Issues continue with the national SmartGate passport processing system, resulting in long queues at Sydney and Melbourne airports, with ongoing failures increasingly impacting travellers and frustrating industry stakeholders.
The technology, designed to streamline border clearance, has faced technical faults and delays since its rollout in 2015, despite a ballooning budget now exceeding 120 million dollars.
New figures have shown that only 57 per cent of inbound passengers use SmartGates, falling short of the Government’s original 90 per cent target.
Industry leaders, including the Australian Airports Association, have called for urgent improvements as congestion worsens.
Issues have also compounded as staffing levels at processing desks have reduced.
While international hubs like Singapore have reduced clearance times to 10 seconds, Australia’s average is 72 seconds, excluding queuing times.
As the country aims to welcome a record number of international passenger numbers by 2030, stakeholders have increasingly called for government action to modernise the system.