Laws that will change from January 1

The tampon tax, energy bills, lifesaving medicines; all the laws that will change from New Year’s Day.

Axe the tampon tax petition handover and protest on the lawns of Parliament House in Canberra. Picture: Kym Smith.

Women across the nation will no longer have to pay the 10 per cent tax on feminine hygiene products as part of a bundle of new laws set to come into force on New Year’s Day.

In August, then-treasurer Scott Morrison vowed to scrap the tax, after 18 years of campaigning from Labor, the Greens and women’s groups to have tampons and other female sanitary products exempted from the GST. It is estimated the cuts will cost the GST pool approximately $30 million a year.

Other essential items, such as fresh food and medical products, are not subject to the 10 per cent tax introduced by the Howard government on July, 1, 2000.

Lifesaving medicines

There was a national shortage of EpiPen earlier this year. Picture: AFP.

Another significant change is the introduction of new legislation designed to safeguard access to critical and lifesaving medicines for Australian patients.

Under the new law, which was introduced in September, pharmaceutical companies will be required to report shortages of vital medication as soon as they occur.

The legislation was prompted by a national shortage of EpiPens earlier this year, which saw up to 500,000 Australians at risk of potentially fatal anaphylaxis.

Pharmaceutical companies will face significant penalties for failure to comply, including fines of up to $210,000 for each infringement and the possibility of further court action.

Foreign political donations

Sam Dastyari was forced to resign over the political donations controversy.

New federal laws to ban foreign political donations, which passed the Senate in November, will also be rolled out over fears of foreign interference.

The electoral funding and disclosure bill is aimed to prevent a repeat of the controversy that embroiled former Labor senator Sam Dastyari and sparked his resignation, after he accepted money from the Sydney-based Chinese businessman Huang Xiangmo.

Energy bills

Meanwhile in Victoria, AGL has announced a slight reduction in power and gas bills across the state from January 1.

AGL customers’ household electricity prices are expected to drop by 1.6 per cent in the New Year, delivering savings of around $23 a year off an average power bill of $1636.

Origin Energy is expected to hold prices flat but will continue to offer a 26 per cent discount for concession card customers and 17 per cent discount for other non-discounted customers.

Travel fares

Tram fares across Victoria will rise by 2.2 per cent.

Train, tram and bus fares across Victoria are set to rise by 2.2 per cent from January 1 in what the state government says is the lowest fare hike since 2014.

A two-hour, full-fare ticket will increase from $4.30 to $4.40, while an all-day ticket will increase from $8.60 to $8.80. While Concession rates will increase from $2.15 to $2.20 and $4.30 to $4.40 respectively.

Baby bundle

In New South Wales, new parents will receive a taxpayer-funded “Baby Bundle” filled with products for their new child.

The kit, which is part of the government’s $157 million parents package, will include items such as a sleeping bag, play and change mats, thermometers and a first aid kit.

Vaccination

WA will join other states in introducing a ‘No Jab no Play’ policy. Picture: Thinkstock.

In Western Australia, the state government will introduce a “No Jab No Play” policy, with childcare centres, kindergartens and school required to report on the immunisation status of all students.

NSW, Victoria and Queenland already have similar policies in place, while the federal government already withholds family payments for the parents of unvaccinated children.

Building laws

In Queensland, new financial reporting laws designed to protect those working in the building and construction sector are set to take effect from Tuesday.

The laws, which include annual financial reporting and a requirement for licencees to notify the Queensland Building and Construction Commission if their financial position changes, aim to help protect jobs across the states $46 billion construction industry.

NDIS

All eligible Queenslanders will have access to the National Disability Insurance Scheme as it finally rolls out into Moreton Bay and the Sunshine Coast.

The final roll out in Queensland allows the NDIS to provide support to all eligible people with disability in the state from January 1. The NDIS is expected to create more than 12,900 jobs and inject an additional $2.5 billion into the Queensland economy.

Once fully implemented, the NDIS is estimated to support about 91,000 people with disability in Queensland and about 460,000 people nationally.

Fishing boats

Queensland fishing boats will have to have tracking units. Picture: Josie Withers

Queensland met, line and crab fishing vessels will have to have tracking units installed as part of a sustainable fisheries strategy plan.

Vessel tracking will be required on all commercial fishing boats by 2020, with the priority on net, line and crab commercial fishing boats. Other legislative and fee changes to start in Queensland with the new year are laws aimed at strengthening the minimum financial requirements for state building industry licences.

These laws include the re-introduction of mandatory annual reporting for all licensees.

TPP

Businesses and farmers are set to benefit from two tariff cuts within three days, under the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade pact.

The TPP-11 starts with a tariff cut on December 30 followed by a second on January 1.

Analysis of the trade agreement shows potential benefits of up to $15.6 billion to the national economy by 2030.

In October, Australia became the sixth country to legally ratify the agreement, joining Canada, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand and Singapore as part of the first group to ratify.

Agreement signatories include Brunei Darussalam, Chile, Malaysia, Peru and Vietnam.

The pact sets commonly agreed rules to provide greater certainty for businesses and reduce costs.

The agreement will provide new access to the Canadian market for Australian grains, sugar and beef exporters. It will also open up the growing Mexican market for pork, wheat, sugar, barley and horticulture producers.

The TPP-11 also improves Australia’s market access into Japan for beef, wheat, barley and dairy exporters beyond the bilateral Japan-Australia economic partnership agreement.