Craig Hill Media and Consulting
Brendan O’Connor
Australian plan to pay Indonesia to stop asylum seekers
The federal opposition has offered bipartisan support for a boost to funding to Indonesia to deal with asylum-seekers, ahead of an election-eve visit by Julia Gillard for talks with President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono. Immigration Minister Brendan O’Connor today insisted the July 4-5 visit was a “scheduled”, and warned against “overnight miracles” that would solve the … Continue reading
Foreign workers in Australia are being rorted
If Julia Gillard and her government are serious about stopping the rorts arising from Australia’s migrant worker scheme, then something will be done about the cleaning workers who have not only just lost their jobs but their entitlements too. The sad truth is that when a business goes bust Australian workers have their leave, unpaid … Continue reading
India is now the biggest source of migrants to Australia
India has become the leading source of permanent migrants to Australia for the first time, ahead of China, a government report showed on Monday. Reflecting the growing prominence of Asia to Australia, seven of the top 10 source countries during 2011-2012 were from the region, Australia’s Migration Trends study showed. “Between 1996 and 2011, Australia’s … Continue reading
In Australia, some asylum women and kids to be released soon
The government has moved more than 500 children and families into the Curtin and Wickham Point detention centres, readying them for release on bridging visas with no work rights. Immigration Minister Brendan O’Connor announced on Tuesday that part of the remote Wickham Point facility, about an hour out of Darwin, and Curtin detention centre in … Continue reading
Australia: Asylum seekers children to stay on Manus Island despite doctor’s health warnings
Refugee families will remain on Manus Island, despite staff at the camp going public with concerns children were at risk at the asylum seeker detention centre. Immigration Minister Brendan O’Connor on Tuesday rejected opposition claims that the government was preparing to move families off Manus Island in response to a doctor’s warning of health risks. … Continue reading
More than 10,000 temporary work visa frauds in Australia
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
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 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 hails “Bali Process” countries criminalisation of people smuggling
Foreign Minister Bob Carr has hailed an agreement by 37 Bali Process countries to criminalise people-smuggling and human-trafficking as a “huge advance”. The Bali Process ministerial meeting yesterday also agreed to link with the Australian-sponsored Jakarta Centre for Law Enforcement Co-operation to train regional police forces to deal with people-smugglers and traffickers as trans-national criminals. … Continue reading
Australia’s population could soar to 40 million by 2050 because of temporary entry migrants
Julia Gillard is steering the nation’s population on a course to more than 40 million by 2050, despite warning just three years ago against “hurtling towards a big Australia“. New figures released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics today show net overseas migration jumped by almost a third, to 228,000, in the 12 months to … Continue reading
Australia’s imported workers being paid less
Labor says the 457 visa program is driving down wages for Australian workers, despite its own reforms in 2009 requiring temporary skilled workers to be paid market rates. Immigration Minister Brendan O’Connor made the claim today, saying temporary skilled workers on 457 visas were working for less money than Australians. “There is a decrease in … Continue reading
Australian government plans changes to 457 (temporary work) visa conditions
The Federal Government has announced changes to conditions for foreign workers on 457 visas (skilled temporary work). Employers will be required to demonstrate there is a genuine skills shortage, and they will not be able to send foreign workers to an area where local skilled workers are available. The Government will also close a loophole … Continue reading
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