EXPLANATORY STATEMENT
PASSPORTS ACT 1938
PASSPORTS REGULATIONS (AMENDMENT)
Statutory Rules 1986 No. 212 issued by the authority of the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs.
Section 12 of the Passports Act 1938 (the Act) provides that the Governor-General may make regulations, not inconsistent with the Act, prescribing all matters which are required or permitted to be prescribed, or which are necessary or convenient to be prescribed, for carrying out or giving effect to the Act.
2. On 21 July the Expenditure Review Committee of Cabinet agreed in Decision 8020 (ER) that the fee for a passport issued to a person over 18 years should be raised from $30 to $60 for a passport valid for a maximum period of 10 years, in place of the present 5 years.
3. In addition, the Acting Minister for Foreign Affairs has consequently approved a fee of $25 (with a continuation of the present period of validity of 5 years) for passports to be issued to “prescribed minors”: that is to say, to all persons under 18 years except those who are or have been married. Children under 18 have in the past often been endorsed in the passports of their parents but this practice will now be discontinued, and a separate passport issued to each individual. Persons of less than 18 years, who are not “prescribed minors” because they are or have been married are provided for in the Act in all respects as if they were over 18 years of age, and this will continue.
4. In addition there have been a number of other changes to Schedule 2 to the Passports Regulations, setting out fees which may be levied in relation to travel documents. These changes have been approved by the Minister for Foreign Affairs and are reflected in Regulation 5, providing for a new fee structure.
5. It is proposed that all these changes be brought into effect on and from 20 August as part of the Budget package.
6. Certain other consequential amendments are made to the Passports Regulations.
7. The regulations enclosed herewith have been prepared to amend Statutory Rules 1939 No. 47 as previously amended by Statutory Rules 1986 No. 25.