Australian government says it could take more refugees, but there's a catch

Australia has been offered a solution to the contentious issue of Australia's asylum seeker intake: take 50 percent more... with a commensurate increase in "offshore processing."

Australia has been offered a solution to the contentious issue of Australia's asylum seeker intake: take in more.

Immigration Minister Chris Bowen is suggesting 50 percent more.

"I have had the view for some time that we could and should take more refugees," Bowen told Australia's ABC on Thursday. "It's an aspiration ... there's no timeline that I'm putting on it."

Bowen will propose the increase — from 13,750 refugees to 20,000 — at a meeting of the ruling Labor Party this weekend.

He said that while Australia's refugees intake was the highest per person of any country in the world, "that doesn't mean I don't think we can do more still."

However, there's a catch — Bowen suggested that a condition of any increased intake would be reinstating offshore processing of refugee claims.

Offshore processing is one of the more contentious factors of an issue that seems to polarize Australians on a regular basis.

The Asylum Seeker Resource Center calls offshore processing "illegal, inhumane, unworkable and a huge waste of tax payers’ money," and refers to the practice bluntly as "warehousing of refugees in impoverished countries."

And last year, the country's highest court questioned the legality of the system under which asylum-seekers who arrive by boat and are detained offshore — on Christmas Island, north of mainland Australia, and in the Micronesian country of Nauru — are denied access to Australian courts.

The Australian government, however, rejected the ruling, with Bowen saying at the time that "there is not a significant implication for regional processing."

Bowen said Thursday that: "Australia can and should take more refugees, but there's a legitimate community expectation that there be an orderly process to do so.

"And if you do have that orderly process, if you're able to have that regional agreements in place to achieve that, then the sorts of things you can talk about are substantial increases to our refugee intake going further."

"We want to give more people a life in Australia but we need to tackle the dangerous boats coming to Australia," he added.

Source http://www.globalpost.com/dispatches/globalpost-blogs/down-under/australia-immigration-asylum-seekers

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National Disability Insurance Scheme Goes Under the Microscope

As a National Disability Insurance Scheme takes gradually takes shape, there are lots of questions facing its architects: how will it be funded, will it get full support from the major political parties, who will service the scheme?

Yesterday Melbourne hosted two seminars answering some of the questions posed about the NDIS. Assistant Treasurer Bill Shorten stepped in at the last minute replacing Jenny Macklin, at a breakfast seminar at Federation Square – joining Rhonda Galbally AO and Anglican Archbishop of Melbourne Dr Philip Freier in a discussion about ‘the challenges of disability.’

While at a lunch hosted by Independence Australia, a panel including John Della Bosca of the NDIS, Alan Woodroffe from the Transport Accident Commission (TAC) and Kevin Andrews of the Liberal Party answered lingering questions such as will everyone on the waiting list now receive a funding package? Will an NDIS attract more competitors into the sector and how will this impact price, labour and wage pressures?

John Della Bosca, the campaign director of the NDIS said that a number of talks need to occur between different levels of government before the “NDIS becomes inevitable.”

Regardless of a possible change in government in two years he said, “It’s always inevitable that governments change and I’m heartened by the fact that there’s strong support for the scheme in the opposition as well as government.”

Della Bosca said the scheme had been costed at around $6.5 billion.

According to Liberal Kevin Andrews, “the Productivity Commission said this was core funding by the government which made it easier for us to say we’d support it (if we were in government).”

He also said people in the Liberal party room were “very supportive of the NDIS. Most people know someone who is directly affected by a disability either through birth or an accident.”

Alan Woodroffe, Senior Manager of Policy Service and Review for the TAC said the scheme was welcomed by consumers because it would offer similar services to those received by car accident victims – which currently do not extend to those who suffer other injuries.

However the panel – prompted by moderator Jon Faine – said staffing and servicing the scheme may stretch current resources.

“We are competing with people in such as the mining sector for skilled employees,” said Faine.

John Della Bosca said the way to get more workers into the sector to service the scheme could be through immigration, or increased university places.

“We need to look at sponsored migration services,” he said.

At the early morning event, hosted by Anglican Archbishop of Melbourne Dr Philip Freier, Minister Bill Shorten urged people affected by disabilities to “take 15 minutes out of your day to write a letter to the editor or ring talkback” to get their voice across about disability issues.

He said groups have untapped and unrealized power to change the status quo.

But he implored those affected by disabilities not to abandon mainstream political parties – saying they could do more to support disabled people within a major party than they could run as an independent.

Source http://www.probonoaustralia.com.au/news/2011/11/national-disability-insurance-scheme-goes-under-microscope

457 visa reform win for mining, AMMA says

A revision of the 457 visa program is a win for Australian workplaces, according to resources industry employer group AMMA.

Last week the Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) announced revisions to the sponsorship accreditation criteria, which will apply from today, and means employers will no longer have to include sponsored migrants in Fair Work Australia collective agreements.

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Chris Bowen, the immigration minister, said this new accreditation scheme "will continue to ensure that the 457 program is responsive to the economic cycle and provides a flexible avenue for employers to fill immediate and short-term skill vacancies, while maintaining opportunities and conditions for Australian workers".

The announcement comes as four in five Western Australian companies say they are planning to hire overseas workers in the next 12 months, according to audit firm KPMG.

The KPMG study said the influx of skilled migrants was due to the growing skills shortage problem across the country.

AMMA migration services director Geoff Bull welcomed the news.

"The efficiencies that have been created by DIAC will see the sponsored migration program become an invaluable tool for easing the skills shortage on resources employers," Bull said.

He went on to say "as many resources projects come online in the next few years, skilled migrants will play an essential role."

However he clarified that "the resources industry doesn't view skilled migrants as a long term alternative to Australian workers".

Changes to the scheme have seen the removal of the $180 000 salary threshold.

Source http://www.miningaustralia.com.au/news/457-visa-reform-win-for-mining-amma-says

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Australia and Argentina now work and holiday 462 visa amigos

Australia and the Argentine Republic have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) paving the way for a reciprocal work and holiday visa arrangement.

Young Australians and Argentinians will now have the opportunity to live and work in each others' countries under a new visa deal signed by Australian immigration minister Chris Bowen and Argentine Ambassador to Australia Pedro Villagra Delgado in Canberra yesterday.

Under the agreement, Argentine youths between the ages of 18 and 30 who are university-educated will be eligible to obtain an Australia visa valid for work, entry and leave for twenty four months. The same opportunity will be available to Australians in gaining an Argentinian visa under the same eligibility criteria.

"Work and holiday agreements allow young people to immerse themselves in a new and different cultural experience while also fostering wider economic ties and dialogue between governments," Mr Bowen said.

"This agreement reinforces our mutually beneficial relationship with Argentina, which is based on shared interests, greater economic cooperation, and growing trade and tourism links."

The work and holiday visa (subclass 462) is more conditional than the Working Holiday visa Australia, dependent on an applicants ability to gain government sponsorship and proof of enrolment in tertriary education.

Similar work and holiday agreements are in place between Australia and Papua New Guinea, Bangladesh, Chile, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, Turkey and the US.

There will be an annual limit of 500 work and holiday visas for both countries.

Source http://www.visabureau.com/australia/news/03-11-2011/australia-and-argentina-now-work-and-holiday-462-visa-amigos.aspx