A report has revealed significant delays in passport processing due to poor planning post-COVID-19, sparking outrage among coalition leaders who say Australians are overpaying for a failing system.
The Australian National Audit Office (ANAO) 2023–24 report (pdf) on the Australian Passport Office found more passport applicants are choosing to pay for priority processing after the border reopened, although the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) didn’t meet its target of processing 95 percent of regular passports within ten business days.
