QUESTION Law changes in affect 2018
Here are some interesting changes that have already taken place or will come into full affect throughout 2018.
Yes, it law changes that are taking place in Australia, not America, but it should still be interesting to all as a matter of comparison to your own system/s.
My views on a few of these changes:
Welfare
Ensuring single-parenting relationships are verified will see a decrease in welfare scammers, and can only be a good thing.
No longer will people be able to get away with saying 'flatmate' when the evidence shows that they are, in fact, living together in a relational sense. Good news for hard-working Aussies!
Increases to youth allowance, student payments, disability support, and care givers wages is a good thing; however, with the caveat that I have not delved into the statistics, the minimal increases seem insufficient to me.
The cashless debit card is a welfare card that is loaded up by the government, instead of giving those on welfare actual money. It cannot be used for items such as alcohol. The localised trial was a huge success, and is being expanded this year. I see this becoming universal sooner rather than later. Brilliant!
Education
Australia's education providers have been historically funded without any rhyme or reasons; some schools truly struggling, whilst others boomed.
This overhaul of the funding method is greatly overdue, and will see a fairer, more efficient and effective educational funding process. Great step for Australia!
However, VET student payments being limited to just high priority professions is going to see a repeat of what occurred in the 80s and 90s; yes, you'll fill the gap in those professions quickly, but will create big gaps in other sectors at the same time, resulting a constant state of flux as the pendulum never ceases to swing. Scratching my head on this one.....
Limiting tuition assistance: 1. Good, because it will help keep the cost of tertiary education from skyrocketing. 2. Those 'limits' suggest already ridiculous costs of schooling!
Removal of relocation scholarships is a good thing.
Housing Affordability
Tax breaks for rental property housing inspections has been a well-known rort for many years. Glad this is going!
Passport costs
Just curious what everyone around the world pays for a passport. I'm pretty sure Australia's would be up there among the most expensive.
Health
Yes, yes, yes, yes, YES!
Every item listed here is a great positive!
Codeine no longer being over the counter brings a mixed reaction for me. If I'm ever back in Oz, it could create an embuggerance for me, but over all it's a good thing.
Taxes
I believe the secondhand vehicle import tax is being abolished because there is sadly no longer a vehicle manufacturing industry to protect. 
Entitlements
It's about time politicians are held fiscally accountable!
Plastic Bag Ban
Way to go Australia!
Immigration Visas and Citizenship
This stuff won't mean much to non-Aussies, but the 457 visa program was a shamozzle, and it's a good thing it's changing.
The citizenship changes? Meh. Reads like pandering to me.
Data Breach changes
Goodbye illegal downloading in Australia. 
Superannuation
They constantly change super rules. This is just another one. Makes me - and most Aussies - pretty confident that I'll have no super left in my account by the time I reach 65.
And my two favourite changes......
Childcare
The new childcare package has IMMUNISATION requirements! Yes!
Gay Marriage
About fucking TIME Australia!
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Many countries are taking the lead in programs as this. The problem is that this requires money. U.S. citizens have one of the lowest tax rates in the developed world (I worked for a big accounting firm for 12 years). Now that the wealthy have lower taxes and the corporate tax rate is going down so will the social programs.
The one big sticking point is population growth. As the population grows so will the needs and resource use. The problem is exacerbated when immigration becomes excessive. Many outsiders without the means to pay the high taxes and a need to have more of the dwindling resources will and do create serious social issues.
Again, great programs but in order to be sustained there will have to be some drastic changes in how things are done.
JackPedigo
Level 9
Jan 9, 2018
0
@Kreig Africa has the highest population growth in the world. How much of New Zealand's growth is immigration?
@Kreig Thank you for saying that. I really want to have a discussion on immigration but it pisses off too many 'liberals'.
I was in our pharmacy getting a tetanus booster when I noticed a world map in the room. It was a CFC vaccine map and it showed a high rate of Measles in Europe. I asked the Pharmacist and she said it was because of the influx of people from countries that did not have a good vaccine program. This is just another example of how we ignore so many problems caused by excessive and unregulated immigration. Everybody (including the immigrants themselves) are harmed when the country is harmed by misguided policies.
Here in the US disability payments are abused severely. There are so many people who would rather sit on their ass and draw a disability check than work and if they do work they demand cash because if they make to much they will lose their disability check. Welfare is abused badly also. Many people on welfare are drug or alcohol abusers. I
If your banning plastic bags how do you bag up your trash and take it to the dump? Myself I live in the country a ways from town and put my trash in plastic bags, haul it to town and put it in the city dumpster, a right for which I pay for.
Trajan61
Level 8
Jan 9, 2018
1
I understand. We have some states in the US that have did that. In those you have to purchase a reusable shopping bag. Not sure what it’s made of but it doesn’t seem to be plastic.
if you have unemployment in your area then those people wouldn't have jobs anyway !help them they need it . you are more fortunate than them. ACT LIKE IT
I'm not allowed to collect rain water or have flavored vodka in this land of the free home if the brave..... I can have guns though so yeah.... to get help with child care here you have to basically live in a box and you better have cash money for those shots you want I could go on but I should be sleeping
Pooska
Level 6
Jan 9, 2018
1
As water becomes more and more scarce many municipalities are allowing rainwater harvesting. The main problem has not been with the collection but with the plumbing codes. Our county did not allow this but relaxed the code when filtering systems and UV sterilization was developed. I now have some 5,400 gallons of rain water available for use.
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