Australian Immigration Minister Brendan O'Connor has declared the number of 457 visa rorts to be in excess of ten thousand and committed the government to passing legislation to crack down on the regime. Mr O'Connor placed his proposed overhaul of the 457 regime on the election agenda, saying its prominence in any campaign depended on … Continue reading More than 10,000 temporary work visa frauds in Australia
Category: News and Features
News, Features, Media Releases and Comments
US Senator John McCain slams Australia’s defence cuts as ‘imprudent’
Powerful US senator John McCain has criticised the Gillard government for cutting the Australian defence budget. In an interview in his Washington Senate office, Mr McCain told The Weekend Australian that "it is not prudent" for Canberra to cut its defence budget so heavily. Last year the Gillard government cut defence spending by 10 per … Continue reading US Senator John McCain slams Australia’s defence cuts as ‘imprudent’
Australian university allows sex segregation at Islamic events
Australian opposition party leader Tony Abbott has condemned Melbourne University for allowing gender segregation at on-campus Islamic events, branding the practice "a leap back into the dark ages." "I just think it's un-Australian what's happened here and I can't understand for a second why Melbourne University would tolerate it," the Opposition Leader said. "I would … Continue reading Australian university allows sex segregation at Islamic events
Australia to investigate one million foreign workers in fraud crackdown
The Department of Immigration will hand over the records of one million temporary visa holders to the Australian Tax Office to identify fraud and visa rorts, in a massive data-matching operation. The exercise will target the holders of 27 temporary visa types including skilled “457 visa” workers, students, backpackers and foreign sports people playing in … Continue reading Australia to investigate one million foreign workers in fraud crackdown
Australia’s Nauru asylum centre faces legal challenge
Australia's asylum seeker processing centre on Nauru will face a legal challenge in the Pacific island nation's Supreme Court.The case involves 10 asylum seekers who are facing rioting and wilful damage charges. Australian-based barrister Jay Williams, who is representing the detainees, told a Nauruan magistrates court on Wednesday he had been refused access to the … Continue reading Australia’s Nauru asylum centre faces legal challenge
Australia won’t be drawn into ‘mythical’ US-China war says defence consultant
The view that war between the US and China is inevitable and that Australia will be drawn into such a conflict is a dangerous miscalculation, says defence white paper author Paul Dibb. The comments to be made tonight by Mr Dibb will follow those by Julia Gillard, who yesterday deplored "false modesty" in our relationship … Continue reading Australia won’t be drawn into ‘mythical’ US-China war says defence consultant
U.S. marines based in Australia will cost $1.6 billion
Infrastructure costing an estimated $1.6 billion will need to be built in Northern Australia to accommodate a fully-equipped, 2500-strong US Marines task force due in Darwin in about 2016. And it is not clear yet who will foot the bill to accommodate the potent and self-contained Marines Air Ground Task Group, which will come to … Continue reading U.S. marines based in Australia will cost $1.6 billion
Australia neglects two trillion dollar opportunity exporting agricultural produce to Asia
Major parties are neglecting the $2 trillion opportunity of exporting agricultural produce to Asia, instead miring themselves in the "140 character" world of political bickering and failing to provide the vision and leadership required to take the nation forward, says the head of Australia's largest beef producer. AACo chief executive David Farley said Australia should … Continue reading Australia neglects two trillion dollar opportunity exporting agricultural produce to Asia
Australian Immigration Department criticises government policy as “harsh”
The head of the Immigration Department has sharply criticised the Gillard government's decision to increase federal court fees since 2010, arguing the policy has had "harsh" and "unintended" consequences on refugee clients. It is highly unusual for one of the government's own departments to criticise policy in such a strident way, but in a letter … Continue reading Australian Immigration Department criticises government policy as “harsh”
Australia gives up hope on China over free trade agreement
Australia has given-up hopes for a comprehensive free trade agreement with China and will instead focus its efforts on a scaled-back agriculture-focused deal with the Chinese government. The decision comes as China and Australia are deadlocked in negotiations on a free trade agreement because of a dispute about state-owned assets, trade minister Craig Emerson said. … Continue reading Australia gives up hope on China over free trade agreement
Australian troops in Afghanistan at risk of final Taliban assault
Australian forces in Afghanistan face a risk that insurgents will try to inflict casualties before they depart at the end of the year, Defence Minister Stephen Smith says. Mr Smith says the Australian task force has now consolidated in their base at Tarin Kowt, ending operations alongside Afghan troops. Under current plans, the main Australian … Continue reading Australian troops in Afghanistan at risk of final Taliban assault
Australia’s Asian Century talk is empty; language funding falls short
It's supposed to be the Asian Century but educator Marnie Hughes-Warrington is having to turn away students keen to learn Asian languages such as Chinese and Hindi. It is a lesson in unintended consequences. This year a new diploma was launched by the Australian National University, a languages powerhouse where Professor Hughes-Warrington is deputy vice-chancellor … Continue reading Australia’s Asian Century talk is empty; language funding falls short
Australian university funding cuts would be risk to teacher quality
Monash University vice-chancellor Ed Byrne has warned that cuts to universities could come back to bite schools. Professor Byrne said good teachers were the defining element of good schools, and teachers were educated at universities. "Universities are operating on very fine margins, and after these cuts they will be even finer. They'll survive but there … Continue reading Australian university funding cuts would be risk to teacher quality
Indonesia still stalling on asylum rescue effort; Australia expresses concern
Indonesian rescue authorities were last night still unable to find survivors or likely search sites for possibly two asylum-seeker boats that disappeared in the Sunda Strait last week. The weekend passed without Basarnas, the search and rescue agency, initiating searches for between 60 and 120 passengers thought to be missing. Basarnas officials said yesterday they … Continue reading Indonesia still stalling on asylum rescue effort; Australia expresses concern
Up to 200 Australians fighting with terrorist groups in Syria
Australian Foreign Minister Bob Carr says the government is aware of reports that Australians fighting against the Syrian regime could be linking up with terrorist groups in the war-torn country. When asked if up to 200 Australians could be in Syria fighting against President Bashar al-Assad's forces, Senator Carr said the relevant government agencies were … Continue reading Up to 200 Australians fighting with terrorist groups in Syria
Australian soldier accused over deaths of unarmed Iraqis
A decorated Australian soldier was embroiled in a secret war- crimes investigation after two former high ranking US military officials accused him of ordering the killing of unarmed men during the invasion of Iraq. Fairfax Media has uncovered the extraordinary allegations directed against then army warrant officer Joe Day, who was on an exchange with … Continue reading Australian soldier accused over deaths of unarmed Iraqis
Experts warn that China’s main motive in new deal is to prise Australia away from US
The "strategic partnership" announced this week between Australia and China is widely viewed within China and by experts internationally as a move in which Beijing hopes to start prising Canberra away from Washington on security matters. But this is a long-term strategy, which is easier for China's new leaders, who anticipate a 10-year term ahead, … Continue reading Experts warn that China’s main motive in new deal is to prise Australia away from US
Australia says asylum seeker boat arrival not a new people smuggling strategy
Immigration Minister Brendan O'Connor believes an asylum-seeker vessel that made it to the mainland is an exception, and does not herald a new strategy by people-smugglers. The Sri Lankan navy has warned the vessel's arrival in the West Australian port of Geraldton will encourage more people to take the dangerous voyage, believing they can evade … Continue reading Australia says asylum seeker boat arrival not a new people smuggling strategy
Australia’s Foreign Minister brands Margaret Thatcher racist
Former British prime minister Margaret Thatcher made "unabashedly racist" comments during a conversation with Bob Carr, the Foreign Affairs Minister has told Lateline. Thatcher died on Monday morning (UK time) at the age of 87 and will be accorded a ceremonial funeral at London's St Paul's Cathedral next week. Senator Carr says he was "astonished" … Continue reading Australia’s Foreign Minister brands Margaret Thatcher racist
Australian Prime Minister strengthens military alliance with China, ignores 2009 report of threat
Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard today will unveil a 10-year plan to tighten Australia's embrace of China, flagging three-nation military exercises to include the US and more Chinese investment in Australia. The declaration comes as Canberra and Beijing have clinched a deal for an annual meeting mechanism between the Australian prime minister and the Chinese … Continue reading Australian Prime Minister strengthens military alliance with China, ignores 2009 report of threat
Australia and China agree to new annual leaders’ forum; few other outcomes of China trip
Australia and China have agreed to top level strategic talks to strengthen and provide direction to an economically crucial relationship which also presents vast opportunities. In one of the few immediate outcomes from Julia Gillard's high-octane charm offensive to China which wraps up on Wednesday, a new annual leaders' forum has been agreed, effectively mirroring … Continue reading Australia and China agree to new annual leaders’ forum; few other outcomes of China trip
Australian asylum children denied right to attend school
Asylum-seeker children aged under-15 continue to be denied the right to attend schools in Tasmania, despite the state government's strong desire to educate them "outside the wire". After criticism from the state Children's Commissioner, it was yesterday announced that up to 150 children aged 15 to 17 would be allowed to attend Hobart Polytechnic colleges … Continue reading Australian asylum children denied right to attend school
Canberra doesn’t understand reality of China-Japan conflict, or consequences to Australia
In the event of a conflict between China and Japan, it's hard to think of a country that would be more exposed than Australia. Yet several leading defence scholars have warned that this prospect is receiving little attention from policy-makers and academics, and Australia is in denial about the risks. Defence specialist and consultant Ross … Continue reading Canberra doesn’t understand reality of China-Japan conflict, or consequences to Australia
Australian Prime Minister surprisingly disregards threats made by China
Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard has declared that Australia can grow its relationship with China while "tending" to its friendship with the US, playing down tensions caused by an agreement to allow US marines to exercise near Darwin. She seems to have totally disregarded threats made by China against Australia, particularly a warning in May … Continue reading Australian Prime Minister surprisingly disregards threats made by China
Australia raises Cebongan human rights jail killings with Indonesia
Defence Minister Stephen Smith has asked to be kept informed of Indonesian investigations into the alleged involvement of Kopassus special forces soldiers in the murder of four remand prisoners. Mr Smith confirmed today that he had raised the Cebongan jail killings on March 23 with Indonesian counterpart Purnomo Yusgiantoro at their Jakarta meeting. Mr Smith … Continue reading Australia raises Cebongan human rights jail killings with Indonesia
Craig Hill 