This is the email being sent out by the Perth Parent visa centre (note no officer first or last name and no position number, just 'Admin'):

UNCLASSIFIED

As no mail could be delivered on 2nd June due to the public holiday in WA and as that mail would have been in the GPO before the repeal date any mail coming from the post office and delivered on the 3rd will be accepted as valid. Couriered applications will not be accepted as valid.

Admin
Parent Visa Centre
Department of Immigration and Border Protection

The former Labour government’s overhauled business migration program saw a 90 percent fall in visa grants to business migrants due to unrealistic criteria. A joint parliamentary inquiry, essentially set up to study the failure of Business Innovation and Investment Program (BIIP),  and make recommendations,  has heard the program is “plagued by slow processing, unpredictable outcomes and selection criteria that deter good candidates in a search for ideal, younger migrants”.

The Australian reports that only 652 visas were granted over the first 21 months of the BIIP scheme, since its introduction in 2012.  That compares with 6790 in the final year of the system it ­replaced, the Business Skills ­Program. The department, in its submission to the inquiry, indicated the plunge in applicants “will make it increasingly difficult to maintain the number of business migrants as a proportion of the overall permanent migration program”.

“While there are sufficient ­applications under the previous business skills program to guarantee the 2013-14 program, the application rate may put the delivery of the 2014-15 program in question,” the submission read.

Sydney legal firm Immigration Solutions Lawyers, in its submission, blamed the “enormous decline” in applicants to “overly onerous” selection criteria that strive for an unrealistic ideal.

“A desirable candidate is someone between 35-39 years of age with a business turnover that is not under $1 million, with at least four years business experience and who has $1.3m in assets,” it read. “However, such a candidate would be unlikely to elect Australia due to heavy government regulation, taxation, and it being a relatively small market on the very outskirts of the Pacific Rim.”

Let's start by looking at what Training Benchmark A and B are.

Training Benchmark A is a contribution of 2% of payroll expenditure (payroll is calculated on the previous 12 months operation) to an industry training fund for the training of Australian Citizens or Permanent Residents.  If there is no industry training fund then payment can be made into a recognised scholarship fund.

Training Benchmark B is evidence of spending 1% of payroll (payroll is calculated on the previous 12 months operation) on training for their employees who are Australian Citizens or Permanent Residents.  Training Providers prepare a training plan for the business to meet the training needs of that particular business.   This training plan needs to be attached to the documentation sent in to the DIBP for the purpose of demonstrating to the DIBP that the company has complied with it's training obligations.

A joint media statement from Andrew Robb – Minister for Trade and Investment, and Michaelia Cash – Assistant Minister for Immigration and Border Protection, states that "No existing occupations are being removed from the SOL, which currently lists 188 occupations that Australia needs."  Here is the full press release:

Chefs, bricklayers and wall and floor tilers will be added to the Skilled Occupation List (SOL) from July 1 to help meet the skills needs of the Australian economy, as announced today by the Minister for Trade and Investment, the Hon. Andrew Robb, and the Assistant Minister for Immigration and Border Protection, Senator the Hon. Michaelia Cash.

Minister Robb said the Australian Workforce and Productivity Agency (AWPA) works independently of government to provide annual recommendations on the composition of the SOL to ensure it responds to Australia's changing skill needs.