Hi Jimmy,
Sorry to hear of the last minute hassles.
As DFAT advises -
Quote:
Do I need 6 months validity left on my passport before I can travel from and then re enter Australia?
Australian passports are valid for travel into and out of Australia regardless of the length of remaining validity. An Australian Passport remains valid until the expiry date.
It is the sovereign right of any country to control entry into their borders and this is usually done via visas or ensuring sufficient validity remains on the travel document.
Many countries require travellers to have at least six months validity remaining on their passports. Immigration authorities in some countries may refuse entry if you arrive with less than this.
Before travel you should contact the Embassy, High Commission or consular representative of all the countries you will be travelling to, or seek advice from your travel agent, to identify each country’s passport validity requirements.
Alternatively, renew your passport prior to travelling.
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The good news is that these days the airline check in desks and the immigration
exit check points tend to be on the ball and at least warn you before you
get on the plane that your entry to the destination country is likely to be
denied.
This obviously can save time, money and a lot of anxiety.
Not all countries have the "six month's must be valid time left on your passport" rule,
but many have had it as long as I can remember (i.e. decades).
Rather than a post 9/11 security measure, it tends to have been a policy
enacted by some countries more to do with how long one can stay on a visa.
When you arrive, many places will give you a visa on the spot but want to
ensure the passport won't run out before the visa does.
So the restriction definitely does not originate from the Australian end.