Cathrine Burnett-Wake Director at Harris Wake an incorporated Legal firm specialising in Australian and New Zealand immigration

The wider MA membership might be interested in a short film that one of our members, Catherine Burnett-Wake (MARN 0324641) produced for the SBS ‘Join in competition’.  It's less than 1-minute long.

The film is titled: ‘What is it to be an Australian?’

The film features a number of Catherine's former clients who she have helped migrate to Australia and who now proudly call themselves Australian.

We're trying to spread the word to help Catherine win the competition. Catherine needs as many views of the video and social media shares and likes using the imbedded icons on the Genero.tv site as she can get.

See link to watch the film:

http://genero.tv/watch-video/38408

If Catherine is fortunate enough to win, any prize money will go towards another film that she is producing, with the same team, about a young Afghani girl and her journey to Australia as an IMA.

I hope members like it and I encourage members to share it with everyone they know to help Catherine win.

The Australian Human Rights Commission president, Professor Gillian Triggs has told the ABC's 7.30 Report that Immigration Minister Scott Morrison's claim that children in detention received daily care was not true and he needed to be "better advised" on what is happening in detention centres. Professor Triggs said there was evidence detained children had tried to poison themselves, despite Mr Morrison's statement the assertions were "sensational".

The third hearing of the commission's inquiry into children in detention last Thursday was told the Immigration Department had advised the independent health provider on Christmas Island not to publish a report that showed alarming rates of mental health issues among child detainees, according to the ABC.

Professor Triggs said there was also evidence children had swallowed detergents or other poisons, put plastic bags over their heads, cut themselves and used the hijab to try to hang themselves.

"The head-banging is very common," she told the ABC's 7:30 program.

She said Mr Morrison needed better advice if he doubted the evidence.

Migration Alliance is in receipt of the following information:

The ACT Occupation List – August 2014 was published today on www.canberrayourfuture.com.au. I have attached (see below at base of this message) a comparison of the occupations now in demand in Canberra, compared with the February 2014 list to assist you.

The Guidelines for ACT nomination of a 190 visa have also been updated with three major changes:

If migration agents are trying to re-register and and their mandatory CPD points are not showing as 'mandatory' please contact the Office of the MARA as this has nothing to do with CPD providers in the profession. 

This is a glitch with the OMARA's new website and IT systems and not with providers.  OMARA will explain to agents what to do. 

The email for the CPD section at the OMARA is This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

The following information has just been received from the DIBP:

Dear Registered Migration Agent

Please be advised that, as of 1 August 2014, electronic lodgement of the Subclass 600 (Visitor) visa has been extended to 66 additional countries and territories.