The following evidence has been sent to Migration Alliance.  Full permission has been provided to publish this information.  Mr Abel Prasad sent yet another letter today to Migration Alliance threatening to sue us and giving us another chance to remove the information we have published on this website about SVC Legal and Mr Abel Prasad.   We will not be intimidated or threatened into backing down or removing information important for consumer protection and above all else, RMA protection.

Migration Alliance has been informed that Surry Hills Local Area Command Detectives have been assigned to this case and we have been provided with a Constable's name and case file number.

The person (victim) who sent this information to Migration Alliance reports that Mr Abel Prasad owes him money (approx. $50,000) and has used his credit card without his permission.  

"It's disgraceful that families, including young children, are detained in shocking conditions offshore and the Australian taxpayer is left to pick up the multi-billion dollar bill," Greens immigration spokeswoman Sarah Hanson-Young recently told the Sydney Morning Herald.

Some $1.2 billion was spent last year alone to run detention centres on Manus Island, Nauru and Christmas Island, according to newly release Senate Estimate documents. This amounts to over $529,000 per detainee on Manus Island and Nauru which together currently hold about 1930 asylum seekers. The balance was spent on the Christmas Island detention centres which this year is expected to have its numbers dramatically reduced with the removal of children and their families to Darwin.

The figures were released in response to parliamentary questions and come just after the United Nations refugee agency criticised the recent High Court decision over the detainment of 157 asylum seekers on the high seas for a month. In a close 3:4 decision, the High Court ruled that the government’s action was lawful.

The government has said it plans to reduce its spending on the offshore detention centres with big cuts to welfare services this year. However, Senator Hanson-Young told The SMH,"If the government really wanted to save money, they'd shut down these multi-billion dollar gulags on Manus Island and Nauru."

During 2014 the number of people who arrived by boat to Australia significantly plunged. Last year 164 people successfully made it to Australian land to seek asylum. This is in stark contrast to the 20,719 people who successfully sought asylum by boat in 2013, according to the report.

This statement by Ms Sharon Harris sets out the reasons why to vote 'NO' in the coming EGM on 18 February 2015.

Ms Harris has recently resigned from her position on the Migration Institute of Australia (MIA) Qld/NT MIA Committee as she could NOT represent MIA members and be seen to support this proposal. 

Migration Alliance holds the view that, in her statement, Ms Harris has stated facts which do not breach her obligations whilst a director of the MIA.  Migration Alliance commends Ms Harris for her transparency and for upholding the values of democracy in the Australian migration advice profession.  

"As many MA members are also MIA members, I am writing to recommend MIA members read carefully the MIA Notice of Extraordinary General Meeting ("EGM") to be held on 18/02/2015 with changes proposed by the National Board to the Constitution.

The proposed changes include one which has significant relevance to the MIA - your professional association.

The proposal is to remove the 2 term limits for tenure on the Board. This will allow Board Directors to remain on the National Board …..forever.

Migration Alliance Receives 2014 Constant Contact All Star Award

Recognized for achievements using online marketing tools to drive success

The Award

SYDNEY, NSW — 5 February 2015 – Migration Alliance Inc., a provider of Australian immigration news for Registered Migration Agents, has been named a 2014 All Star Award winner by Constant Contact^®, Inc., the trusted marketing advisor to more than 600,000 small organizations worldwide. The award, given annually to the top 10% of Constant Contact’s international customer base, recognizes these select businesses and nonprofits for their significant achievements leveraging online marketing tools to engage their customer base and drive success for their organization. Migration Alliance Inc. is one such exemplary organization.

Whistleblowers have sparked what is believed to be one of Australia’s biggest inquiries into the sc457 working visa ‘fraud’, with immigration investigators conducting a series of raids on a multi-national firm working on major Australian mining and infrastructure projects, according to a report in The Sydney Morning Herald.

Murphy Pipe & Civil (MPC), which is a major Australian pipeline company that provides the energy water and mining sectors with ‘pipeline solutions’ has reportedly had their offices raided by immigration investigators with documents and other material seized. 

The SMH reports that the firm has allegedly assisted dozens of Irish workers to fraudulently obtain 457 temporary skilled and other visas to work on key national projects, including the multi-billion dollar Queensland Curtis Liquefied Natural Gas project and Western Australia's Sino Iron project.

The raids are likely to be the first of many on major companies in the infrastructure and mining industry with questions now being raised ‘about whether some of Australia's biggest infrastructure and mining players, including the company managing the Curtis LNG project, QGC, have failed to conduct thorough due diligence on the workforces supplied by sub-contractors such as MPC.  (QGC did not respond to questions),” reports The SMH.

The chief executive of the Australian Customs and Border Protection Service, Roman Quadvlieg, told Fairfax Media a new investigations division was being created to target "entities seeking to commit visa fraud here in Australia". It will also investigate transnational organised crime syndicates. It remains unclear what sanctions these companies are expected to face if found guilty.

The SMH reports among the allegations being investigated, are how “dozens of overseas workers employed by MPC may have lied about their qualifications or job role in order to get a skilled migration visa.