Aviation Consumer Protection Levy Bill 2026; Second Reading

Summary

The government is introducing a funding mechanism to pay for a new aviation consumer protection system by requiring airlines and airports to contribute to the costs through levies. It establishes how money will be collected to run the Aviation Consumer Protection Authority (which enforces a new charter of minimum standards for airline and airport services), the Aircraft Noise Ombudsperson (who investigates aircraft noise complaints), and the Aviation Consumer Ombudsman (who handles individual passenger complaints). This matters because Australian travellers currently lack a unified system to resolve disputes with airlines and airports, and there's no independent body overseeing aircraft noise complaints — the new system will give passengers a free external dispute resolution service and hold the industry accountable for service standards around flight delays, cancellations, and accessibility.

What happens at this stage

The main debate on whether the chamber supports the broad purpose of the bill. Members speak to its overall merits and concerns rather than the fine print. The government outlines its policy intentions; the opposition and crossbench put their case. This is the stage that determines whether the bill proceeds at all.

Next: Consideration in Detail (House) or Committee of the Whole (Senate), where the bill is examined clause by clause