All the price rises looming for Victorians from January 1 2025
Victorian households are about to be slugged with more hip-pocket pain, including price rises for transport, inner-city parking, short-stay acommodation and more. See what will cost more in 2025.
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Victorian households are about to face a series of hip-pocket hits with the arrival of the new year triggering prices rises that will bite hard during the cost-of-living crisis.
Melbourne commuters will be slugged with increased transport fares from January 1 with the daily city trip rate rising to $11, up 40 cents.
Additionally, regional and weekend ticket prices will experience a similar “modest” hike to $6 and weekend daily rates will jump to $7.60.
According to a state government spokesperson, this adjustment will help provide “new and expanded services across Victoria to keep people moving.”
On Thursday, Health Minister Mary-Anne Thomas said the public transport fare rises were justified.
“The increases in Myki are modest and are designed to ensure that we can continue to invest in our network of public transport here, both in metropolitan Melbourne, but also right across regional Victoria,” she said.
“Our government is very proud of its investments into public transport for the whole of the state, and that’s something that we will continue.”
When asked whether Victoria would follow Western Australia’s move to make public transport free for January, Ms Thomas said the state had already made huge changes to the system including the free-tram zone and subsidising regional travel.
Drivers will also be hit with added costs.
Under the concession deed struck with the Victorian government Transurban’s toll prices rise annually by 4.25 per cent, applied quarterly.
So a daily CityLink pass will cost $22.78, a jump of almost 50 cents this quarter and up from $21.86 in January 2024.
Motorcycle users will be charged $11.39 and light commercial vehicles will cost $49.41.
Off-street parking will also get significantly more expensive with the state’s congestion levy rising.
Inner-city commercial parking spots will be hit with a levy increase of $60 rising to $1750 a year, a cost that will be passed on through parking fees.
Holidaymakers will also feel the pain with the Victorian government’s 7.5 per cent Short Stay levy coming into effect.
The new 7.5 per cent tax will be applied to all new bookings starting from New Year’s Day and will be applied on the total cost of the booking including, cleaning, service fees and GST cost.
It will add a $26 charge for a property costing $350 a night or $37 a day for a property costing $500.
Families travelling oversees will also be slugged higher passport application fees with ordinary 10-year passport rise from $398 to $412.
A Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade spokesperson said the rises are “in line with the Consumer Price Index”
“The Australian passport is respected internationally as a high-quality travel document. It has a high level of technological sophistication, backed by rigorous anti-fraud measures, which ensures its integrity.”
Trips to the zoo will also be impacted.
The state government will keep its popular “kids can still go free” on weekends, public holidays and school holidays.
But the cost of weekday visits and school visits will be increased.
“For school and university groups visiting the Werribee Open Range Zoo, Melbourne Zoo, Healesville Sanctuary and Kyabram Fauna Park, the price will slightly increase from 1 January 2025,” a Victorian government spokesperson said.
“For early childhood to year 12, it will be $26.50 per student, up from $23.00 – this cost includes the learning program. For tertiary students it will be $40.00 per student, up from $34.00 – which also includes the learning program.”
On a national level there will be some relief for some Australians with welfare payments rising.
The Youth Allowance, Austudy, Youth Disability Support Pension and Carer Allowance will all be boosted in line with inflation boosting payments between $15 and $50 a fortnight.
Originally published as All the price rises looming for Victorians from January 1 2025
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