[Peetwo]

Senator Bridget McKenzie WQON - 

SBM's recently submitted written QON exposes more tax grabs by this awful socialist Albo government:

Question on notice no.

180 Portfolio question number: SQ26-000878 2026-27

Budget estimates Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Committee, Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications, Sport and the Arts Portfolio

Senator Bridget McKenzie: asked the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications, Sport and the Arts on 9 June 2026—

1. When was the decision made to reintroduce annual VH aircraft registration fees and what was the policy rationale behind the decision?
2. What consultation was undertaken with the Aircraft Owners and the broader general aviation stakeholders prior to the Budget announcement?
3. How much revenue does the Government expect the annual registration fee to raise over the forward estimates?
4. What is the proposed fee structure for the annual VH aircraft registration scheme? Will it be a flat fee applied uniformly, or tiered by aircraft type, weight or usage?
5.What modelling has been undertaken on the impact of these additional charges on small aircraft operators, flying schools and aerial application businesses?
6.What are the consequences for an aircraft whose annual registration lapse? Will it be grounded, and what is the reinstatement process?
7.Why has the Government chosen to reintroduce annual registration fees while retaining the existing fuel levy arrangements that were originally introduced as a replacement for those fees?
8.Will the annual registration requirement apply to non-flying aircraft, heritage aircraft and aircraft currently undergoing restoration?
9.What is the estimated administrative cost of running the annual registration scheme, and what proportion of revenue raised will be directed to administration versus frontline aviation safety services?
10.How will the scheme interact with aircraft registered through recreational aviation administration organisations such as RAAus? Will those aircraft also be captured by the annual registration requirement?
11.Has modelling been undertaken to identify whether Australian businesses using VH registration will be placed at an unfair advantage compared to international businesses whose aircraft are registered in another country and operated in Australia?
12.Does the Government acknowledge industry concerns that this proposal is 'nothing more than a tax grab on the General Aviation industry' effectively creates a form of double taxation on aircraft owners and operators?
13.Has the Department assessed the impact these additional costs may have on regional aviation capability, agricultural aviation services and pilot training activity?
14.Will the Government consider exemptions, reduced rates or alternative arrangements for small operators, aerial application operators or regional aircraft owners?
15. What safeguards are in place to ensure the additional revenue collected from annual registration fees will be directly reinvested into general aviation safety, infrastructure and regulatory services?

MTF...P2