Passenger Movement Charge Amendment Bill 2026

Summary

The Passenger Movement Charge Amendment Act 2026 modifies how Australia charges people who leave the country by air or sea. Currently, travelers pay a departure tax called the Passenger Movement Charge when they leave Australia; this amendment changes the rules around how that charge is calculated, collected, or applied to different types of travelers. The change amends the existing Passenger Movement Charge Act, which has governed this tax since 1978. This matters because it directly affects the cost of international travel for Australians and visitors leaving Australia, potentially making some trips cheaper or more expensive depending on who you are and how you're traveling.

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