New federal laws

Employees and employers face changed rules about penalty rates and overtime payments in their employment contracts and wages.

Amends the Fair Work Act in relation to protecting penalty rates and overtime rates in workplace pay arrangements.

29 Aug 2025·In force

Students and staff at Australian universities face new requirements to prevent and respond to gender-based violence on campus.

28 Aug 2025·In force

Parents using early childhood education and care services, and childcare providers, face changes to regulatory requirements and obligations.

Amends family assistance law covering child care subsidy — including provider approval quality and safety checks, inspection entry powers, independent audits, and how parents pay gap fees.

2 Aug 2025·In force

Importers and Australian exporters to the UAE benefit from reduced tariffs; consumers may see lower prices on some imported goods.

2 Aug 2025·In force

Importers and exporters trading with the UAE face changed customs duties and tariff rules under the new trade agreement.

2 Aug 2025·In force

University students with existing loans have their debts reduced by 20 per cent, and the repayment threshold is raised.

Amends student loan laws — including HELP, VET student loans and apprenticeship support loans — in relation to reducing existing debts by 20 per cent and repayment arrangements.

2 Aug 2025·In force

Taxpayers and businesses claiming tax deductions or incentives are affected by changes to eligibility rules and compliance requirements.

Amends tax law on luxury car tax thresholds, deductions for tax office interest charges, refund retention notice periods, and the $20,000 small business instant asset write-off.

27 Mar 2025·In force

Transport operators and workers in aviation, maritime, and rail must comply with new security requirements and background checking rules.

27 Mar 2025·In force

Australian travellers who participate in the Global Entry Program will face changes to their background check and vetting requirements.

27 Mar 2025·In force

Employers above a certain size must set and report on gender equality targets in their workplaces.

27 Mar 2025·In force

Australians receiving tax cuts, changes to payments, or modifications to costs of living support measures have altered their tax or financial entitlements.

Amends laws in the Treasury portfolio — such as tax and financial laws — under the heading of further cost of living relief measures.

27 Mar 2025·In force

People enrolling in vocational education at TAFE receive free tuition for eligible courses instead of paying fees.

Provides for ongoing Commonwealth financial assistance to states and territories, under Free TAFE agreements, to fund free vocational education and training places.

27 Mar 2025·In force

Importers and sellers of engineered stone products face faster customs seizure and disposal of non-compliant stock.

20 Feb 2025·In force

Anyone using phone, email, or online services may face new obligations or rules designed to reduce scams targeting Australian consumers.

Sets up a framework for preventing and responding to scams, mainly by amending the Competition and Consumer Act 2010 and related consumer, corporations and communications laws.

20 Feb 2025·In force

Voters and electoral processes are affected by changes to how federal elections are conducted and votes are counted.

Amends existing Commonwealth electoral law, but the title describes its purpose only broadly as "electoral reform" and does not reveal the specific changes.

20 Feb 2025·In force

Families with young children gain access to subsidised early childhood education and care for a minimum of three days per week.

Amends child care subsidy law, replacing the activity test with 'subsidised hours' and setting a guaranteed minimum of subsidised hours each fortnight.

20 Feb 2025·In force

Electricity network operators and users face changes to how networks are regulated, planned, and invested in.

20 Feb 2025·In force

Veterans and their families receive different eligibility rules, payments, and support services depending on which scheme they access.

Amends veterans' entitlements, treatment and military rehabilitation and compensation laws to simplify and align them, moving future claims to a single ongoing Act from 1 July 2026.

20 Feb 2025·In force

People with My Health Record accounts will have their health information shared with healthcare providers by default unless they opt out.

Amends health laws covering the My Health Record system, dealing with sharing health information into that system by default.

14 Feb 2025·In force

Public sector agencies and their staff face new oversight rules, reporting requirements, and potential liability for unlawful debt recovery schemes.

14 Feb 2025·In force

Businesses in eligible manufacturing and processing sectors receive tax credits for investment in domestic production.

Amends existing law to introduce production tax credits and related measures under the government's Future Made in Australia policy.

14 Feb 2025·In force

Current and former Defence Service Homes loan holders are affected by changes to insurance requirements and arrangements for their mortgages.

14 Feb 2025·In force

People can be prosecuted for new criminal offences based on hatred directed at protected attributes, with potential prison sentences.

Amends the Criminal Code and Crimes Act covering offences of urging or threatening violence against groups, and sets penalties including some mandatory minimum sentences.

7 Feb 2025·In force

People's tax obligations and entitlements change; the specific effects depend on which tax and other measures are in this Act.

Amends Treasury laws to make a package of tax and other measures; the specific changes aren't determinable from the title alone.

11 Dec 2024·In force

Large multinational companies operating in Australia face new minimum tax obligations under global and domestic tax rules.

Makes consequential changes to Treasury laws to fit alongside Australia's global and domestic minimum tax rules for multinational businesses.

10 Dec 2024·In force

Families, farmers, and eligible taxpayers receive changes to tax offsets, deductions, and other financial entitlements affecting their tax bills and payments.

Amends various Treasury laws covering consumer safety and information standards, Housing Australia's special account cap, industry code penalties, deductible gift recipient listings, and technical tax and corporate changes.

10 Dec 2024·In force

Businesses conducting mergers and acquisitions, and the Foreign Investment Review Board when assessing foreign takeovers, face changed procedural and threshold rules.

10 Dec 2024·In force

Early childhood education and care workers and the services they work for are affected by changes to funding and wage support arrangements.

10 Dec 2024·In force

Importers and exporters trading with ASEAN countries, Australia, and New Zealand will face changed tariff rates and customs procedures under the revised trade agreement.

10 Dec 2024·In force

5 Sept 2025·In force·Routine legislation

5 Sept 2025·In force·Routine legislation

This Act makes technical amendments to align other legislation with a new code on gender-based violence in universities.

28 Aug 2025·In force·Routine legislation

28 Aug 2025·In force·Routine legislation

27 Mar 2025·In force·Routine legislation

This is machinery of government legislation that appropriates money to pay for federal government operations and services.

27 Mar 2025·In force·Routine legislation

This Act appropriates (allocates) federal money to government departments and agencies for the 2025–2026 financial year.

27 Mar 2025·In force·Routine legislation

This Act appropriates money to fund the operations of Parliament's own administrative departments.

27 Mar 2025·In force·Routine legislation

The title doesn't say who this affects; it appears to amend procedural rules for reconsidering decisions under existing environmental law.

27 Mar 2025·In force·Routine legislation

27 Mar 2025·In force·Routine legislation

20 Feb 2025·In force·Routine legislation

14 Feb 2025·In force·Routine legislation

This Act authorises spending from the federal budget for specified government agencies and programs in the 2024-2025 financial year.

14 Feb 2025·In force·Routine legislation

This Act allocates federal funding to Parliament's administrative departments for the 2024–25 financial year.

14 Feb 2025·In force·Routine legislation

The title indicates technical corrections rather than a change in who gets payments or how much they receive.

14 Feb 2025·In force·Routine legislation

This Act allocates federal money to government departments and agencies for spending in the 2024-2025 financial year.

14 Feb 2025·In force·Routine legislation