Enjoy the festivities while the holiday cheer lasts. After that, be prepared to fork out more for some of the basic services in Australia.
What’s getting more expensive
If you live in Melbourne and use public transport for commuting between your home and workplace, your hip pocket is going to take a hit as Public Transport Victoria is increasing the price of daily Myki pass.
From the New Year’s Day, a two-hour pass will cost $4.10 and a daily ticket $8.20, up from the current $3.90 and full-day fare of $7.80.
But, it’s not all bad news. The government has decided to increase the age of free travel and concession fares. Children up to age four will be able to travel free and 18-year-olds will be able to get concession in fares.
Power price hike
Power bills are likely to give Australians some real shock in almost all Australian states with the closure of Victoria’s Hazelwood power station in early 2017. Power tariffs are expected to go through the roof despite the Victorian government seeking to allay such fears.
The Victorian government modelling suggested an increase of 4 per cent in power bills. But some experts say the increase could be as high as ten per cent in the longer term.
According to some reports, some states could see families $150 worse off.
Passport fees are going up
Getting an Aussie passport will also cost you more in 2017. From 1 January 2017, you will have to shell out $277 for a ten-year passport, up from $254.
A five-year passport for children under 16 that earlier cost $127 will now set you back by $139. The same price increase will also affect seniors over 75 years of age for a passport with 5-year validity.
Emergency passport overseas service that earlier cost $153, will now cost $175, priority processing fee has also gone up from $127 to $183.
457 visa-holders
From 1 January 2017, new 457 visa-holders arriving in South Australia will be required to contribute to the cost of educating their children in government schools. This will be rolled out to include all 457 visa-holder in 2018.
The annual contribution payable by a family in South Australia on a 457 visa for 2017 would be $5,100 for each primary school student and $6,100 for a high school student.
So, if your new year resolution is to do more savings for a house deposit or a foreign holiday, you will need to work harder than ever before to earn the bragging rights.
