New laws coming to Australia on July 1 and what they mean for you

A raft of changes kicking in on July 1 will affect how much it costs Australians to study and travel. It’s also about to get more expensive to drive around the major cities.

Australians are about to see a raft of changes come in from July 1 that will alter how people study, commute to and from work and how foreigners come to Australia.

See the changes afoot for university students, carers, the NDIS and immigration visas.

More locally, there are changes coming for toll road charges across the nation, car registration and insurance, and those selling or giving away pets will also have strict rules to adhere to from next week.

PART ONE: New laws, changes affecting Aussies on July 1

HIGHER EDUCATION LOAN PROGRAM

From July 1, the new minimum HELP repayment threshold will be $45,881 with a one per cent repayment rate.

A further 17 thresholds and repayment rates will also be introduced, up to a top threshold of $134,573 at which ten per cent of income is repayable.

HELP repayment thresholds will be indexed using the Consumer Price Index (CPI) instead of Average Weekly Earnings to ensure repayments are in line with cost of living.

Student Financial Supplement Scheme (SFSS) debts will be repaid after HELP debts are discharged. Currently, SFSS debts are paid concurrently with HELP debts.

The repayment thresholds for SFSS will also be brought into line with the HELP repayment thresholds from 2019—20, instead of the current three-tier repayment threshold.

SAFE TRAVEL FOR ABSTUDY STUDENTS

From July 1, primary or secondary students under 18 must have a Safe Travel plan, otherwise they will not get an ABSTUDY Fares Allowance for pre-booked travel.

Changes are coming for university students. Picture: iStock

NEW PAYMENTS FOR CARERS

Carers may be able to get a new Carer Supplement payment up to $600 from July 1 for each eligible person in their care. They may also be able to access a Child Disability Assistance Payment which can be up to $1,000 for each eligible child in their care.

NDIS PRICE INCREASES

The Federal Government announced an increase to price limits for therapists of almost $11 an hour, and a rise of up to 15.4 per cent for attendant care and community participation under the NDIS from July 1. These increases will inject more than $850 million into the NDIS market in 2019-20.

IMMIGRATION VISA FEES

The Department of Home Affairs announced that a 5.4 per cent Visa Application Charges (VAC) increase in fees will apply to applications made on or after July 1 on most visa subclasses. For example a student visa will increase from $505 to $606, a general skilled migration visa will rise from $3755 to $3958 and a partner visa will increase from $7160 to $7457.

WORK AND HOLIDAY VISAS

The Working Holiday Maker (WHM) visa program is changing to address labour shortages in regional Australia. WHM holders who complete six months of work in regional areas while on their second Working Holiday (subclass 417) visa or Work and Holiday (subclass 462) visa may be eligible to apply for a third visa from July 1.

Work and holiday visas for those keen to come to Australia are changing too. Picture: Getty

TOLL CHANGES AND REGO

*In NSW, drivers who spend $15 or more a week on tolls will be eligible for half-priced rego. Drivers who spend $25 or more a week on tolls will continue to receive free rego from July 1.

On July 1, tolls for the Eastern Distributor (Northbound) will increase to $7.69 for cars and $15.37 for other motorists.

On the Hills M2, the Main Toll Plaza toll will be $7.60 for cars, and $22.80 for others. On the Pennant Hills Road, Herring Road and Christie Road ramps, cars will pay $3.80 and others will pay $11.40. On the Windsor Road ramps, cars will pay $2.70 and others will fork out $8.07. On Lane Cove Road, cars will pay $2.24 while others will pay $6.74.

On the Lane Cove Tunnel, only trucks will have an increased toll to $10.68 and the Military Road E-Ramp will be $5.34.

The M2 on-ramp at Pennant Hills Road Carlingford. Picture: David Swift.

*In Victoria, taxi tolls will increase on CityLink and EastLink. On CityLink, the Western and Southern Link will be $6.40 each. Both links will be $8.45. A CityLink Metro Taxi Pass (day toll for a metropolitan taxi) will be $18.12, and CityLink Rural Taxi Pass will be $7. Batman Ave only has no toll. On EastLink, Melba Tunnel or Mullum Mullum Tunnel will cost $2.93, any part of EastLink south of Maroondah Highway will be $2.75, one tunnel plus any part of EastLink south of Maroondah Highway will cost $5.68, the Ringwood Bypass has no toll and an EastLink trip pass (for regional/rural taxis) will cost $6.36.

Melbourne city and traffic at Batman Ave. Picture: Mark Stewart

*In Queensland, toll changes come into force on July 1 on the Gateway and Logan motorways. For cars, the Murarrie on the Gateway Motorway toll will cost $4.62.

Kuraby/Compton Road on the Gateway Extension Motorway will cost $2.72, Loganlea on the Logan Motorway will be $1.75 and Heathwood/Paradise Road on the Logan Motorway will cost $2.88. For heavy commercial vehicles, the Murarrie on the Gateway Motorway will cost $14.18, Kuraby/Compton Road on the Gateway Extension Motorway will be $8.37, Loganlea on the Logan Motorway will be $5.36 and Heathwood/Paradise Road on the Logan Motorway will cost $8.85.

*In SA, drivers can choose their own compulsory third party insurance from four Government-approved insurers while registering their vehicles from July 1.

Andy Richardson, Transurban Construction and Technical Manager for the Logan Enhancement Project at a site on the Gateway Motorway. Picture: Adam Head

SELLING OR GIVING AWAY PETS

In NSW, those advertising kittens, cats, puppies or dogs for sale or to give away in NSW will need to include an identification number in advertisements.

It can be a microchip number, breeder identification number or a rehoming organisation number. The rules will apply to all advertisements, including those in newspapers, local posters, community notice boards, online advertising, including public ads on websites such as the Trading Post, Gumtree and social media sites.

Selling pets in NSW comes with extra conditions. Picture: iStock

PRIVATE HEALTH INSURANCE

Health insurers are no longer required to send private health insurance statements to the ATO from July 1. Previously they were required to send statements by July 15 each year, it is now optional.

DUTY ON TOBACCO IMPORTS

Customs duty will apply to tobacco products as soon they are imported from July 1, removing the ability of tobacco importers to defer taxation using warehousing arrangements. The importer will have one year to pay the customs duty amount and will apply to all imported tobacco products stored in warehouses, including legally imported products.