The University of Melbourne and the Australian National University are the top two universities in Australia and amongst the world’s best according to the latest annual QS World University Rankings by Subject.

The QS University Rankings is a comprehensive guide to the world’s top universities in a range of popular subject areas. The ranking is largely based on a survey of academics view of the reputation of the universities. To a lesser extent the rankings also takes into account other data like the number of times the university is cited in research publications and the student ratios.

The rankings highlight the 200 top universities in the world for 30 individual subjects.

The University of Melbourne demonstrated its consistency as Australia’s best by once again being named Australia’s best performing university. It was placed first nationally in 12 of the 30 disciplines.

According to a report in The Australian, Melbourne's best performance was in education, where it was named the second best faculty in the world, behind the University of London’s Institute of Education, up from third last year. Melbourne also took the crown as Australia’s most comprehensive university, named in the top five in 29 of the 30 disciplines. Melbourne was particularly strong in science, maths and technology subjects, ranking first nationally in eight of the 16 subject areas.

Since the introduction the Significant Investor Visa (SIV) program there have been calls for greater scrutiny of the sources of funds of the applicants. There has been a steady climb in the number of applicants and grants under the program with over AUD$2.85 billion already invested in Australia. Pressure is now mounting on DIBP to step up its checks on the investors sources of funds after Canada tightened applications for a its similar scheme to prevent money-laundering.

Under the current SIV program, the department of immigration’s case officers rely on information provided by the applicants to determine if the funds are lawful. These officers have a high degree of discretionary authority to determine if additional documents are required and what type of documents would be satisfactory. It’s not exactly clear what level of consistency there is in this process of investigations or how the case officers verify if the sources of funds are lawful.

All that is clear is that there have been a steady increase in the number of applicants and the number of grants. In contrast, Canada which recently introduced a similar scheme has shown concern over money-laundering and tightened applications for its investor visa program. Under the Canadian program “forensic accountants” from the private sector are appointed to investigate if the applicants have a ‘criminal past’ or are ‘politically exposed’.

The Australian reports that pressure is mounting on DIBP to boost scrutiny of investors trying to buy residency in Australia under the significant investor scheme after Canada tightened applications for its similar scheme.

“Experts say Australia is one of the top destinations for corrupt officials fleeing China, and with the Canadian changes there are fears the country could become a haven for white-collar criminals,” reports The Australian.

The Australian recently revealed the former chief of the giant Chinese utility State Grid was hiding out in Australia with millions of dollars he stole from the company. Chinese investigators have identified at least six other former officials and state company executives accused of bribery and embezzlement involving about $1 billion.

Tourism is predicted to surge more than 10 per cent a year, according to the business consultancy firm Deloitte which has nominated tourism as one of Australia’s super-growth sectors. However the hospitality industry says that to reach this potential, there is need for simpler visa rules for both employees and tourists including the introduction of a premium pathway for luxury travellers.

Billionaire James Packer’s Crown Resorts says VIP travellers should be able to use a dedicated path at Australia’s international airports, separate from the mass tourism market. The nation’s busiest airport, Sydney Airport, is also calling for a “premium” model for passengers willing to pay for it, according to a report in The Australian.

Ratcheting up its push around opening the door to Chinese tourists, Crown Resorts says to make Australia more attractive to “premium” tourists, Customs should provide a better service with fast-tracked arrivals and departures processing at major international airports.

On a more general note, the group warns that the tourism industry has “great difficulty” recruiting Mandarin-speaking staff; that the growth rate of visitors from China has halved in the past year; and without government action, Australia is at risk of losing out on the benefits of mass tourism from China and greater Asia.

Earlier this year, the federal government department responsible for tourism, Austrade, said that regional tourism is suffering and urgently requires workers in hotels, pubs and restaurants. It says that as early as next year, there will be a shortage of some 56,000 workers in the hospitality industry.  It has thus backed industry calls for increased flexibility of the 457 work visas and working holiday visas.

Peter Dutton who is set to be sworn in today as immigration minister has issued a stern warning to migrants engaged in criminal activities, saying they are now at the top of his hit-list according to a report in The Courier Mail. 

Mr Dutton, who was police officer for 9 years worked in the Sex Offenders Squad, Drug Squad, and the then National Crime Authority told the newspapers that if he can find a way to kick out those involved in serious crimes, he will.

Recently introduced legislation has vastly increased the powers of the minister to cancel visas and will undoubtedly help the new minister hit his targets. The powers effectively lowered the threshold for the cancellation of temporary visas for non-citizens. A person can now fail the character test if there's a 'reasonable suspicion' - not a conviction - for involvement in crime gangs, people smuggling, genocide, war crimes, torture or slavery. Anyone who has one or multiple jail sentences adding up to 12 months - down from two years - or has an adverse ASIO assessment of child sex charges can also fail automatically. The minister can cancel or refuse a visa to anyone who fails the character test.

Peter Dutton who left the health portfolio to replace Scott Morrison as Immigration Minister during this week’s reshuffle, intends to use these powers, which Morrison had most recently used to cancel 27 visas of violent criminals, and says the Government will place greater emphasis on finding criminals to boot out of the country.

“If you’re an illegal bikie, if you’re part of an outlaw motorcycle gang involved in organised criminal activity, you’ve just made it to the top of my list,” Mr Dutton told The Courier Mail.

He said he would draw on any legislation he could to ensure his tough focus was enforced.

Prime Minister Tony Abbot has announced a cabinet reshuffle. The current minister for immigration Scott Morrison will become social services minister and take charge of a “families package” and ongoing welfare crackdown while Peter Dutton – who the prime minister described as a “tough, no nonsense individual” – will take over immigration and border security.

According to a report in The Guardian, Morrison was understood to have been disappointed having sought the defence portfolio in the reshuffle. In his announcement Tony Abbott stressed Morrison’s role in social services would be central to the government’s hopes for a political revival in the new year by putting “jobs and families at the heart of our political agenda”, as well as to its plans for “budget repair”.

 “I can think of no finer advocate than Scott Morrison, he is the master of difficult policy as he has abundantly demonstrated in all but stopping the boats over the last 15 months,” Abbott said. “He is also a very decent human being.”

Dutton will inherit the problem of more than 2,000 asylum seekers still in offshore detention and more than 30,000 asylum seekers in Australia facing the uncertainty of temporary protection visas.

Dutton has not had a great year as the health minister as he struggled to make a case for the GP co-payment. He will continue to oversee Australia's offshore processing of asylum seekers in Nauru and Manus Island.

_{Dutton’s Background}

Peter Dutton was elected as the Federal Member for Dickson in Queensland in November 2001 when, at the age of 30 he defeated Cheryl Kernot.