Australian Immigration Daily News

Minister for Immigration & Border Protection

Scott Morrison

Monday, 21 October 2013

Migration Alliance has received the following update from the MRT:

21 October 2013

October 2013 – COMMUNITY LIAISON UPDATE

Dear Community Liaison committee members

I am pleased to provide the community liaison update for October 2013.

I welcome any feedback you would like to provide about these updates. If you have any suggestions or comments, please forward them to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

Community liaison meetings

The next round of meetings will take place during November and December 2013:

·         Melbourne                  Wednesday, 6 November 2013                  2:00pm to 3:30pm

·         Sydney                          Wednesday, 13 November 2013               2:00pm to 3:00pm

·         Brisbane                       Friday, 15 November 2013                           1:00pm to 2:00pm

·         Perth                             Monday, 2 December                                    12:30pm to 1:30pm

·         Adelaide                       Wednesday, 4 December 2013                  2:00pm to 3:00pm

I encourage you to please submit items for discussion at these meeting to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

Caseload report

Caseload statistics for September 2013 are now available on the caseload report on our website.

Tribunal members and staff are working hard to reduce processing timeframes. In September the tribunals saw a positive clearance rate, the number of decisions made exceed the number of new applications received. 

RRT Practice Direction released

A new RRT Practice Direction has been issued regarding the efficient conduct of RRT reviews. The Direction applies to the conduct of reviews by the RRT where an applicant is represented by another person. The Direction incorporates feedback from the Community Liaison group.

The Direction lists additional requirements for representatives during the conduct of RRT reviews. These include:

·         setting out timeframes,

·          format and content for any submissions lodged;

·         the need to attach a copy of the primary decision to the review application;

·         the need to lodge a pre-hearing submission setting out all claims made by the applicant;

·         the need for the pre-hearing submission to be supported by a written declaration from the applicant;

·          any requests for postponement of a hearing on medical grounds to be supported by medical certificate submitted no more than two days before the hearing; and

·         the need for a witness statement, setting out the witnesses’ evidence, to be submitted where a person other than the applicant, is expected to give evidence at the hearing.

The Direction came into effect on 30 September 2013.

Migration Alliance – national conference

On 20 September 2013 I attended the Migration Alliance’s annual conference at the Etihad Stadium in Melbourne. I spoke on ‘Strengthening Relationships: Between Registered Migration Agents and the Migration Review Tribunal’. My paper focused on best practice for migration agents, and how to navigate various tribunals’ processes and procedures. A copy of the presentation can be found on the on Speeches and Publications page of the tribunals’ website.

 

End of year shutdown 2013

The tribunals will be closed over the Christmas and New Year period. Offices will close from 5:00pm on Tuesday, 24 December 2013 and will reopen at 8:30am on Thursday, 2 January 2014.  Any applications or documents that are due to be lodged on one of the days the tribunals are closed; will be accepted up to and including Thursday, 2 January 2014.

 

Kind regards,

 

Kay Ransome

Principal Member

If you have any queries or feedback please contact us.

For further information about the MRT-RRT, please visit our website.

There are two updates today for Migration Alliance members, the first about skills assessments and the second about Manus Island:

1. ENS skills assessment changes  - the DIAC have released changes to acceptable skills assessments on their website (from 28 October 2013).  To read more please click here.

Changes to Acceptable Skills Assessments for Employer Nomination Scheme and Regional Skilled Migration Scheme visas – 28 October 2013

Migration Alliance members, DIBP and I am sure the Office of the MARA might not be surprised to learn that RMAs have had just about enough of the Office of the MARA.  

The red tape that they have wrapped us all up in over the last couple of years has become oppressive to say the least.  The Office of the MARA have, to all intents and purposes, stifled the profession just like the unions sought to stifle the 457 visa programme with their red tape.

What has become obvious to RMAs is that the Office of the MARA have become a law unto themselves.

Richard Marles is the new Immigration Minister and Matt Thistlewaite is the new parliamentary Secretary for Immigration.  Interesting times.  I have been informed that Richard will be very interesting.  A man of pedigree and someone who might be a future leader of the Labor party.

Here is a better image of the Labor Ministry.