Australian Immigration Daily News

The following email update has been received from the Office of the MARA this morning:

"Following our recent quarterly meeting in which we discussed the upcoming removal of practising certificate (PC) holders from the OMARA regulation, please find below statistics on the current numbers of PC holders in each state and territory for your information. 

Please note work has not yet taken place to identify the home state of the registered agents offshore or identifying those PC holders with a restricted PC, however this gives you an overview of the numbers we are working with.

A total of 30 New Zealand citizens have been removed from Australia this week on two charter flights, one from Perth and another from Sydney, after their visas were cancelled on character grounds. Among the group was a known bikie associate who violently assaulted a Queensland Police officer.

Mr Hylton King, a known associate of the Mongrel Mob outlaw motorcycle club gang (OMCG), has a history of violence including his conviction for police assault in Brisbane. Also removed was Mr John Webster, who had been sentenced to four and a half years imprisonment for indecent assault of a child under 12 years.

Both men were removed from Sydney. Of the others removed, convictions included possession of dangerous drugs, persistent exploitation of a child, contravention of domestic violence order, assault occasioning grievous bodily harm, aggravated robbery, assault officer in execution of duty, kidnapping and unlawful use of motor vehicles.

The following email has been received this afternoon from the AAT:

Further to Deputy President’s email of 22 July 2020, two optional, online forms are now available on the Migration and Refugee forms page of the AAT website: an expedited decision request form and a withdrawal form. 

The expedited decision request form, which can be accessed on this web page, will allow  representatives and applicants to make expedited decision requests in accordance with the COVID-19 Special Measures Practice Direction. The form is designed to guide users as to the types of cases that are ordinarily considered suitable for an expedited decision, broken down by visa type. Documentary evidence can be directly uploaded when using the form however representatives should also provide a statement detailing why they consider the case suitable for an expedited decision. 

Source: Benchmark 

Australia's biosecurity system is a critically important national asset. It protects Australia's diverse and pristine natural wonders, and underpins agricultural production and export. As such, it is critical that vigilance is maintained in protecting Australia from an ever-increasing number of pests and diseases that threaten an array of industries, and Australia's unique flora and fauna.

Despite extensive information campaigns, and a simple process where incoming passengers and crew can easily declare goods for assessment by biosecurity officers, hundreds of undeclared high risk items are detected every year.

The risk to Australia must be mitigated. The proposed measures included in this bill will highlight to incoming travellers how serious biosecurity is and would introduce sensible and important changes to help protect Australia from biosecurity risks.