Award winning technical support

The 22nd of July 2025, marked the formal opening of the 48th Parliament. 

A number of bills have been introduced since Pailament commenced including:

HECS debt 20% reduction

• On 23 July 2025, the government introduced the Universities Accord (Cutting Student Debt by 20 Per Cent) Bill 2025 into parliament proposing two key changes:
• One-off HELP debt reduction: A 20% reduction in debts under the Higher Education Loan Program (HELP) and other student loans governed by the Student Loans Acts, for debts incurred on or before 1 June 2025.
• Fairer repayment system:
  • The minimum repayment threshold will increase from $54,435 in 2024–25 to $67,000 in 2025–26, with future increases tied to wage growth.
  • A new marginal repayment system will be introduced, where compulsory repayments apply only to income above the $67,000 threshold, rather than being calculated as a percentage of total repayment income.
• The bill is currently under consideration in the Senate and has not yet become law.

Aged Care Amendments

Aged Care and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2025 was introduced to parliament on 24/7/25.

The Bill introduces technical changes to the Aged Care Act 2024 and other related legislation in order to support the rollout of aged care reforms.

Two notable amendments include:

1. Clarification of Retention Provisions for Lump Sum Accommodation Payments

These amendments refine how retention applies to Refundable Accommodation Deposits (RADs) and Refundable Accommodation Contributions (RACs):

• Retention Rate: Maintains the 2% rate, now explicitly calculated daily on the deposit balance.
• Deduction Frequency: Deductions must occur regularly—no more than once a month and at least once every three months.
• Five-Year Retention Period: Excludes any time when the individual is not a permanent resident of an aged care home.
• Retention Period Continuity: The clock continues during:
  • Approved leave (e.g., social leave)
  • Temporary absences (e.g., hospital stays)
  • Periods when the deposit is reduced to zero and only daily payments are made
• Retention Period Pausing: New subclauses 308(5) and (6) pause the clock during permanent breaks in care.
  • The clock resumes only when a refundable deposit is paid again—not when the individual re-enters care.
• Trigger for Retention Period: The five-year period starts from the date a refundable deposit is paid, not the care start date.

2. Transitional Rule-Making Power for the Minister

To ensure smooth implementation of the new aged care system, the Bill grants the Minister a temporary power to make rules for the first 24 months after the Act commences:

• Purpose: To maintain service continuity and address unforeseen or technical issues during the transition.
• Scope:
  • Rules may modify provisions of both new and old legislation, but only if directly related to aged care.
  • Rules cannot impose convictions or financial penalties.
• Conditions:
  • The Minister must be objectively satisfied that any rule is necessary or appropriate—not merely convenient.
  • All rules are subject to Parliamentary disallowance.

Time Limit: Rules automatically expire within 24 months unless repealed earlier.