The cost of travel just took another jump with the announcement that Australian passport prices will go up twice next year.
Australian passports go up every New Year’s Day indexed to the consumer price index, but there will be a second 15 per cent hike on 1 July, 2024.
That should push the price to nearly $400. In comparison, Kiwis pay about $190 for a New Zealand passport.
The government’s angle is that it will only cost $40 a year for a 10-year passport and is a one-off.
“The funds from this one-off are all about making sure we can resource our passport system to make them modern and fit for purpose. Especially at a time where there are ongoing threats to people’s security and their identity,” Treasurer Jim Chalmers said.
The new measures are expected to raise $349 million over three years.
To be fair, Australia has one of the most technologically advanced passports in the world, and that comes at a cost.
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