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Liana - Allan

Liana - Allan

Liana Allan is probably Australia's best known migration agent. Liana is the owner of Legal Training Australia Pty Ltd which is a professional development firm training Australian migration agents and owner of Visacorp Pty Ltd migration agency. Liana's main passion is serving the needs of the migration agent community and providing migrants with information that can truly assist them as they seek to create a new life in Australia. Liana plays netball twice a week and enjoys great food and the occasional glass of Shiraz. Liana lives in Sydney, Australia and has two children. Liana is married.

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A report in this morning from a Migration Alliance member, who wishes to remain unnamed, will be used as the basis of a complaint to the DIBP:

"I have always felt that the inconsistency with DIBP was an issue for Migration Agents. However, I have seen this once too often and feel I need to speak out.

A client (company) of mine insists on lodging their own nominations for their 457 visa applicants. This is not a problem and we have been happily completing our dealings for 457 visas over the past four years.  I also get copies of all nominations lodged.

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We have all seen cases where a client has sat the IETLS test multiple times to try and secure points and on many cases they fall just short of their target by 0.5 points and the scoring is not consistent. One time it could be in Speaking, the next Writing, Listening or Reading.  

The lack of openness and transparency in the IELTs testing system leaves the system open to allegations of misuse and abuse. Candidates are denied detailed information on their test results and have to re-sit the test time and time again.

IELTS has a statutory monopoly on English Language testing, and many institutions are getting rich in the process.  The IELTS language testing is worth over one billion dollars a year.

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I have just sent this email to the Office of the MARA's Director of Professional Development and Registration, Glenda Hutch.  Feel free to complete the survey and skew the results even more.  It's not like OMARA want real information.  They just want any old information so that it looks like they are interested in real results.  It's really just a triumph of form over substance.  If they want proper feedback on what people think about CPD's then why don't they leave the surveys up to private organisations who know how to conduct surveys properly and professionally to extract the right data and information the first time around?
 
Dear Glenda

With reference to the link in your email below 'CPD participant feedback - Distance Learning': https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/ltadnjanmar14

I just completed a 'dummy/imposter' survey off the link that you have sent out to CPD participants of LTA.  We have a huge number of participants.
 
I notice three things about this survey which concern me greatly:
1/ Survey Monkey is a non- Australian government based website based in the USA being used to collect information from random and unidentified persons (MARN is optional) regarding Legal Training Australia.   
2/ Anyone from anywhere in the world can complete the survey including me as I did just then as a test run.  I just completed the survey as an 'imposter' as a test by clicking on the link which means OMARA's results are already skewed.  I can see I am also able to re-do the survey by logging back on and doing it again at a different computer in my office.
3/ I can complete one (1) distance learning CPD module with LTA online, and yet I am able to go to the OMARA Survey Monkey web link and provide feedback regarding every single one of our online subjects if I want to, regardless of whether I have even completed them. 
 
Having a survey and making the link available to anyone who wants to participate is a risky approach as it means the survey designed lacks integrity which in turn means that the results lack validity.  In most cases, the people electing to participate are inherently biased in some fashion.   What's to stop me from running an active campaign against another provider by using their dedicated link and running an active campaign for my own business by using the link to the LTA survey?  The answer is nothing.  It is open to being rorted.

I can also see that the OMARA have not created a survey which prevents the following types of 'survey offenders' from participating:

1. “The Daydreamer” - this respondent does not read the questions or stay focused enough to understand what is being asked.  Known Accomplices: “The Woolgatherer,” “The Aloof,” “Mr. or Ms. Elsewhere”

2. “The Imposter” - this respondent provides false data to a) bias survey results or b) fraud data to qualify for a survey with an incentive being offered.  Known Accomplices: “The Survey Swindler,” “The Con,” “The Pretender”

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The Department of Immigration and Border Protection applies a surcharge on all credit card transactions with the Department. The rate is dependent upon the credit card type and are detailed below:

Card Type

Rate (%)

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Migration Alliance is pleased to sponsor Flu Shots for our members via our exclusive health services partner, Bupa:

Start protecting yourself today.

Book your flu vaccination to help protect yourself this flu season.

book-your-flu-shot_20140422-032310_1.jpg

Flu vaccinations can be 60–90% effective in preventing influenza specific illness in healthy adults. It takes around two weeks to develop immunity against the flu, which usually lasts up to 12 months.

Not registered as Bupa Agent yet?  Register today  "Click here"

Sources: National Centre for Immunisation Research & Surveillance. Influenza. Apr 2013. (www.ncirs.edu.au) Jefferson T, Di Pietrantonj C, Rivetti A, et al. Vaccines for preventing influenza in healthy adults. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2010, Issue 7. Art. No.: CD001269. This information has been developed and reviewed for Bupa by health professionals and to the best of their knowledge is current and based on reputable sources of medical research. It should be used as a guide only and should not be relied upon as a substitute for professional medical or other health professional advice. Bupa Australia Pty Ltd (and its related entities) makes no warranties or representations regarding the completeness or accuracy of the recommendations or assessments and is not liable for any loss or damage you suffer arising out of the use of or reliance on the information, except that which cannot be excluded by law. We recommend that you consult your doctor or other qualified health professional if you have questions or concerns about your health
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