New Australian Government Laws and Benefit Changes Effective 1 January 2026
From 1 January 2026, several new laws and benefit changes will come into effect across Australia.
The Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) prescription cost cap will be lowered to $25, while pensioners and concession card holders will continue to pay $7.70 until 2030.
A new 24/7 phone line, 1800 MEDICARE, will replace Healthdirect as the primary health assistance line. Additionally, a Medicare mental health check-in portal will launch in early January, with low-intensity cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) available via phone and video from late March.
Cash payments must be accepted for transactions up to $500, with exemptions for businesses whose turnover is under $10 million.
Government-subsidised childcare will increase to three days per week, making around 100,000 more families eligible.
Home battery rebates will be reduced from $372 to $336 per kilowatt-hour, but an additional $4.9 billion in funding will support the sustainability program.
In Victoria, public transport will be free for under-18s, with weekends free for seniors, carers, and disability-support pensioners. The congestion levy will increase by over 70%, and a vacant residential land tax will apply to undeveloped land held for at least five years.
New South Wales will extend the weekly toll cap to $60, offer a 50% reduction in land value for eligible build-to-rent developments, and require electric kitchen appliances under a new electric standard in the City of Sydney.
Queensland's new Daniel’s Law establishes a three-category public child sex offender register that allows posting of images and details. Residents may apply to view offender images, and parents can request access if an offender has unsupervised contact with their children.
Following the Bondi attack, national measures include tighter gun controls limiting firearms to four for recreation and ten for commercial use. Police will gain powers to restrict protests, with a 14-day protest ban and possible extension to 90 days, impacting events such as Invasion Day protests.
