Friday: The prequel to the weekend that nobody asked for. If we were to cut this day from the calendar, we’d all currently be in hammocks amidst mountains of unwashed laundry. The dream.
Nevertheless, Friday still exists, and it’s chockablock full of important new stories. So, here are some of today’s biggest headlines:
Cashless Gaming Cards Might Come to NSW
The NSW Government has committed itself to implementing a cashless gaming card scheme across the entire state.
“This is not a knee-jerk response, I can’t be clearer in relation to the direction we are heading. This is not a matter of if we do it, it’s a matter of how we do it,” said the NSW Premier, Dominic Perrottet.
NSW’s proposed system would prevent people from using physical cash in the state’s pokie machines. Folks also couldn’t use their credit or debit cards. Instead, they would have to put their money onto a separate card called a cashless gaming card in order to gamble.
Moreover, NSW’s cashless gaming cards might work like its cashless gaming machines. If that’s the case, these cards will allow individuals to set spending limits and time limits for themselves. They could also force people to take breaks or self-exclude themselves from gambling. Moreover, these people might not be able to put funds onto their cards whilst on the gaming room floor.
However, the leader of NSW Labor, Chris Minns, has some concerns about this plan. He’s worried that these cashless gaming cards might create more issues than they solve.
As Minns said, “You’ve got a report from the Victorian [Responsible] Gambling Foundation that indicates that it may induce demand when it comes to problem gambling as a result of there not being a sense of how much you are losing.”
Our Working From Home Tax Deductions May Change
The Australian Tax Office (ATO) has proposed a change to the way we do our taxes. This proposal would make it more difficult for us Aussies to receive A+ tax deductions.
The ATO wants to scrap a useful and accessible shortcut that allows folks to claim certain working-from-home expenses separately. These expenses include internet bills, electricity usage, mobile usage, and stationary. If you want to claim these expenses separately, you’ll need to invest a whack of time, money, and resources to do so.
“Many taxpayers could lose out,” said H&R Block’s Director of Tax Communications, Mark Chapman.
“After all, if you use your mobile phone extensively for work, both at home and when you’re out and about, you could potentially claim several hundred dollars just in mobile phone bills. If you use the fixed rate method, you’ll lose this opportunity. But if you don’t use the fixed rate method, you’ll be forced to claim actual costs for other working from home expenses, which means that you need to keep lots of paperwork, such as receipts.”
Additionally, the ATO wants to change how much a person can claim back for each hour they work from home. During the height of the COVID pandemic, this organisation’s flat rate was 80 cents. The ATO now wants this flat rate to be 67 cents.
Related: Stage Three Tax Cuts — What They Mean and Who Will Benefit?
Related: Australia’s Highest-Paying Jobs, According to the Australian Taxation Office
Cute Koala Update: Ollie Is Back in the Bushland
Around a month ago, The Latch reported that a koala named Ollie was saved from the bottom of Cordeaux Dam in NSW. Ollie was then taken away from his home to be taken care of until he recovered from this ordeal.
Fortunately, it’s now my complete and utter pleasure to announce that Ollie’s better and back in his natural habitat.
“Perfect textbook release, straight up the tree which is what you always want,” said Emma Meadows of Wollondilly WIRES.
“It’s good to see him back where he should be back in the wild.”
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