Child sex offenders will be banned from international travel as the Federal Government makes good on a promise to stop Australian paedophiles abusing children across the globe.

It is understood Foreign Minister Julie Bishop and Justice Minister Michael Keenan will present plans to the coalition party room today to permanently bar Australia’s 20,000 registered child sex offenders from travelling overseas, with legislation likely to be introduced in Parliament next month.

Paedophiles who prey on children overseas can be jailed for up to 20 years after they return to Australia if the offence can be proved.

Offenders listed on State and Territory registers are required to detail their international travel plans to the Australian Federal Police.

The AFP’s policy is to share that information with its counterparts in other countries, so they can bar poten-tial predators. However, it is unclear how often that is done by authorities in child sex tourism destinations, such as Indonesia and the Philippines, because they have a patchy record of acting on the information.

Until now Australian law enforcement authorities have needed to request that the Foreign Minister cancel passports or refuse to issue travel documents, and the measures have done little to stem the scourge of sex tourism by Australian paedophiles. At least 780 registered child sex offenders travelled overseas last year, according to evidence given to a Senate committee hearing last week.

Child sex tourism remains a multibillion-dollar industry in poverty stricken countries in South-East Asia.

It is understood the new laws would prevent the Foreign Minister from issuing a new passport to a registered child sex offender.

The requirement would be mandatory and not subject to appeal to the Administrative Appeals Tribunal.

While it is believed current passports would not automatically be stripped from holders, the proposed laws would make it an offence for a registered offender to travel overseas.

The laws are believed to be a world-first, and would put Australia at the forefront of the international effort to stop child sex tourism.

The legislation was flagged in November by Ms Bishop, who said at the time the Government would work with Victorian senator Derryn Hinch to develop the legislation.

The ban would need the co-operation from WA and other State and Territory authorities that compile the registers.