This bill is currently before Parliament.
Immigration, border & security
People who are required to pay Australia’s passenger movement chargeA charge imposed on people departing Australia for another country. when leaving the country would pay $80 instead of $70 for departures on or after 1 January 2027, except that eligible advance bookings would keep the $70 rate during the transition described below.
The government introduced the bill as part of its 2026–27 Budget strategy to strengthen the budget and economy. It said the $10 increase would raise $755 million over four years, from 2026–27 to 2029–30. The government also said passenger-charge revenue supports government programs and border services such as customs, immigration and biosecurityMeasures that protect Australia from harmful pests and diseases..
Australia’s passenger movement chargeA charge imposed on people departing Australia for another country. has been collected from people leaving the country since July 1995 and was most recently increased from $60 to $70 on 1 July 2024, leaving a pre-existing departure charge that the government targeted for more revenue in the 2026–27 Budget. The bill implements a further $10 increase to $80 from 1 January 2027 and aligns calculation with departure rather than ticket sale, while allowing an 18-month transition so carriers can adapt and some advance bookings retain the $70 rate.
Andrew Hastie (Liberal) argued that lifting the charge from $60 in June 2024 to $80 in January 2027—about 33 per cent in a little over 2½ years—would put more pressure on travellers and tourism. He said the bill did not guarantee that the extra revenue would improve border services and argued that aviation and tourism groups had not been meaningfully consulted. Alison Penfold (Nationals) said the higher charge could discourage price-sensitive international visitors and hurt tourism businesses, particularly in regional Australia. Elizabeth Watson-Brown (Greens) said the extra $10 would worsen cost-of-living pressure for people travelling for holidays, family visits or emergencies.
The government introduced this bill. Supportive speeches so far have come from Labor.
Did it become law?
Not yet
Final passage
No final vote yet
The bill has not yet completed passage through Parliament.
Days since introduction
55 days
Updated 06 Oct 2026.
Meaning
People who are required to pay Australia’s passenger movement chargeA charge imposed on people departing Australia for another country. when leaving the country would pay $80 instead of $70 for departures on or after 1 January 2027, except that eligible advance bookings would keep the $70 rate during the transition described below. Airlines, shipping companies and air charter operators usually collect the charge when selling a ticket.
There is an 18-month transition for advance bookings. The $70 rate would still apply when the ticket, or an equivalent travel authority used by some charter passengers, was issued before the Act began and the passenger departed between 1 January 2027 and 30 June 2028, inclusive.
For departures on or after 1 July 2028, the charge would be $80 regardless of when the ticket or equivalent travel authority was issued.
Carriers would still ordinarily collect the charge when selling a ticket. The government plans to base its calculation and the carrierAn airline, shipping company or air charter operator that transports passengers.’s transfer of the money to the Department of Home Affairs on the passenger’s departure date instead of the ticket-sale date. The 18-month transition would support this administrative change.
The transition was extended from six months to 18 months after industry feedback. The government said airline tickets are commonly sold up to 12 months ahead, while cruise tickets may be sold several years before departure.
The amendment made by item 1 applies in respect of the departure of a person from Australia on or after 1 January 2027, unless: (a) the person departs using a ticket or an equivalent authority; and (b) the ticket or authority was sold or issued before the commencement of this Act; and (c) the departure occurs between 1 January 2027 and 30 June 2028.Passenger Movement Charge Amendment introduced text
The amendment made by item 1 applies in respect of the departure of a person from Australia on or after 1 January 2027, unless: (a) the person departs using a ticket or an equivalent authority; and (b) the ticket or authority was sold or issued before the commencement of this Act; and (c) the departure occurs between 1 January 2027 and 30 June 2028.Passenger Movement Charge Amendment introduced text
Under those transition arrangements, the existing $70 rate continues to apply where the departure occurs between 1 January 2027 and 30 June 2028 (inclusive), and the ticket was sold on or before the Bill receives the Royal Assent. For departures occurring on or after 1 July 2028, the $80 rate applies regardless of when the ticket was sold, or the equivalent authority was issued.Passenger Movement Charge Amendment explanatory memorandum
The Passenger Movement Charge Amendment Bill 2026 will amend the Passenger Movement Charge Act 1978 (PMC Act) to increase the passenger movement charge (PMC). It seeks to implement the Australian Government’s 2026-27 Budget measure ‘Uplift of the Passenger Movement Charge’ measure. The PMC is imposed on persons departing Australia for another country, whether or not the persons return to Australia. The PMC is ordinarily collected by the carrier (airline, shipping companies and air charter operators) at the time a ticket is sold to a person. An officer of the Australian Border Force can also mPassenger Movement Charge Amendment explanatory memorandum
Following the Government’s announcement in the 2026–27 Budget, the Department of Home Affairs provided aviation and maritime carriers with further information on the proposed approach. The final implementation arrangements provide that for intended departures on or after 1 January 2027, the increased passenger movement charge applies only to tickets sold (or an equivalent authority issued) after the Bill receives the Royal Assent, rather than after the 2026–27 Budget announcement. This approach takes account of industry feedback and links the arrangements to Royal Assent, allowing carriers toPassenger Movement Charge Amendment explanatory memorandum
Context
Australia’s passenger movement chargeA charge imposed on people departing Australia for another country. has been collected from people leaving the country since July 1995 and was most recently increased from $60 to $70 on 1 July 2024, leaving a pre-existing departure charge that the government targeted for more revenue in the 2026–27 Budget. The bill implements a further $10 increase to $80 from 1 January 2027 and aligns calculation with departure rather than ticket sale, while allowing an 18-month transition so carriers can adapt and some advance bookings retain the $70 rate.
Passenger movement chargeA charge imposed on people departing Australia for another country. replaces departure tax
Australia introduced the passenger movement chargeA charge imposed on people departing Australia for another country. to replace the former departure tax on people leaving the country.
Australian Border Force ↗Charge rises from $60 to $70
The passenger movement chargeA charge imposed on people departing Australia for another country. was last increased from $60 to $70, before the government proposed another rise.
Hansard ↗Budget announces higher departure charge
The 2026–27 Budget proposed increasing the charge to $80 for international departures from 2027, adding to the cost of leaving Australia.
Sydney Morning Herald ↗The government introduces the bill
The government introduced the bill to raise the charge to $80 from 1 January 2027 and align its calculation with the passenger’s departure date.
Hansard ↗Sector feedback leads to a longer transition
Following engagement with aviation and maritime carriers, the government provided an 18-month transition to accommodate airline booking cycles and cruises sold years in advance.
Hansard ↗Legislative route
The bill was formally presented to the chamber and read a first time, which starts its parliamentary journey.
Introduced and read a first time
A minister or sponsoring member moved the second reading, opening the main debate on the bill's purpose and principles.
Second reading moved
The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.
The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.
Referred to Federation Chamber
The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.
Key criticism
Andrew Hastie (Liberal) argued that lifting the charge from $60 in June 2024 to $80 in January 2027—about 33 per cent in a little over 2½ years—would put more pressure on travellers and tourism. He said the bill did not guarantee that the extra revenue would improve border services and argued that aviation and tourism groups had not been meaningfully consulted. Alison Penfold (Nationals) said the higher charge could discourage price-sensitive international visitors and hurt tourism businesses, particularly in regional Australia. Elizabeth Watson-Brown (Greens) said the extra $10 would worsen cost-of-living pressure for people travelling for holidays, family visits or emergencies.
The government said international visitor numbers were rising and that a $10 increase would not deter travel. It also said industry feedback led it to delay the higher rate and extend the transition from six months to 18 months.
Further sources
Votes
No recorded votes have been found yet for this bill.
Parliamentary debate
Start here — lead voices
Littleproud opposes the bill, calling the higher passenger movement chargeA charge imposed on people departing Australia for another country. an unjustified tax grab that will deter international visitors and hurt tourism businesses, particularly in regional Australia.
Read in Hansard ↗Clutterham supports the bill, arguing that its modest charge increase will raise substantial revenue for border protection, customs, immigration and biosecurityMeasures that protect Australia from harmful pests and diseases. without deterring international travel.
Read in Hansard ↗Batt says the coalition opposes the bill because the above-inflation charge increase would raise travel costs, harm tourism competitiveness and collect additional revenue without guaranteeing better border infrastructure or services.
Read in Hansard ↗Penfold opposes the bill, describing its above-inflation increase in the passenger movement chargeA charge imposed on people departing Australia for another country. as a revenue grab that would make Australia less competitive and harm tourism businesses, particularly in regional communities.
Read in Hansard ↗All speeches by bloc
2 speakers · 2 support
“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.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“This increase to the passenger movement charge will apply to persons departing Australia from 1 January 2027 with a ticket purchased after the date of the bill receiving the royal assent. This is a considered and responsible measure that will contribute to the continued economic prosperity of Australia, including continued support and investment in our travel and tourism sectors.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
4 speakers · 4 oppose
“But this is not about that at all. If it were, and if it were properly about the original intent of a passenger movement charge, it would be a further investment in biosecurity. It would be a further investment in Border Force and making sure they have the ability to keep our borders safe. If that involved tackling the illicit drugs and nicotine that are coming into this country, we would have said, 'Well, at least they're putting it into something that's going towards making our borders stronger.' But it's not; this is just a tax grab. It's moving away from the original intent of what this whole passenger movement charge was about. And that's the disappointing thing. It's a disappointing thing for an industry that's already on its knees, that has already seen a nine per cent reduction in June alone of international tourists. When Treasury modelling said this was going to have a significant impact on people coming in, why wasn't a regulatory impact statement done? Why wasn't it? Because they knew what the outcome would be, that there would be a human toll to this, that we would see less people in this country and that we would see motels, cafes, pubs and clubs take the brunt of it.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“Our tourism and aviation sector is already facing significant cost pressures, and to raise another $745 million for this government in the form of a desperate tax grab to try and offset some of the many disastrous budgetary decisions by this Labor Party is certainly not a good enough reason to wave through another substantial increase in a tax on international travel. For all those reasons, and especially in acknowledgement of the position of the tourism and transport sectors on this legislation, the coalition opposes the Passenger Movement Charge Amendment Bill 2026. This legislation should be rejected by the parliament.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“Passenger Movement Charge Amendment Bill 2026. I oppose it because this is another tax increase from a Labor government that seems to believe the answer to every problem is to make Australians pay more. This government is addicted to tax. They're chasing Australians down the road for the last $2 in their pocket. I remember what Kerry Packer once said: 'Why would you give the government any more money? Look at the way they're spending it.' I think that applies equally to the Albanese Labor government.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
“Australians are already paying enough. Our tourism and aviation sectors already face significant cost pressures, and simply that it will raise another $745 million for the Commonwealth in the form of a desperate tax grab to try to offset some of the many disastrous budgetary decisions by the Labor Party is certainly not sufficient reason to wave through another substantial increase in a tax on international travel. For all those reasons and many more, and especially in acknowledgement of the position of the tourism and transport sectors on this legislation, the coalition will oppose the Passenger Movement Charge Amendment Bill 2026, and I commend that position to the parliament.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
1 speaker · 1 oppose
“Passenger Movement Charge Amendment Bill 2026 increases the cost of travelling out of Australia for any reason. So, whether you're going to see loved ones, responding to a family emergency or just taking a well-earned break, this bill makes your flight more expensive. In a cost-of-living crisis, should this really be a government priority—taxing your family holiday and, meanwhile, letting the big gas corporations get away with not paying their fair share? That tells you so much about this government, which, time and again, chooses the interests of big business and the fossil fuel industry over everyday people. As it stands, this bill simply makes the cost-of-living challenge worse, and the Greens can't support it in its current form.”Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
Record
House · Introduced and read a first time
Introduced
The bill was formally presented to the chamber and read a first time, which starts its parliamentary journey.
House · Second reading moved
Second reading opened
A minister or sponsoring member moved the second reading, opening the main debate on the bill's purpose and principles.
House · Second reading debate
Second reading debate
The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.
House · Referred to Federation Chamber
Referred to Federation Chamber
The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.
House · Second reading debate
Second reading debate
The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.
