT
Opal fares in Sydney are set to increase by 2.2 per cent meaning commuters in New South Wales will have to pay 39 cents extra per week.
The pensioner Opal card will not be affected, remaining at $2.50. The adult and concession transfer discount will also remain.
Melbourne commuters this year copped a 4.7 per cent rise in public fares, while Brisbane residents were hit with a 1.5 per cent increase.
Opal fares in Sydney are set to increase by 2.2 per cent meaning commuters in New South Wales will have to pay 39 cents extra per week
ROAD TOLLS
Roads tolls in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane will be increased by the operator Transurban by up to nine cents.
Sydney’s Cross City Tunnel is set to increase by one to three cents, bringing a westbound trip to $5.70 from $5.67. The Eastern Distributor will face an eight cents increase from $7.31 to $7.39. The Lane Cove Tunnel tolls will also be affected by up to two cents.
Cars using the Hills M2 Motorway should expect a toll will rise between three and seven cents.
In Brisbane, the Gateway Motorway, Logan Motorway, Legacy Way, Go Between Bridge and Clem7 will increase by between three and nine cents.
In Melbourne, the CityLink will increase by between one and five cents.
Roads tolls in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane will be increased by the operator Transurban by up to nine cents
PASSPORT CHANGES
Passport photos taken after July 1 will see the removal of glasses, as determined by new Australian government guidelines. It won’t affect existing documents.
The guidelines intend to ‘further strengthen the integrity of the Australian passport’.
The department have said prescription glasses affect facial recognition and are often rejected because of eye distortion or a reflection on the lens.
Only rare cases will be allowed to keep their specs on for their passport photo.
Passport photos taken after July 1 will see the removal of glasses, as determined by new Australian government guidelines. It won’t affect existing documents
FAMILY PAYMENTS
If you receive Family Tax Benefit (FTB) Part A and an income support payment you will need to provide your family income estimate within 21 days or your Family Tax Benefit payment will be cancelled.
Parents must also ensure every child they are receiving the benefit for, meets immunisation requirements.
FTB Part A payments may be reduced by up to $28.28 per fortnight for each child.
Tougher residency requirements will apply for pensioners from July 1, saving the Federal Government $119 million per year
PENSIONERS
Tougher residency requirements will apply for pensioners from July 1, saving the Federal Government $119 million per year.
Residents will need to have lived in Australia for 15 years, or 10 years if they can prove they have worked for five years or not received income support for five years or more.
Exemptions currently in place to the residence requirements for the pension and disability support pension will stay the same.
CHILDCARE
Parents will access a new childcare package known as the Child Care Subsidy and Additional Child Care Subsidy from July 2.
The system is designed to provide more help to low and middle income families and is available to support parents with children less than 13 years who are not attending high school.
The subsidy will be paid directly to child care providers to reduce the fees that are paid.
Parents will access a new childcare package known as the Child Care Subsidy and Additional Child Care Subsidy from July 2
CREDIT SCORE
Customers with good credit histories are set to be rewarded with cheaper interest rates following the introduction of ‘game-changing’ legislation.
Comprehensive credit reporting (CCR) will become mandatory despite being around since 2014.
That means that banks are forced to share with other lenders, both positive and negative details on financial history. Lenders only tend to share negative information.
Woolworths launched their nationwide plastic bag ban over the past week, forcing customers to purchase reusable bags for 15 cents and foldable bags for 89 cents.
PLASTIC BAG BAN
Woolworths launched their nationwide plastic bag ban over the past week, forcing customers to purchase reusable bags for 15 cents and fordable bags for 99 cents.
The bag ban doesn’t end here as Coles, Liquorland, IGA and Big W will follow in suit come Sunday.
Single-use plastic bag bans are already government-enforced in ACT, Tasmania, South Australia and the Northern Territory.
On Sunday, Queensland and Western Australia will implement the bans too.
Victoria intends to ban the bags by 2019, leaving New South Wales standing alone with no real plans to take legislative action.
Woolworths announced that they would provide free reusable bags for ten days to allow customers to get used to the change.
Customers with good credit histories are set to be rewarded with cheaper interest rates following the introduction of ‘game-changing’ legislation
FOOD LABELS
Australian consumers will know whether their food is grown or produced in Australia with new labels.
The labels fall into four categories: ‘Grown in’, ‘Produced in’, ‘Made in’, and ‘Packed in’. Manufacturers must comply with the new standards.
The new labels, which first commenced on July 1, will become mandatory from July 1, 2018.
CARRY ON LUGGAGE
International flyers will have to display present powdered items they are taking on board amidst tougher screening measures.
This includes: make-up products such as foundation and blush and powders such as baby formula.
The TSA measure reportedly partly stems from a foiled terror plot to bring down an Etihad flight from Sydney to Abu Dhabi in July last year.
I nternational flyers will have to display the powdered items they are taking on board amidst tougher screening measures
POWER PRICES
Origin Energy and AGL both announced that power bills would slightly drop.
Residential Origin customers will see electricity prices in southeast Queensland drop by 1.3 per cent and 1 per cent in South Australia.
NSW gas prices will drop by 3 per cent.
AGL residential customers in NSW, South Australia and Queensland will see a 0.3 per cent, 0.4 per cent and 1.6 per cent drop in prices respectively.
Gas prices will increase by 1.8 per cent in NSW and 2.1 per cent in South Australia.
DOWNSIZING AND SUPERANNUATION
A government incentive will offer Australians over 65 an incentive to downsize their homes.
Up to $300,000 from the housing sales will contribute to superannuation.
To be eligible, you must have lived in your home for more than ten years. Appropriate research is advised.
A government incentive will offer Australians over 65 an incentive to downsize their homes
DISABILITY EMPLOYMENT SERVICES AND CARERS
Job seekers in Disability Employment Services, jobactive and ParentsNext will face tougher penalties if they do not attend their appointments from July 1.
Penalties will be in place for people who do not meet their requirements, including losing payment cancellation.
Payments will stop if people do not make their appointments, and without a valid reason, they will face a demerit.
If payment is cancelled, job seekers will have to submit a new claim and wait at least six weeks to be paid.
Carers may also be eligible for an automatic yearly payment if they care for someone with a disability or serious illness from July 1.
JOB SEEKERS
Centrelink recipients claiming Newstart or Youth Allowance may now have to meet with their Employment Service Provider before receiving their first appointment.
Payment will start on the date the recipient attends their first provider appointment.
A one-week waiting period may also apply before people are paid when claiming this allowance.
Job seekers in Disability Employment Services, jobactive and ParentsNext will face tougher penalties if they do not attend their appointments from July 1