Cheaper medicines, rules for cash and new state laws: what will change in Australia on 1 January?

Changes include the Victorian government expanding land taxes and Queensland introducing a child sex offender register

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Cheaper medicines on the PBS, a Medicare phone service and new laws mandating businesses to accept cash payments are just some of the major changes coming into effect in the first week of 2026.

Indexation increases to social security payments, changes to childcare settings and a new online mental health service will also kick in from the beginning of January.