Rugby league, bird flu and drones: things you may have missed in the 2026 budget

The federal budget allocates billions of dollars towards fuel resilience, tax cuts, hospital funding and aged care, as well as major measures to reform negative gearing, capital gains tax and family trusts.It also makes room to fund electronic screens at sporting grounds, set new standards for ebikes, impose tax exemptions for the incoming Papua New Guinean team in the National Rugby League and abolish tariffs on air conditioners, margarine and bitumen.Away from the headlines on tax, housing and health, here are some of the things you might have missed in Jim Chalmers’ fifth federal budget.Cervical cancer drugsKeytruda will be listed on the pharmaceutical benefits scheme to help people with cervical cancer. The drug would cost $15,000 per script without the PBS listing. “In 2025, 946 new cases of cervical cancer were diagnosed,” the budget states.Airline and cruise prices increasingThe government is raising the Passenger Movement Charge, payable by passengers leaving Australia by air or sea, by $10 from January 2027. The charge, which is included on airline tickets, will go from $70 to $80.Abolishing nearly 500 ‘nuisance tariffs’In a measure meant to boost productivity and reduce red tape, 497 tariffs on various items will be cancelled. Referred to as “nuisance tariffs”, where the cost of compliance is often more than the revenue they raise, the government will eliminate tariffs on a wide range of imported goods including wine glasses, tyres, air conditioners, margarine and bitumen. It’s expected to reduce government revenue by $70m over five years.Homebuyer ban extendedThe ban on foreign investors buying established homes was due to end next year but will now be extended until 30 June 2029.Local sporting organisationsThe budget will give $400,000 to the South Melbourne football club to help it play in the Oceania Football Confederation Pro League. Wilston‐Grange Australian Football Club is getting $300,000 for new electronic screens.Rugby leagueThe budget confirms $20m over the next two years to “upgrade and restore Leichhardt Oval in Sydney”, the home of the Wests Tigers NRL team, which is also used by other sporting teams.Players and staff with the new rugby league team in PNG, the Chiefs, will receive tax exemptions as part of the venture’s entry to the NRL. The Australian government’s moves to ensure those tax breaks will cost $5.4m over four years.There’s also $15m towards a permanent base, including a training and recovery centre, for the North Queensland Cowboys’ women’s team at West Barlow park in Cairns.Drone and ebike regulationThe government “will not proceed with recreational remotely piloted aircraft systems registration requirements from 1 July 2026”, the budget papers reveal.But there is $6.6m over three years for “reforms aimed at strengthening Australia’s product safety framework and safety standards, including by improving product recalls [and] advancing online marketplace reforms”. That includes “an immediate focus on introducing standards for e-bikes and nationally consistent requirements for all e‐micromobility devices”.Aircraft noise and price monitoringThe government is also putting $38m towards a new aviation consumer protection authority and an independent ombudsman for aircraft noise. There’s also $4.5m for the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) to monitor prices and competitiveness in the domestic airline sector.Bird fluThere’s $11.2m this year to “maintain critical preparedness against High Pathogenicity Avian Influenza (HPAI H5) incursions”, including measures that help resilience of “priority native wildlife across high‐risk locations”.The ABC is getting an extra $14m over two years under its Indo-Pacific broadcasting strategy for “content production, distribution, capacity building and media engagement activities”.The newswire service Australian Associated Press gets $15m for continued “financial sustainability”.The budget also confirms the previously announced suspension of the Commercial Broadcasting Tax for two years, which will “provide temporary relief for commercial television and radio broadcasters” and cost $111m.Wharf repairThe Australian National Maritime Museum will get $10.1m over two years for safety repairs to its wharves at Sydney’s Darling Harbour.