Newsletter
Federal Budget Newsletter
OTHER CHANGES
New incentive for employers to hire Australians aged 50 years or over
The Treasurer has announced that employers will be able to receive up to $10,000 in government assistance if they hire a job-seeker aged 50 years or over. This program will replace the Seniors Employment Incentive Payment.
Under the program, eligible employers will receive an initial $3,000 if they hire a full-time mature-age job seeker who was previously unemployed for six months and they employ that person for at least six months. The employer will then be eligible to receive further payments as the employee meets certain further service periods.
Fuel excise to rise (except for aviation fuels) – indexation to be re-established
The government will secure funding for additional road infrastructure projects by re-introducing biannual indexation by the CPI of excise and excise-equivalent customs duty for all fuels except aviation fuels. This will commence from 1 August 2014.
The diesel fuel rebate is unchanged, meaning it will continue to apply to excise, including the excise increase.
New assistance for small businesses
The government will establish:
- The "Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman" to act as a one-stop shop and a single entry point as a means for small businesses to find out about government services and programs; and
- A unit in the Department of Finance to provide specialist advice on contracts and to ensure small businesses are not disadvantaged as part of Commonwealth departments' tendering and procurement processes.