Latest news with #1800MEDICARE
SBS Australia
04-05-2025
- Business
- SBS Australia
The many ways Australia will change under Anthony Albanese's second term
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Labor have won a second term — and they enter it with billions of dollars in promises made. Here's some of what has been pledged: - Expanding the bulk billing incentive to all Australians, and introducing a new incentive for practices in a bid to boost bulk billing rates - A 24-hour '1800MEDICARE' service will be launched to allow patients access to free after-hours general practice telehealth consultations - An additional 50 urgent care clinics by June 2026, on top of the 87 already operating - Certain oral contraceptives, endometriosis medication and IVF medication will be added to the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) - Most PBS prescriptions to be capped at $25 (currently $31.60). The $7.70 cap for concession card holders will remain frozen until 31 June, 2029 - Funding to support the training of more than 1,2000 mental health professionals, and to train more doctors and nurses - It says it will ban non-compete clauses, enabling workers earning under $175,000 to more easily switch jobs to a competing employer or to start a competing business - Labor will expand its 5 per cent deposit scheme so that every first home buyer is eligible. There will be no income limits or caps on places - It has pledged to build 100,000 new affordable homes exclusively for first home buyers, with construction to start in 2026/27 - More first home buyers will be able to access the Help to Buy shared equity loan scheme , which allows them to buy with a deposit of 2 per cent if they give the government a 30-40 per cent stake. Income caps will be increased from $90,000 to $100,000 for individuals, and property caps will also be increased - Funding for initiatives including electronic monitoring and ankle bracelets for high-risk perpetrators - Intensive behaviour change programs for men and young boys will get a funding boost - Has pledged to refurbish and build more crisis and transitional housing for women -leaving domestic violence or at risk of homelessness - Australian households and businesses will receive an extra $150 in energy bill relief . The money will appear as a credit on people's power bills in two $75 instalments over the last six months of 2025 - Labor has , meaning anyone earning more than $45,000 will save $268 in 2026/27 and $536 the year after - Labor has pledged to make fee-free TAFE permanent - From July next year, students will not begin to repay their Higher Education Loan Program debts (such as HECS) until they are earning at least $67,000 - Apprenticeship incentives for construction workers including a $10,000 payment at intervals, with the first payment at six months and the last when they complete their training - Activity tests will be scrapped, meaning parents won't have to work or study to be eligible for childcare subsidies - Small decrease in the permanent migration intake — from 190,000 places to 185,000 in 2024/25 - Labor has vowed to establish a federal Environmental Protection Agency - National Vehicle Emissions Scheme to come into effect on 1 July. It penalises high-polluting vehicles by setting an emissions ceiling for each manufacturer's fleet, incentivising consumers to buy low-emission vehicles, including hybrids and electric vehicles Visit the to access articles, podcasts and videos from SBS News, NITV and our teams covering more than 60 languages.
Daily Mail
04-05-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
Major Medicare change coming for Australians after Anthony Albanese's historic election win: What you need to know
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will invest millions in a new free nationwide health advice line, aimed at easing pressure on hospitals. Expected to launch in January, the new 1800-Medicare service will let Australians call any time to speak with a nurse, with free GP telehealth consultations available for urgent issues. Labor says the service could prevent up to 250,000 unnecessary visits to emergency departments each year by giving people a safer, more convenient alternative for after-hours care. 'Life isn't 9 to 5. With 1800-Medicare, neither is health care,' Mr Albanese said. 'Whether your family needs urgent or ongoing health care, under Labor, Medicare will be there for all Australians, in every community.' Anyone who needs urgent GP care for something like an emergency prescription or treatment for a short-term illness or injury, can be connected to a free telehealth consultation with a GP between 6pm and 8am. 'Whether you need expert health advice or reassurance, the registered nurses at 1800-Medicare will be there all day, every day, to provide advice and refer you to the health service you need – whether that's your regular GP, the local hospital or a Medicare Urgent Care Clinic,' minister for health Mark Butler said. 'If you need urgent GP care that can't wait for your regular GP to be available, the triage nurses will connect you to a free telehealth session with a 1800MEDICARE GP via phone or video, available all weekend and weeknights between 6pm and 8am. 'A 1800-Medicare GP will provide the free care you need, like an emergency prescription for your regular medication, or treatment for an illness or injury.' Campaigning on reducing living costs, Mr Albanese made health a focal point during the election. He frequently held up his Medicare card as a symbol of his commitment, promising to expand access to bulk billing and urgent care clinics. In his election night speech, he again held up his Medicare card to reinforce that message. 'We will be a government that helps every Australian who relies on Medicare,' Albanese told the cheering crowd. 'Because this card is not Labor red or Liberal blue, it is green and gold,' he said. 'It is a declaration of our national values, in our national colours. 'Medicare belongs to all Australians and together we will make it stronger for all Australians.' With 70 per cent of the vote counted, Labor has won 85 seats with the coalition going backwards to sit on 35 seats, while 19 seats remain in doubt. Labor saw large swings across multiple states, booting the coalition out of all seats in Tasmania and Adelaide, while making significant gains in opposition heartland in Queensland.
SBS Australia
03-05-2025
- Health
- SBS Australia
A cheat sheet of the policies Australians are being promised on election day
It's election day and Australians will need to to cast their ballots by 6pm. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Opposition leader Peter Dutton have spent the last few weeks pledging billions of dollars in commitments as they try to sell voters their vision for Australia's future. Here's an overview of the major national pledges. Click on the topics below to jump straight to the area of interest and compare the major parties' policies. Labor hopes to incentivise more doctors to bulk bill patients as part of an $8.5 billion boost to Medicare (which has been matched by the Coalition). The funding includes $400 million to train more nurses and doctors. A 24-hour '1800MEDICARE' service would also be launched to allow patients access free after-hours general practice telehealth consultations. The government will also open an extra 50 urgent care clinics — on top of the 87 already operating — by June 2026, at a cost of $644 million. Women suffering from endometriosis, pelvic pain or menopause will have access to more specialised clinics as well as cheaper medicines, with Labor pledging a $573 million boost to women's health. This includes adding certain oral contraceptives, endometriosis medication and IVF medication to the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS). The government has promised to cap the cost of most prescriptions to $25 (currently $31.60) — and $7.70 for concession card holders — by January 2026. Labor will expand access to free mental health support as part of a $1 billion investment in services, which will include upgrading or establishing more than 100 mental health clinics with varying specialities. These will be supported by training an extra 1,200 mental health professionals. The Coalition has matched Labor's Medicare promise, with a $9 billion commitment including $400 million in financial incentives for junior doctors who enter general practice. Dutton has also pledged $400 million towards youth mental health. This includes raising the number of subsidised psychology sessions from 10 to 20, restoring them to levels set by the Morrison government during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Coalition has also promised to go ahead with cuts to the price of medicines on the PBS as well as boost funding to women's health care. The Greens want to expand Medicare to include dental care and mental health. The Coalition has pledged to make the small business instant asset write-off a permanent tax deduction, boosting it to $30,000 for businesses with a turnover of up to $10 million. Dutton also wants to increase the number of small businesses in Australia by 350,000 over four years by offering tax incentives that encourage reinvestment. Under the entrepreneurship accelerator scheme, businesses would pay tax on 75 per cent of their first $100,000 of taxable income, and on 50 per cent of the second $100,000. The ratio of tax paid will increase in the subsequent two years of operation. Small and medium-sized businesses will also be able to claim up to $20,000 in staff meals each year. It will also ban non-compete clauses, enabling workers earning under $175,000 to more easily switch jobs to a competing employer or to start a competing business. In March , the government legislated an extension to the $20,000 instant asset write-off for small businesses but has not committed to making it permanent. Labor will expand its 5 per cent deposit scheme so that every first home buyer is eligible. The government will act as a guarantor for buyers to purchase with a smaller deposit (instead of the usual 20 per cent), saving them from having to pay lenders' mortgage insurance. There will be no income limits or caps on places. It will also build 100,000 new affordable homes exclusively for first home buyers, with construction to start in 2026/27. More first home buyers will be able to access the Help to Buy shared equity loan scheme , which allows them to buy with a deposit of 2 per cent if they are willing to give the government a 30-40 per cent stake. Income caps will be increased from $90,000 to $100,000 for individuals, and property caps will also be increased. In addition to these measures, the government has committed $100 million to refurbish and build more crisis and transitional housing for women leaving domestic violence or at risk of homelessness. Labor hopes to speed up the construction of homes as part of its existing target to build 1.2 million homes by 2029, pledging $626 million towards apprenticeship incentives for construction workers. Apprentices in housing construction will receive an extra $10,000 at intervals, with the first payment at six months and the last when they complete their training. For Australians struggling to put together a deposit, a Dutton-led government would allow Australians to access $50,000 of their superannuation to buy a first home. The Coalition argues this scheme is important for women fleeing violence, who could access their super to buy a home and restart their lives. It has also pledged $5 billion for building infrastructure such as sewerage and water to support the construction of 500,000 new homes. First home buyers will also be allowed to claim tax deductions on interest payments against the first $650,000 of their mortgage. The scheme will be available for the first five years for those who buy a newly built home. Businesses employing apprentices in areas where there's a skills shortage can get $12,000 a year for the first two years. Dutton says the housing crisis has been exacerbated by record levels of migration, peaking at 536,000 in 2022-23. Both major parties support a two-year ban on foreign investors from buying established homes, a policy that came into effect on 1 April 2025. The Coalition will also scrap the government's $10 billion Housing Australia Future Fund, which aims to deliver 55,000 social and affordable homes over five years. The Greens will make housing a priority in the event of a hung parliament, calling for reforms to negative gearing and the 50 per cent capital gains tax (CGT) discount. Under its proposal, existing investors who negatively gear properties will be allowed to continue doing so but new investors will only be allowed to negatively gear one property in the future. CGT would be phased out. The minor party is also pledging to freeze rents for two years, then cap future increases at 2 per cent every two years. The Albanese government committed $4 billion towards the National Plan to End Violence Against Women and Children with bipartisan support in 2022. However, victim-survivors and advocates have criticised both major parties for giving the issue minimal attention throughout the election campaign. Domestic violence offenders will appear on a new National Domestic Violence Register if the Coalition is elected, allowing police and relevant agencies to share vital information. New laws would also crack down on perpetrators using mobile phones and computer networks to cause an intimate partner or family member to fear for their safety. It includes pledges to increase crisis helpline support and a royal commission into sexual abuse in Indigenous communities. However, there are no timelines or clear commitments regarding how the $90 million package for women's and family safety will be distributed. For women fleeing violence and hoping to buy a new home, a Dutton-led government would allow access to $50,000 of their superannuation for a deposit. Labor is focusing on financial abuse and violence prevention, with $8.6 million towards initiatives including electronic monitoring and ankle bracelets for high-risk perpetrators. They will also look at making perpetrators liable for social security debts incurred by a victim-survivor due to coercion or financial abuse and stop perpetrators from receiving their victim's superannuation after death. Acknowledging the root cause of violent behaviours among men and young boys, intensive behaviour change programs will get a boost under a re-elected Labor government. Labor has also committed $100 million to refurbish and build more crisis and transitional housing for women leaving domestic violence or at risk of homelessness. The Greens' $15 billion package includes a $1 billion annual investment in frontline response services, housing and recovery programs over the next 12 years. They also seek to double the Escaping Violence Payment to $10,000 to cover expenses such as relocation, bond, food, clothing and medical needs. In addition, the government legislated two tax cuts for all Australian taxpayers. This means anyone earning more than $45,000 will save $268 in 2026/27 and $536 the year after. The Coalition has vowed to repeal the measure. Every taxpayer would also be eligible to claim an instant $1,000 tax deduction for work expenses, without filling out paperwork or receipts. The government will also make medicines more affordable by capping most PBS prescriptions to $25 by January 2026 and $7.70 for concession card holders. The Coalition has matched Labor's promise for cheaper medicines. It will also provide a one-off $1,200 tax offset to everyone earning between $48,000 and $104,000 when they lodge their 2025-26 tax return. Motorists can also expect to save money at the bowser, with a temporary fuel excise cut for the next 12 months. The $6 billion pledge will see fuel excise cut from 50 cents to 25 cents a litre, and is estimated to save a one-car household an average of $14 a week or roughly $700 over one year. Dutton says he also has an aspiration to tackle bracket creep — so that personal income tax brackets rise regularly in line with measures like inflation — helping people keep more of their income. But he has not provided a timeframe for this. Greens The Greens are pushing for a $29 billion early childhood package, which would give families access to 50 hours of free childcare a week and extend pre-school to 30 hours a week for all three and four-year-olds. Its policy platform includes capping rental increases and making unlimited rent rises illegal, wiping student debt, and heavily subsidising public transport so that buses, trains, ferries and tram trips only cost 50 cents. It plans to raise $514 billion to fund these commitments by introducing a 10 per cent tax for 150 of Australia's billionaires, and 40 per cent tax on excess profits for corporations with over $100 million in turnover. As part of this spending, it will allocate $3 billion on 28 extra fighter jets, increasing Australia's fleet of F-35s from 72 to 100. Both major parties have remained largely quiet about policies affecting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples throughout the campaign. The Coalition has promised a royal commission into sexual abuse in Indigenous communities and an audit into government spending on Indigenous affairs, according to a document detailing its party's policies. It has also pledged to reintroduce compulsory income management via the cashless debit card and an inquiry into land councils. Dutton, who opposed the Voice to Parliament, had promised to hold a referendum on symbolic constitutional recognition, such as mentioning Indigenous history in the preamble of Australia's constitution, but later backed away from the idea. In the March budget, Labor set aside $1.3 billion for Closing the Gap initiatives. This included $70.9 million on boosting the number of First Nations homeowners, $23.9 million on creating employment opportunities and growth for First Nations businesses, and $21.8 million for family, domestic and sexual violence services. During the second leader's debate, the prime minister argued schemes like Labor's free TAFE had real jobs and training outcomes — benefiting over 40,000 Indigenous people. As part of Labor's Medicare boost, two new Headspace centres will be built in remote communities. There is no mention of further reforms pushed for as part of the Uluru Statement from the Heart — including a treaty or truth-telling process — following the failure of the Voice to Parliament referendum, which was rejected by Australians in 2023 . "We accept the decision of the Australian people in that referendum," the prime minister said during the second leaders' debate. The Greens want to establish a National Truth and Justice Commission to acknowledge the ongoing injustices experienced by First Nations people. Its policy platform includes a plan to revive First Nations languages, pledging $14 million to schools and First Nations teachers. The government will make free TAFE permanent and increase the income threshold at which students are required to start paying back their loans. Apprentices in housing construction will receive an extra $10,000 paid in $2,000 instalments at regular intervals, starting at six months and finishing when they complete their training. The government has upped its mental health investment by $1 billion, but will not increase the number of psychology sessions. They plan to establish 21 new youth specialist centres for more complex issues, on top of a pledge to expand, upgrade or build 58 Headspace centres. Dutton has pledged $400 million towards mental health, particularly youth mental health and expanding services such as Headspace, which assists 12 to 25-year-olds. The Coalition's plan includes reinstating 20 free Medicare-subsidised psychology sessions per year. It plans to cap new international student enrolments to 240,000 a year, a reduction of roughly 80,000 from 2023 levels. It's a bid to ease housing pressures impacting young people. The Greens have vowed to make education free and wipe all student debt. The minor party is pushing for all psychology sessions to be subsidised as part of their bid to make mental health part of Medicare. Labor will also offer households a 30 per cent discount on solar power batteries as part of a $2.3 billion pledge. It has a target for renewables — like solar and wind — to make up 82 per cent of the energy grid by 2030. More transmission lines to transport electricity across the country will also be built. It has also pledged to flood the energy market with more gas to drive down power bills. This includes fast-tracking new gas projects (including a decision within 30 days on Western Australia's North West Shelf project), halving approval times and imposing a levy on gas companies who prioritise exports ahead of supplying the domestic market. It estimates that forcing exporters to set aside gas for use in Australia will drive down household bills by 7 per cent and for industrial users by 15 per cent, according to modelling by Frontier Economics. The Greens oppose new coal and gas projects as well as nuclear power. They support the electrification of households and businesses to drive down power bills and reduce emissions. The minor party proposes grants of up to $1,000 and low-interest loans of up to $20,000 to install technologies such as induction cooktops, as well as similar grants for installing solar in households. Dutton has confirmed a Coalition government will cut net overseas migration levels (the difference between the number of people entering and leaving Australia) by 100,000 places. It plans to cut permanent migration by 25 per cent, shrinking the intake from 185,000 per year to 140,000 — a reduction of around 45,000 visas. A cap on public university enrolments by 25 per cent from 2026 would also apply. The changes will result in 30,000 fewer new students every year than under Labor's plan. Dutton has confirmed the Coalition would not cut the annual parent visa intake, which Labor increased from 4,500 to 8,500 when it came to government. Partner visas will also be maintained. The Coalition says the cuts will focus on skilled migration . Labor will continue its current plans to reduce migration as per Treasury forecasts, with no new announcements throughout the campaign. This forced the government to pass ministerial direction 111 , which has enabled it to reduce numbers by slowing visa processing and assigning quotas for international students to each university. Education Minister Jason Clare told SBS Malayalam executive producer Deeju Sivadas there is no official cap but the ministerial direction would be used to get international student numbers back to where they were pre-pandemic. Visit the to access articles, podcasts and videos from SBS News, NITV and our teams covering more than 60 languages.
Yahoo
03-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
All the changes coming after May 3
The 2025 federal election has been tightly fought in several areas. But Australia's two major parties, Labor and the Coalition, have agreed on some key policies, meaning there are certain changes coming, no matter who wins on Saturday. The major parties are offering vastly different plans of attack on housing and how to reduce the cost of living, while the Greens and independents could hold even more power in the next parliament. Saturday's election result is up in the air, but there has been some common ground with the two major parties. The area both major parties are willing to talk about, where they differed the least this election campaign, has been health care. The area they share common ground, but evidently aren't willing to budge, is tax discounts for property investors. Health Labor's flagship election promise is an extra $8.5bn for Medicare to fund 18 million more bulk-billed GP visits each year, nursing scholarships and more doctors. The Coalition quickly matched this and promised a $9bn boost. The Coalition has also pledged to match Labor's cap of $25 per prescription for medicines covered by the PBS, tipped to cost $689m over four years. Both of the major parties have also pledged $200m for a 24-hour telehealth service, dubbed '1800MEDICARE', $575m to add oral contraceptives, menopause hormone therapies, endometriosis and IVF drugs to the PBS, $32m towards Movember, men's sheds and male-specific mental health services, and funding for healthcare hubs in Burnie, Tasmania and at Adelaide's Flinders University. So no matter what the parliament looks like after this weekend – or once all the votes are finally counted – seeing a GP and accessing medicines should be easier for most people. Housing Housing has been central to this election, and the two major parties are coming at the crisis from different angles. Economists warn most of what they're offering will push up house prices by allowing people to get bigger mortgages. A chorus of progressive politicians have called for negative gearing and capital gains tax discounts to be scrapped, but this is a change both of the major parties have ruled out. Both Labor and the Coalition will ban foreign investors and temporary residents from buying existing homes for two years. Under the next government, first-home buyers may find it easier to scrape together a deposit, but under which scheme will depend on the election result. Labor has promised $10bn to help developers build 100,000 new homes just for first-home buyers. The Coalition would let first-home buyers pull money from their superannuation for a deposit and allow the mortgage interest repayments to be tax deductible. Energy Energy is arguably the area where policies from the two major parties differ most significantly, with Labor staunchly opposing the Coalition's plan for nuclear power. Despite the stark difference in ideas on how power should be supplied to the national grid, both major parties agree Australians need relief from cost-of-living pressures and will knock an extra $150 off each household's power bill. A Coalition government would immediately lower petrol and diesel costs by halving the fuel excise (for one year), while Labor would lower the lowest tax rate from 16 per cent to 14 per cent over two years for broader household relief. The Coalition has a scheme directed at lower income earners too, where such taxpayers would get a one-off tax refund of up to $1200. Both Labor and the Coalition have also committed to a $10m investment in a new Bureau of Meteorology weather radar for regional Queensland. AUKUS Both sides have resoundingly stuck fast with the AUKUS submarines deal, so voters should not expect that $368bn commitment to be unwound. Defence For defence more broadly, Labor committed an extra $50.3bn to the armed forces last year and brought the increased spending forward in the March budget. On the campaign trail, the Coalition announced it would spend an extra $21bn by 2030; this included a commitment to lift total defence spending to 3 per cent of gross domestic product within the next 10 years. Australia's defence spending in 2024-25 is about 2 per cent of GDP. Both parties have also pledged to regain ownership of the Port of Darwin. Immigration Under both parties, net overseas migration will drop significantly. The latest federal budget predicted the net overseas migration count would drop to 260,000 in 2025-26 and then 230,000 in 2026-27 After some confusion, Mr Dutton said his government would reduce Australia's net overseas migration levels by 100,000. Net overseas migration was 446,000 in 2023-24, down from 536,000 a year earlier. The Coalition pledged to triple the cost of student visa applications to $5000 (up from $1600), while a re-elected Labor government would increase the cost of student visa applications to $2000. Beer The Coalition has backed Labor's position to freeze the alcohol excise on draught beer for two years, starting from August 1, 2025. The much-hated tax adds about 1-2 cents per pint bought at the pub, and the move will aid brewers and publicans.
West Australian
02-05-2025
- Business
- West Australian
Election 2025: What will definitely change once the votes are counted
The 2025 federal election has been tightly fought in several areas. But Australia's two major parties, Labor and the Coalition, have agreed on some key policies, meaning there are certain changes coming, no matter who wins on Saturday. The major parties are offering vastly different plans of attack on housing and how to reduce the cost of living, while the Greens and independents could hold even more power in the next parliament. Saturday's election result is up in the air, but there has been some common ground with the two major parties. The area both major parties are willing to talk about, where they differed the least this election campaign, has been health care. The area they share common ground, but evidently aren't willing to budge, is tax discounts for property investors. Health Labor's flagship election promise is an extra $8.5bn for Medicare to fund 18 million more bulk-billed GP visits each year, nursing scholarships and more doctors. The Coalition quickly matched this and promised a $9bn boost. The Coalition has also pledged to match Labor's cap of $25 per prescription for medicines covered by the PBS, tipped to cost $689m over four years. Both of the major parties have also pledged $200m for a 24-hour telehealth service, dubbed '1800MEDICARE', $575m to add oral contraceptives, menopause hormone therapies, endometriosis and IVF drugs to the PBS, $32m towards Movember, men's sheds and male-specific mental health services, and funding for healthcare hubs in Burnie, Tasmania and at Adelaide's Flinders University. So no matter what the parliament looks like after this weekend – or once all the votes are finally counted – seeing a GP and accessing medicines should be easier for most people. Housing Housing has been central to this election, and the two major parties are coming at the crisis from different angles. Economists warn most of what they're offering will push up house prices by allowing people to get bigger mortgages. A chorus of progressive politicians have called for negative gearing and capital gains tax discounts to be scrapped, but this is a change both of the major parties have ruled out. Both Labor and the Coalition will ban foreign investors and temporary residents from buying existing homes for two years. Under the next government, first-home buyers may find it easier to scrape together a deposit, but under which scheme will depend on the election result. Labor has promised $10bn to help developers build 100,000 new homes just for first-home buyers. The Coalition would let first-home buyers pull money from their superannuation for a deposit and allow the mortgage interest repayments to be tax deductible. Energy Energy is arguably the area where policies from the two major parties differ most significantly, with Labor staunchly opposing the Coalition's plan for nuclear power. Despite the stark difference in ideas on how power should be supplied to the national grid, both major parties agree Australians need relief from cost-of-living pressures and will knock an extra $150 off each household's power bill. A Coalition government would immediately lower petrol and diesel costs by halving the fuel excise (for one year), while Labor would lower the lowest tax rate from 16 per cent to 14 per cent over two years for broader household relief. The Coalition has a scheme directed at lower income earners too, where such taxpayers would get a one-off tax refund of up to $1200. Both Labor and the Coalition have also committed to a $10m investment in a new Bureau of Meteorology weather radar for regional Queensland. AUKUS Both sides have resoundingly stuck fast with the AUKUS submarines deal, so voters should not expect that $368bn commitment to be unwound. Defence For defence more broadly, Labor committed an extra $50.3bn to the armed forces last year and brought the increased spending forward in the March budget. On the campaign trail, the Coalition announced it would spend an extra $21bn by 2030; this included a commitment to lift total defence spending to 3 per cent of gross domestic product within the next 10 years. Australia's defence spending in 2024-25 is about 2 per cent of GDP. Both parties have also pledged to regain ownership of the Port of Darwin. Immigration Under both parties, net overseas migration will drop significantly. The latest federal budget predicted the net overseas migration count would drop to 260,000 in 2025-26 and then 230,000 in 2026-27 After some confusion, Mr Dutton said his government would reduce Australia's net overseas migration levels by 100,000. Net overseas migration was 446,000 in 2023-24, down from 536,000 a year earlier. The Coalition pledged to triple the cost of student visa applications to $5000 (up from $1600), while a re-elected Labor government would increase the cost of student visa applications to $2000. Beer The Coalition has backed Labor's position to freeze the alcohol excise on draught beer for two years, starting from August 1, 2025. The much-hated tax adds about 1-2 cents per pint bought at the pub, and the move will aid brewers and publicans.
