Starting July 1st, 2025, a wave of regulatory changes is set to impact businesses across Australia. As someone running a small business in Sydney, I’ve come to expect mid-year updates—but this year’s round feels particularly far-reaching. Whether you're running a local café or scaling a tech startup, these changes will hit everything from wages and taxes to energy rebates and ethical obligations.
Just last week, I helped a friend register a new coffee shop. What used to be a $44 annual business name registration is now $45. The three-year option is also going up, from $102 to $104. A minor jump, yes—but it’s a reminder that inflation is quietly embedded in every aspect of doing business, even in the smallest administrative costs. It’s part of ASIC’s CPI-based fee adjustments, and it doesn’t stop there.
Company registration fees are also on the rise. Setting up a new company now costs $611, up from $597. Annual company review fees are climbing as well. For those of us managing multiple entities, those numbers add up fast.
But the change most employers are bracing for? The minimum wage increase. As of July 1st, the national minimum wage will jump 3.5% to $24.95 per hour, or $948 per week. A friend of mine who runs a small restaurant in Brisbane is already recalculating payrolls. And here’s the kicker: the new rates apply from the first full pay cycle that starts on or after July 1st. So if your pay week begins Wednesday, July 2nd is when the change kicks in.
Then there's superannuation. From July, the super guarantee rate rises to 12%—up from 11.5%. This is the final scheduled increase, but it applies to any eligible wages paid from July 1st onward, even if some of the pay period falls in June. If you’ve got casual staff or monthly pay runs, it’s important not to get caught out.
On a more positive note, the government is stepping in with a new superannuation measure: super will now be paid on government-funded Paid Parental Leave. That’s a meaningful step for gender equity and a long-awaited win for working parents. A friend who manages an early learning center in Melbourne sees this as a sign that employers must get serious about supporting staff through parental transitions.
Not all changes are employee-friendly, though. One of the tougher pills for business owners? From July 1st, interest charges from the ATO are no longer tax-deductible. That means any General Interest Charges or Shortfall Interest Charges incurred on or after that date will come straight out of your profit margins. For small businesses already juggling cash flow, that’s a costly adjustment—and a sharp incentive to stay on top of your tax obligations.
In the context of rising costs, a little relief comes in the form of energy rebates. Eligible small businesses will receive up to $150 in rebates—split into two $75 credits—automatically applied to electricity bills during the second half of 2025. It’s not life-changing, but for a two-person hair salon or a neighborhood deli, that’s a month of lights and cooling covered.
Tech talent recruitment is also shifting. Skilled visa income thresholds are rising by 4.6%. If you’re sponsoring overseas workers, expect to adjust your budgets. The Temporary Skilled Migration Income Threshold, for instance, will go from $73,150 to $76,515. One company I work with in the IT sector is already reevaluating offers for offshore hires.
There's also the much-discussed "right to disconnect" law, coming into effect for small businesses on August 26th. Employees will have the right to ignore work-related contact outside their official hours. While it’s a win for work-life balance, many teams—especially remote or global ones—will need to rethink communication strategies to stay compliant without compromising productivity.
Sustainability is becoming more than just a buzzword. The government's environmentally sustainable procurement policy, which already applies to construction services, will expand to cover furniture, ICT equipment, and textiles over $1 million. If you're in those industries and supply to government clients, expect to prove your green credentials—carbon footprint reports, eco-certifications, and all.
Even mergers are getting a makeover. Starting July 1st, businesses can voluntarily adopt new merger notification processes ahead of the mandatory regime beginning January 2026. If your company is eyeing an acquisition, the ACCC wants a closer look—and you’ll need approval before moving forward. The deal-making landscape is about to get a lot more cautious.
Lastly, tax professionals are being brought under tighter scrutiny. From July, firms with 100 or fewer employees must meet higher ethical and operational standards. My own accounting advisor has already begun internal training—these changes are real, and they’re serious. It’s not just about staying legal anymore; it’s about staying credible.
All in all, the second half of 2025 signals a major reset in how businesses operate across Australia. From HR and tax compliance to sustainability and mergers, the bar is rising. If you haven’t started reviewing your policies and structures, now is the time. Like navigating rough seas, knowing the map and adjusting your sails early is the difference between smooth sailing and running aground.