The Albanese government has introduced a suite of policy changes and targeted funding commitments in its newly released 2026-27 federal budget, headlined by a planned increase to Australia’s international departure charge for all outbound passengers.
From January 1 next year, the passenger movement charge applied to every person leaving Australia via air or sea — regardless of citizenship or future return plans — will rise by $10 to a total of $80. To avoid disrupting travel planning, a six-month transition period will be implemented, meaning passengers who purchased their tickets before the fee hike takes effect will not be required to pay the extra $10.
Government projections estimate the increased exit fee will generate approximately $755 million in additional revenue over the five-year period starting from 2025-26. Implementing the change will come with a one-off administrative cost of $700,000 for the Department of Home Affairs in the coming financial year. Alongside this departure fee increase, the government is also forecasting a significant jump in revenue from inbound visa application charges, predicting total earnings of $6.18 billion in 2026-27, up from the previous year’s projected $4.66 billion.
Beyond border charge adjustments, the budget allocates funding to a wide range of policy sectors spanning emergency management, renewable energy transition, public health, and cultural initiatives.
In emergency management, the government has committed $6 million to roll out AusAlert, a new national emergency warning system set to launch in October. The system will deliver geographically targeted emergency alerts to local communities and first responders during natural disasters and crisis events, improving early warning and response capacity.
For clean energy and sustainability, the federal government is continuing its support for a national solar panel recycling pilot scheme. The initiative, which first received $25 million in last year’s budget, aims to cut electronic waste as the country transitions to renewable energy, with plans to establish up to 100 dedicated solar panel collection sites across the nation. Separately, Australia Post will receive $40.5 million to speed up the electrification of its national delivery fleet, funding the purchase of new electric trucks, vans, and postal bicycles.
Public health and social services receive substantial new permanent and one-off funding in this budget. In a historic move, the government is committing $431 million in permanent ongoing funding to the Public Dental Services for Adults agreement, allocating $107.8 million annually to deliver accessible, critical dental care for eligible low-income and vulnerable adult patients.
Life Education Australia, a not-for-profit that delivers school-based health education across the country, will receive $1.7 million to develop new learning modules covering mental health and wellbeing, online safety, and respectful relationships. The Maggie Beer Foundation, a group focused on improving nutrition for aged care residents, will get more than $7 million to upgrade food quality in aged care facilities across Australia. Melbourne’s Royal Children’s Hospital will receive a $2 million boost for its Good Friday Appeal, which supports preventative health projects and expands access to pediatric healthcare in regional areas. Additionally, the government has set aside more than $68 million over three years to support Australia’s goal of eliminating HIV transmission by 2030, with funding focused on expanding access to HIV treatment for people who do not qualify for Medicare coverage.
Cultural and civic initiatives also receive targeted support. A total of $10 million has been allocated to fund Australia Day celebrations across the country, including a $4.5 million community events stream that supports local councils and not-for-profit organisations to host local activities on January 26. Additional funding is specifically reserved for events in regional and remote areas, where residents often face barriers to attending large celebrations in capital cities. Canberra’s Museum of Australian Democracy will also receive $3 million to plan and host national commemorations for the centenary of the opening of Old Parliament House, scheduled for 2027.