In its final night for the year, Parliament passed legislation that will strip Australian citizenship from dual citizens who are involved in terrorist conduct overseas or convicted of terrorism activity.

The bill provides for dual citizens to lose their citizenship in two new ways: by engaging in conduct deemed to amount to a renunciation of citizenship, or by being convicted of a prescribed offence.

A statement from the office of the minister of immigration noted that the Australian Citizenship Amendment (Allegiance to Australia) Bill 2015 aims to ensure terrorists who are dual nationals are prevented from returning to Australia and dual nationals who engage in terrorism within Australia can be removed where possible.

“The changes to the existing legislation were necessary to reflect the current threat that Australia and the rest of the world faces” notes the statement adding that, “Australia's current threat level is now at 'probable' – meaning that there is credible intelligence assessed by our security agencies that indicates individuals or groups have developed both the intent and capability to conduct a terrorist attack in Australia.

Despite the amazing natural wonders of Western Australia, the state closest to Asia is struggling to draw visitors and as a result has seen spending by tourists drop by AU$60 million in the year to September, according to figures released by Tourism Australia yesterday.

Overall, the results from Tourism Research Australia’s International Visitor Survey show continuing growth with further record international arrivals, visitor nights and spending figures.

The report revealed that spending reached a new high of $34.8 billion, an increase of 13 per cent or $4.1 billion over the year, which is the strongest growth seen since 2001. International visitor arrivals increased 7 per cent to 6.7 million while nights were up 10 per cent, reaching 242 million during the year ending September 2015.

The Government’s efforts to boost flight capacity, visa reforms and focused international marketing are increasing Australia’s appeal in the growing global tourism market, noted Minister for Tourism and International Education, (and Minister Assisting the Minister for Trade and Investment) Senator the Hon Richard Colbeck.

“We have also made tourism infrastructure one of five National Investment Priorities, backing the growth of a key industry which supports around a million jobs,” noted the minister adding, “Australia’s strong international education sector is clearly having a positive impact on our tourism industry; with every international student in Australia attracting visits from friends and family.” Minister for Tourism and International Education Senator the Hon Richard Colbeck.

The figures show that visiting Australia for the purposes of education is supporting strong growth, with visitation up 19 per cent and nights up 18 per cent. Total trip spend for education visitors increased by 27 per cent for the year to $8.2 billion, which drove 43 per cent of the overall increase.

When exactly do things like Skills Assessment and English Language proficiency test documents get checked by the department of immigration? The answer apparently seems to be well and truly after the visa has been granted.

In a matter recently considered by the AATA, the Tribunal found that the DIBP granted the applicant a skilled visa purely based on information provided by the applicant at the time of application. There were no checks made by the DIBP with the Skills Assessment authorities or the relevant language testing centre prior to the DIBPs decision to grant the visa.

However, a year after the application and well after the grant of the visa, "CPA Australia advised the Department that in their database they had no record of the applicant’s skills assessment, that they had no record of the reference number provided by the applicant, and no record of the applicant’s name” according to the Tribunal member's statement.

The Department, then undertook checks with the IELTS Report Form Verification Service which showed that there was no record of the applicant undertaking an IELTS English test - the Verification Service was unable to locate any record of the reference number the applicant provided and there was no record of the applicant’s name in their database.

DIBP subsequently cancelled the visa. The applicant applied for a review denying any wrong-doing and pointed to corruption within the DIBP and fraud by “a migration agent whom he paid a fee of $70,000…”.

Higher wages, shorter work hours, better work conditions, and an attractive alternative lifestyle are among the reasons doctors from the United Kingdom are considering a move to Australia over other countries after UK Health Secretary imposed tough new contracts on junior doctors that would have them work longer hours for less money in UK hospitals.

A day after the UK Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt confirmed the tougher contracts, some 3,468 requests for a certificate to practise medicine outside of the UK were made to the UK’s NHS - the regulator normally gets between 20 and 25 requests a day, notes are report in The Guardian.

Depending on their seniority, doctors can earn up to 50% more in Sydney or Melbourne, despite generally working less overtime. The UK provided Australia with 13% of its GPs and 22% of its specialists in 2011. The crisis in the UK could see these numbers rise.

Associate professor Brian Owler, who is head of the Australian Medical Association, who is critical of the NHS contract changes told The Guardian that junior doctors should be “highly valued” and indicated that Australia should welcome them all.

Parliament has passed the Bill introducing criminal and civil penalties for sponsors, employers or other third parties who make a personal gain from their position in a ‘payment for visas’ arrangement.

Under the Bill a visa holder could lose their Australian permanent resident or temporary resident visa at any time, if they are involved in ‘payment for visas’ arrangements.

These sanctions are not limited to the 457 visa programme but also extend to other temporary and permanent skilled visa programmes where there is potential for ‘payment for visas’ activity to occur.

The Bill will affect ‘payment for visa’ arrangements in place after the commencement of the new legislation which is currently awaiting assent.

“Benefits” for the purposes of the amendments will be not be limited to monetary payments and include deductions of amounts, real or personal property and anything deemed to be an “advantage”, noted immigration minister, Peter Dutton in his second-reading speech.

In its definitions the Bill states that ‘benefit’ includes: