Free Kindy, Vapes Ban – New Year Rings In Major Changes

MAJOR CHANGES AT STATE AND FEDERAL LEVELS:

* A national ban on importing disposable, single-use vapes, irrespective of nicotine content or therapeutic claims.

* Pensioners and veterans will be able to keep earning more before their payments are reduced under a permanent adjustment to the rules.

* In Queensland, kindergarten will be made free under the state government’s plan to ease financial pressure on households.

* Also in the sunshine state, public transport fees will be frozen for the next 12 months.

* In NSW, a $60 toll cap could save commuters thousands of dollars a year.

* Victorians with second homes are set to pay more in land tax. The temporary changes will result in 860,000 landlords and holiday home owners paying and extra $1300 a year on average.

* A statewide ban on gas connections in new homes and government buildings will also kick in, with all-electric homes part of the Victorian government’s plan to cut greenhouse gas emissions.

* In the ACT, thicker plastic bags will be banned in the final stage of a crackdown on single-use plastic.

* Also in the national capital, families will be able to access 300 hours a year of free preschool for three-year-olds.

* In the Northern Territory, families can apply for $100 Learn to Swim vouchers.

* The five-year national skills agreement struck between the Commonwealth and states will begin, with extra funding for training in priority areas such as digital technology, care sectors, and clean energy.

* A specialist federal body for integrating genomic medicine into the Australian healthcare system, called Genomics Australia, is set to start operating.

* Businesses will be able to choose to have their pay-as-you-go (PAYG) tax instalments calculated based on current financial performance, extracted from business accounting software, to help support cash flow.

* The 15 per cent global minimum tax and a domestic minimum tax for large multinationals will begin.

Australian Associated Press