Happy New Year!
With the dawn of a new year, a slate of new laws are coming, and have come, into force in Australia.
The changes will impact a wide variety of aspects of Australian life from employment legislation to long due regulation of Buy Now, Pay Later services. This article is designed to be a helpful resource for navigating the complexities of Australia’s changing legal environment.
Some of the changes occurring in 2025 include:
Underpaying Workers Will Become a Criminal Offence
Before the beginning of this year, deliberately underpaying staff was not addressed within Australian Criminal Law. Updates, however, have made deliberate underpayment a criminal offence meaning that an employer found guilty would be liable to a sentence of up to 10 years in prison. A company found guilty of such breaches could be fined up to $8.25 million or triple the amount that was underpaid whichever is higher. These changes come as a part of the raft of changes to employment laws.
Supermarket Mandatory Code of Conduct
From the 1st of April this year, the Food and Grocery Code of Conduct will become mandatory for all supermarkets. The changes introduce strict penalties for supermarkets who breach the Code of Conduct which include a fine of up to $10 million or up to 10 per cent of turnover in the preceding 12 months whichever is the larger amount. The Code of Conduct seeks to fight against the cost-of-living crisis and concerns of price gouging by supermarkets.
Increased Regulation of Buy Now, Pay Later
Services such as AfterPay and Zip after operating in an almost unregulated environment for some time will now be subject to guidelines. This will include requirements for companies to hold a credit licence(s) and conduct credit checks on their users.
Increasing Casual Loading
Following amendments passed in the West Australian Parliament to the Minimum Conditions of Employment Act, casual workers will see the loading they receive on their minimum wage increase if they are governed by the State system. The loading will rise from 20% to 25%. These changes will apply only to workers who do not fall under a Federal Government pay award and will be in force from the 31st of January.
Ban on Engineered Stone Enters Full Force
The final part of the Federal Government’s ban on engineered stone is now in force. Engineered stone, which is most commonly seen in kitchen benchtops, has been linked to deadly lung disease due to the release of silica when cutting the stone. While the manufacture, supply and installation of engineered stone were banned from July last year, its import was not banned until 1 January 2025. This was an important step given most engineered stone products on the market prior to the ban were imported from overseas, thus serving as an important step in guarding against its illegal use.
Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme Price Freezes
Some good news if you take prescription medication!
Medicines which are listed on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (‘PBS’) usually increase in price at the beginning of each year in line with inflation. However, now prices will remain frozen for the next five years on the PBS at a maximum of $31.60 for Medicare cardholders and at $7.70 for pensioners.
WA Firearms Law Changes
Gun control measures in Western Australia will be strengthened on the 31st of March 2025 with new laws in WA being branded as the ‘toughest firearms laws in Australia’. These measures include requiring stronger evidence that a person needs firearms and reducing the number of arms a person can hold for a hunting license to five. It is expected that up to 40,000 guns will be removed from circulation in the state under the new laws.
With these key changes now in effect, staying informed is more important than ever. If you have any questions or need advice on how any new laws may affect you, don’t hesitate to reach out. We are here to help you navigate these shifts and ensure you are ready for the year ahead.
About the Author: This article was authored by Myles Brown. Myles is currently in the final year of his Bachelor of Criminology and Criminal Justice at UWA. Following this, Myles will commence his Juris Doctor at UWA.
