After being given the run around for several months to a request for DIBPs staff contact details under the FOI, the DIBP eventually refused the request of Melbourne Solicitor Maria Jockel who then had to turn to the office of the Information Commissioner for a review of the decision.

DIBP provided various excuses to Ms Jockel late last year on why they could not provide her with information relating to “the structure of the Department and various contact lists for particular sections within the Department, including the ‘top structure’ of senior management.”

“Ms Jockel particularly sought the Department’s Australian State and Global structure charts; and contact lists that identify the position names, title, telephone number and email addresses of relevant staff members.” According to the Information Commissioners decision.

The DIBP responses effectively told her to look it up online indicating that it would take too much time and effort and may potentially require them to consult with ‘several hundred employees’ before providing her with their personal information. Ironically, Ms Jockel had successfully obtained similar information under the FOI from the DIBP on previous occasions.

The Information Commissioner was not satisfied with DIBPs responses and found that the DIBP “has not discharged its onus under s 55D of the FOI Act of establishing that its decision is justified…” and ordered the DIBP to “process Ms Maria Jockel’s request, and notify her of its decision no later than 30 days…”

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The DIBP have sent the following correspondence to a Migration Alliance member RMA after receiving an email from him on 29 October 2015 regarding the cessation of fingerprint services by the Australian Federal Police in Western Australia:

"The Department of Immigration and Border Protection (the Department) is aware the Australian Federal Police (AFP) has ceased providing fingerprinting services to the public. In Western Australia the Police have also withdrawn from providing fingerprinting services.    

While the Department understands that not all foreign embassies or consulates in Australia are able to provide this service to their citizens, the Department still requires a police clearance certificate if requested.   

Migration Alliance has been given permission to publish limited information in relation to a recent search warrant executed on the residential home of a migration agent on Thursday 12 November 2015.

The Registered Migration Agent (RMA) was making herself a coffee in the morning. She then heard shouting,

'Police'.

Businesses in the Northern Territory are struggling due to a 30 per cent drop in occupancy rates with some forced to close down, according to a report on NT News.

Alice Springs’ Toddy’s Backpackers is closing its doors due to the steady fall in backpacker numbers over this year. A report by the Australian Hotels Associations (AHA) said hospitality traders in Darwin were down 20 to 30 per cent on the previous year.

The AHA says things are set to get much worse from July 1, 2016 when working holiday visa holders will lose the tax-free threshold of $18,000 and be required to pay 32.5 per cent tax from the first dollar earned.

The report states that budget travellers are already turning their sights to New Zealand and Canada, which have cheaper visas with less stringent requirements. A Working Holiday Maker visa in Australia is $440 compared with $150 in Canada.