Aviation Consumer Protection Levy

“This bill is not pretending every flight will run on time. It is not pretending every disruption can be avoided, and it is not pretending aviation can be simplified by legislation alone, but it does something important. It puts consumers back at the centre, it says trust has to be earned, it says accountability cannot be voluntary, it says passengers deserve better than confusion, delay and silence. This is practical Labor reform. It takes a system that was too unclear, too weak and too frustrating, and starts to build something stronger in its place—a system where standards are clear, complaints are heard fairly, industry is accountable and people are treated with dignity when plans fall apart. That is the kind of reform Australia expects from this parliament, and it is the kind of reform the Albanese Labor government is delivering. I am proud to support this bill, I am proud to support stronger protections for Australian travellers, and I commend this bill to the House.”

Australian Labor Party • MP • 25 June 2026

“I rise in support of the Aviation Consumer Protection Bill 2026 and the other bills itemised. These bills together represent the most significant reform to aviation consumer rights here in this country in more than a decade. For too long, Australian travellers have felt powerless when flights are being delayed, cancelled or disrupted. For too long, people have been left stranded at airports, unable to get clear information, unable to access assistance and unable to resolve complaints in a fair and timely way. For too long, this system has effectively relied on airlines policing themselves. But Australians deserve better, and the Albanese Labor government is delivering a modern aviation system that puts passengers back in the centre of this conversation—a system that is fairer, a system that is much more transparent and a system that improves accountability across the aviation industry and, more importantly, a system that recognises that air travel is not a luxury for many Australians. It's an essential part of everyday life.”

Australian Labor Party • MP • 25 June 2026

“The Australian Government intends the annual general levy to offset the cost of administering the aviation consumer protections contained in the ACP Bill, while ensuring the levy is applied equitably. The Minister will be required to consider whether the levy payable by the regulated entity is a fair proportion of the total annual funds raised via the levy.”

Australian Labor Party • Senator • 30 June 2026

“The package also establishes the Aircraft Noise Ombudsperson as a function within the department, independent of Airservices Australia and the Department of Defence. Aircraft noise is a serious concern for affected communities. For people living under flight paths, aircraft noise can affect sleep, amenity and wellbeing. Communities need confidence that complaints are reviewed independently. The levy bills support the framework by allowing the imposition and collection of levies to recover the administrative costs associated with the Aviation Consumer Protection Authority. It is appropriate that the cost of this framework be borne by the industry that has generated the need for regulation provided those costs are kept reasonable and proportionate.”

Australian Labor Party • MP • 25 June 2026

“I look forward to going back to my community and telling them that the next time they travel after saving for that well-earned holiday or to care for a sick parent a disruption or a cancellation will mean compensation, not frustration. That's one less thing they'll need to worry about when weighing up their budget. This legislation will mean fewer Marias sitting at an airport gate frustrated, fewer families absorbing costs that should have been the airline's and fewer residents feeling like their concerns about aircraft noise have vanished into a bureaucratic void. It will mean Australia finally has an aviation consumer protection framework that reflects our modern, fair-minded country—one that stands with every passenger and brings real accountability to a crucial industry. I'm proud to be part of a government delivering it, because my community relies on the success of our aviation industry, and that industry relies on my community and on the many others who pass through it every day. I commend the bills to the House.”

Australian Labor Party • MP • 25 June 2026

“Third, the bills establish the Aviation Consumer Protection Authority. The authority will be a dedicated regulator within the department to enforce the charter and to take on the systemic problems in the sector, not just one complaint at a time. Where the ombudsperson helps the individual traveller, the regulator looks at the bigger patterns to make sure the industry is held to account if necessary. This framework is about meaningful protection for passengers while keeping aviation competitive, affordable and sustainable, including the regional routes that so many of our regional and remote communities depend on—in particular, my state of Queensland. There is a balance, and these bills achieve that balance.”

Australian Labor Party • MP • 25 June 2026