Australia’s passport is now the second most expensive in the world
SUCCESSIVE Federal governments keep jacking up the cost of the Australian passport — so much so that it now rates as one of the world’s most expensive.
THE price of a passport has doubled since 2002, rivalling the rise of tobacco and alcohol.
Such has been the pace of the increase, first-time international travellers can get their flights for less than their passport.
The surge has also made Australian passports among the most expensive in the world — well over twice the price of UK travel documents and 90 per cent dearer than what Americans pay.
Only one nation has to fork out more.
News Corp Australia’s analysis of past Budgets reveals successive government have gouged travellers, driving up the price of a passport from $136 in 2002 to $277 since January — an increase of 104 per cent.
The Australian Bureau of Statistics’ alcohol and tobacco index has not even risen that rapidly.
It is up 101 per cent since 2002.
When the 2002 Budget lifted the cost of a passport by $8 to $144, an additional $17.4 million was generated over four years.
The move in last year’s Budget to hike the price by $20 to $277 will net 10 times extra — $173 million — to “offset the increased cost of providing consular services and fund policy priorities”.
However, the Australian Federation of Travel Agents has estimated passports will deliver the Government $100 million more than its costs this financial year. And that was before the $20 bump on January 1. AFTA has previously told the Government that the high cost of passports is “another barrier to travel”, but wouldn’t say that when asked by News Corp Australia.
Carriers such as Scoot and Jetstar are selling seats to New Zealand and South-East Asia for as little as $99 one-way.
And the price of fares is much more influential on travellers than the cost of a passport.
Flight Centre spokesman Haydn Long said outbound tourism growth has slowed in the past two years but was still increasing at four to five per cent annually, encouraged by “exceptionally cheap” international flights.
“So I don’t think (the price of a passport) is stopping people from travelling,” Mr Long said, although “it is important though to keep costs under control because people are price focused.”
When asked, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade would not rule out a further increase in passport prices in the May 9 Budget.
Even without a specific hike, the cost will rise in line with inflation at the end of the year, adding about $5.
Australian passports are very expensive by global standards.
New Zealand charges $NZ180 (AU$169) for its passports, Canada asks $C160 (AU$158) and the UK fee is £72.50 (AU$124). A US passport costs $US110 (AU$146).
A 2015 global comparison of passport prices found Turkey had the dearest, with Australia second.
It appears Australia has since passed Turkey.
But Switzerland — which was third-dearest in 2015 — has vaulted both Australia and Turkey into top spot.
A Swiss passport costs $351. Turkey now charges $242 for a 10-year passport.
Despite being much more expensive than US or UK passports, the Australian passport is not as powerful.
A recent international ranking found the US passport gave holders visa-free access to 174 countries, bettered only by Germany and Sweden.
The UK’s provides no-paperwork passage in 173, New Zealand’s 172, Switzerland’s 171 and Australia’s 170.
Turkish passport holders have visa-free access to 102 countries. Syria, Pakistan, Iraq and Afghanistan came joint last, with free access to fewer than 30 nations.