Passport backlog sparks flood of pleas for help to MPs

SA MPs are being swamped with pleas for help from travellers who say months-long bureaucratic delays are about to destroy their trips.

South Australian MPs have been swamped with desperate pleas for help from would-be travellers who are waiting as long as three months to receive their passport.

Mayo MP Rebekha Sharkie urged the federal government to throw even more resources at clearing the extensive backlog of passport applications as some South Australians miss out in important trips, including to see dying relatives overseas.

The Centre Alliance MP said her office has been flooded with calls for help.

“It was around March and April we started to get a lot more inquiries and it just hasn’t decreased at all. And we had none in the first six years of (me) being a member,” she said.

“I can appreciate that they might have a higher volume than normal, but people were putting in applications in May. We are now coming to the end of August. I think that’s unacceptably long and people are turning to us for assistance.”

Barker MP Tony Pasin said his office had also been inundated with constituents waiting more than 12 weeks for passports.

Mayo MP Rebekha Sharkie. Picture: Gary Ramage

Barker MP Tony Pasin. Picture: Supplied

“I can’t comprehend why this backlog is not being addressed. It really does reek of a newly-elected Labor government struggling with even the most basic of administrative functions,” the Liberal MP said.

Another Liberal, Sturt MP James Stevens, also reported more than a dozen people contacting his office over passport delays in the last month.

Around one in seven passport applications are still not being finalised within six weeks, a Department of Foreign Affairs spokesman confirmed.

“DFAT is continuing to face unprecedented demand for passports as Australians start travelling again,” the spokesman said. “We regret these delays and are investing energy and resources to address these.”

For the past three months, NSW Liberal MP Julian Leeser has been averaging more than one passport help request per day.

All those who have turned to the member for Berowra have got their travel documents in time for their trip.

“We have been able to help everyone,” Mr Leeser said.

His office immediately escalates a constituent request – provided the applicant has been waiting at least six weeks, which is the minimum amount of time DFAT advises people to allow between submitting paperwork and their departure date.

Most people who turn to Mr Leeser and his team for assistance only do so in the week before they are due to fly out.

Mackellar MP Dr Sophie Scamps is also averaging more than one request per day.

“I know the staff at the passport office are doing their best, however chronic underfunding and understaffing has left thousands of people in this position and we need to look at how we can improve resourcing to ensure Australians aren’t left in the lurch,” the NSW Independent MP said.

She was recently able to successfully petition on behalf of the Schlossers of Elanora Heights, who are due to fly to Austria on Saturday to visit elderly relatives.

Mrs Schlosser lodged her daughter Anna’s renewal on April 11. The passport only came through this week, following Dr Scamps’ intervention.

“With no transparency as to the stage the renewal is at or the likelihood of getting the passport creates huge stress for those families who were doing the right thing by lodging early,” Mrs Schlosser said.

“There is a Facebook group with 3600 members on the topic of passport delays with many similar stories including people whowere unable to travel and lost their flights/holidays due to this issue.”