$4.1b to fix kids' teeth
Kids with bad teeth are set to be the biggest beneficiaries of two Federal Government programs next year.
A new schools funding system will provide hundreds of millions of dollars for schools and more than three million students.
The Federal Government has pledged an extra $2.8 billion over the next four years, although the individual State allocations are still being finalised.
From January 1, a $4.1 billion six-year dental benefits scheme aims to improve the oral health of children aged two to 18 years and adults on low incomes.
Parents will be able to access Medicare payments capped at $1000 over two years for a wider range of specific services, from basic dental check-ups and cleaning through to emergency care.
Previously, eligible people could get money back from the Government to help pay for a single dental check-up each year. The new package will cover 3.4 million children and one million adults.
Federal parliamentarians will also face a crackdown on expenses rorting under a new system after several MPs were this year forced to pay back travel expenses.
From January 1, MPs required to repay claims found to be ineligible will be hit with a "significant financial penalty" of 25 per cent of their claim.
There is also the potential for lower grocery prices from January 1, after Coles and Woolworths agreed to stop funding fuel discounts through their supermarkets.
