Passenger Movement Charge Amendment Bill 2026
Ms CLUTTERHAM (Sturt) (10:29): I rise today to speak about the Passenger Movement Charge Amendment Bill 2026. This bill operates to amend the Passenger Movement Charge Act 1978 to increase the rate of the passenger movement charge per person from $70 to $80. The bill is a direct implementation of the 2026-2027 budget measure uplift of the passenger movement charge, which will increase revenue by $755 million over four years from 2026-2027 to 2029-2030.
The increase has been agreed to following consultation and engagement with the sector, including aviation and maritime carriers and industry representative bodies. The charge was last increased on 1 July 2024, when it moved from $60 to $70. The charge is not automatically indexed and is only adjusted from time to time.
It will apply to persons who depart Australia for an overseas destination on or after 1 January 2027. The charge is typically collected by the carrier, such as the airline, at the time a ticket is sold and then remitted by the carrier to the Department of Home Affairs. The increase, which, as I have explained, is not automatically indexed, is different to the costed policy the coalition took to the last election, which was to annually index the passenger movement charge in line with CPI for 10 years.
So, although this does represent a small increase, it is a smaller increase than that proposed by others in this place. The charge plays an important role in advancing Australia's economic interests, and we don't shy away from this. The increase in the charge will increase revenue by $755 million over four years.
It's directly contributing to the government's economic and fiscal strategy, which is firmly directed at measures to make the economy and budget stronger, more resilient and more sustainable. This is important, and the $10 increase will play an important role in this. The passenger movement charge contributes directly to consolidated revenue, which is then used to fund a variety of government measures and border protection services, including customs, immigration and, importantly for our country, particularly at this moment, biosecurity.
The increase in this charge will not stop Australians going overseas to visit family, to explore the world or to conduct business. These will always happen. Australians have always been explorers, keen prosecutors of the gap year, of the working holiday, of taking a risk to set up in a new country, always knowing that Australia was a safety net, the best country on earth to which to return.
Equally, this bill will not stop international arrivals in Australia, which are steadily increasing. The outlook for the visitor economy here in this country is positive—and why wouldn't it be? There is something for everyone here in Australia, and a $10 increase in the passenger movement charge bill is not going to be a deterrent.
At the same time as not being a deterrent, it will help the budget bottom line. So why do Australians, including me, travel? There are so many reasons.
The freedom is a key reason—the freedom to wake up in the morning to experience the anticipation of not knowing what the day might bring. The landscapes, the cities and the destinations you discover open your eyes largely because you meet the people who live in those places you're visiting. You see the colours, smell the aromas and hear the sounds, and none will be the same as you find back home.
The traveller welcomes new ideas, like new ways to cook, create or design. And travel also means interactions, sometimes with a complete stranger but often with friends and family, through the power of shared experiences. Travel also really helps with perspective.
Things you worry about here at home in Australia, which is objectively one of the most peaceful, stable and prosperous countries in the world, will seem far less important when you see the bigger picture. In this sense, travel gives you a more realistic view of your own place in the world. It also builds resilience and self-confidence and keeps you healthy by promoting movement.
Critically, it can also inspire an interest in languages. In an era where English has conquered the world, it's actually refreshing and respectful to know that a few basic foreign words will enhance the experience of your stay. Saying 'hello' and 'thank you' as you buy your breakfast in the morning adds colour and a bit of humour to a simple two-minute exchange.
Importantly, it shows respect to the people you're encountering and can be a bit of fun. Having to express yourself in a foreign language should make you appreciate all the more the trouble that people go to when they communicate in a language that just seems natural to you—English. Tourism also generates employment in a myriad of ways, not just in hotels, restaurants and airports but in shops and markets, entertainment venues and even sports clubs.
Revenue from local tourists helps maintain not only communities but also historic monuments, underlining their importance to the city and to local culture. An enjoyable stay means that people will come back to find their favourite beach or village trattoria, which ultimately means that cities and restaurateurs can plan ahead, budget for the following season and keep staff on.
Most importantly, travel can also change you as a person, largely for the better. You'll find hidden depths of your character and discover more compassionate sides to your personality. You'll likely return home to Australia having learned something new, not only a few basic words of another language or recognising the notes of a different currency but about yourself.
And, once you realise that the benefits of travel go way beyond the simple opportunity to relax and unwind, you'll be keen to experience it over and over again. I would encourage all Australians, young and old, if possible, to go explore the world. And, when you're young, do what I did when I was 25.
Go abroad and actually live in another country and experience the benefits of that. If you do that, you'll also be engaging with Australian airports. In Australia, that is 340 airports—13 domestic airlines and over 40 international airlines coming and going, moving more than 100 million passengers each year in Australian airspace.
Last financial year, these millions of domestic passengers travelled on aircraft ranging from jetliners to turboprops, landing at major airports and regional airstrips alike. Australia's airports are a vital part of our economic and social fabric, providing connection across our great country and beyond. And indeed, given our geography, airports often provide the starting point and sometimes the only practical means of travel for many journeys.
In the 2025 financial year, our global gateways recorded an all-time high of just over 430 million international passengers, almost a nine per cent increase on the previous year. Those numbers underscore aviation's role as the backbone of global connectivity, enabling movement, opportunity and growth across Australia and out into the world. The role for government in aviation, therefore, is to facilitate an open market based aviation sector where Australians enjoy access to more services on a fair footing and at better prices.
Australia's air safety and security record remains world leading. Facilitating competition and sustainable growth in the commercial market while regulating the sector to ensure appropriate safety, security, workforce, consumer and environmental outcomes is the name of the game for this government in supporting this critical industry. The government's vision for aviation, as expressed in the 2024 Aviation white paper, is for an aviation sector that is safe, secure, competitive, productive, sustainable and fair, employing Australian workers on fair pay and secure conditions and providing Australians with affordable, reliable and accessible services now, to 2050 and beyond.
The recent establishment of the Aviation Consumer Protection Framework is also important. It will comprise an impartial aviation consumer ombudsperson that will provide a fair, accessible and independent external dispute resolution service that can assist with resolving individual customer complaints in relation to the supply of airline and airport services. The Aviation Consumer Protections Charter will set out the minimum standards that aviation consumers can expect from airlines and airports, which will be enforced by the Aviation Consumer Protection Authority.
The charter will create obligations for airlines and airports towards consumers in the event of a flight disruption, delay or cancellation and create minimum standards with respect to booking information and assistance, communicating with consumers and complaint handling. Importantly, it will also facilitate the reporting and publication of reasons for flight delays, cancellations and disruptions to consumers.
This will help educate consumers and help them to understand the factors that lead to delays, disruptions or cancellations, including whether they were within or outside the relevant airline's control. It will educate consumers but it will also provide learnings for industry. Hopefully, it will identify steps industry can take to minimise those delays, disruptions and cancellation factors.
It'll also be important in understanding whether the response to a delay, disruption or cancellation was satisfactory, which is really important in helping to manage consumer expectations going forward. When Australians going abroad return to this country, those little yellow paper incoming passenger cards will hopefully soon be a thing of the past as the government expands the Australia Travel Declaration pilot, which has been a successful industry pilot.
The government is investing over $56 million over four years in traveller and border modernisation to improve passenger processing, data quality, security and biosecurity at Australia's borders. Developed by the Australian Border Force, the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry and Qantas, the Australia Travel Declaration provides a digital alternative to the paper incoming passenger card.
Since the pilot began in October 2024, more than 450,000 eligible passengers on inbound Qantas flights to Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne have used the Australia Travel Declaration and, before the end of this year, the pilot will extend to Perth and Adelaide. It will then be rolled out progressively to all international airports and seaports over 12 to 18 months, beginning with a government web form and continuing through industry co-design of an in-app option.
A web form trial is also planned in preparation for flights commencing at Western Sydney International Airport next month. The rollout will reduce manual processing, allow information to be collected before travel, improve data use for risk assessments and enable rapid updates when global security or biosecurity risks emerge. It will also lessen frustrations upon arrival and support a more seamless, digitally enabled passenger experience.
Funding will also support industry co-design of improved airport departure and cruise clearance models and consideration of emerging technologies, including contactless biometrics, where appropriate and beneficial. This modernisation will help border agencies manage strong growth in traveller volumes in the post-COVID era and prepare Australia for the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
The paper cards will still be available for those who need them. The increase in the passenger movement charge is important because it will contribute in a big way to revenue which goes towards border protection, customs, immigration and biosecurity. The small increase will further contribute to these factors, which remain as important as ever.
It will also not deter Australians from travelling abroad and coming back to this wonderful country and bringing with them the experiences that they have gained. I commend the bill to the Chamber.