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OMARA sits on it's hands?
Following the publication of the Singapore Oil / Mr Kang article I have been inundated with telephone calls from concerned people who tell me that the issues surrounding Singpore Oil and Mr Kang have been canvassed at the Office of the MARA by a variety of complainants both consumers and practitioners over at least the last 12 months.
If that is correct and the Office of the MARA has been in the know concerning these allegations then the question needs to be asked what steps have the OMARA taken to protect the consumer?
The Office of the MARA's job is simple. They only have two jobs. One is to regulate RMAs. The other is to protect consumers. What is the problem?
If these allegations are true and the fees that have been mentioned are being charged then I would have thought that this fee structure would not pass the code of conduct "reasonable in the circustances of the case'.
Further, I would have thought that there would be a conflict of interest if there was a RMA who owned the business was in effect selling positions in those businesses to vulnerable consumers and then using his own business as a RMA to do those visa applications.
I understand that Mr Kang and this business model may have had some prior exposure in New Zealand in circumstances which may replicate the current problems.
Please find a link to a video on youtube which is a news item explaining how police shut down Mr Eddie Kang's immigration in New Zealand in 2010:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oQFfND_gs7U
I can only assume that this is the same man but I could easily be wrong.
I reckon that the Office of the MARA needs to spend less time harrassing RMAs for simple mistakes and concentrate it's efforts on protecting consumers in the face of material such as this in the public domain.
What is OMARA doing to protect the reputation of those RMAs who do the right thing, who work their guts out, pay their registration fees and have to deal with difficult personalities in DIAC?
The failure to act within a reasonable period of time in the case of brazen misconduct is not a good look.
If you have information concerning the behaviour of this individual you need to tell OMARA and don't let them fob you off. We won't let them fob you off. Please copy us in to all emails This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Please send all emails to Stephen Wood the CEO of the OMARA This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Again do not forget to cc our email to ensure we can chase it up in our quarterly meetings.
Comments
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Thursday, 17 October 2013Draft Letter to the Minister from Migration Alliance - submissions, comments invited:
1. Remove the Office of the MARA from the Immigration Portfolio and put it into the hands of an organisation which can competently regulate and govern the profession - DIAC and it's discrete unit is incapable and ineffective and is also a money-waster
2. The Office of the MARA have known about this for over 12 months
3. Migration Agents have provided information to the immigration dob-in-line over 12 months ago and nothing was done
4. The Office of the MARA told an agent that they did not have the manpower to investigate this when a migration agent sat down with them and reported it. They said they could only investigate and help a victim (the agent was the victim!)
5. Who took the complaints at the Office of the MARA? What was done with those complaints? It is not acceptable for the Office of the MARA to have done nothing
6. Eddie Kang has victimised students and migration agents and as such the entire integrity of our profession and industry
7. DIAC refusing Eddie Kang's applications meant they cut him off at the knees but did not go the extra step to prosecute, despite countless refusals and despite reports from the victims
8. The Office of the MARA should not escape the penalty associated with doing nothing
9. This really has nothing to do with the 457 visa system. This is about a companies which are not trading being used to con vulnerable people into a fraud. -
Thursday, 17 October 2013
Karl Konrad is an ex police officer. He is a migration agent. How is it that he was capable of bringing this to a head all on his own and yet Debra Radjenovic, the head of the Professional Standards Unit (and her whole team) at the Office of the MARA has achieved nothing....and look how long they have known? What is the Office of the MARA actually doing? Creating jobs for people who don't make it in DIAC?
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Thursday, 17 October 2013
The OMARA have a code of conduct but are above the law and nothing is ever done about it. No point complaining about them as nothing ever happens. OMARA are untouchable. Law unto themselves and make it up as they go along. Anything goes. That's why I left the industry. I was sick of dealing with fools who were trying to regulate me from a position of inferiority. Each CEO seems to be there just before they retire as some kind of DIAC pallative care.
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Thursday, 17 October 2013
I have no respect for the Office of MARA and they know that. I am confident that they will not know who I am because they will have so many migration agents that do not respect them that they will be at a loss to which of the hundreds of agents I am. Most agents just see them as a toothless tiger and that all their decisions can be overcome at the AAT where more competent, educated and skilled people are employed.
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Thursday, 17 October 2013
How full the name had changes from DIMA, DIAC and now DIBP but nothing with MARA had changed!!
My post with MIA forum:
Posted 22 January 2007 09:13 AM
At this moment, MARA and MIA cannot investigate unregistered migration agent and DIMA is no interest to put more resources into this.
Think about this scenario:
Only the police can booked registered cars for traffic offences. Unregistered car has no one to police them. Do you think anyone want to register their car? The result will be chaos.
If unregistered person can do migration work and no one is policing them, why should they go and register with MARA?
The public and the media do not know who is registered and who is not. The result is the same, chaos!
The MARA registration is not going to work if no one is policing the unregistered agent!
There is no use for MIA /MARA to only lifting the standard of RMA and the unregistered can do what they like and no one is policing them.
I strongly think that MIA should raise the issue with DIMA to start prosecute those breaking the law. Then and only then the RMA will have a better reputation in the public.
I believe that this is one of the most fundamental issue why there are so many unregistered agent driving their unregistered vehicle without any police going after them. When they injure or kill someone who will get the blame? We the registered migration agent! -
Thursday, 17 October 2013
I am one of the prime mover the have MARA removed from MIA on the grounds of gross conflict of Interest. Please do not suggest that MARA be moved back to a NGO organisation. The Board members of the NGO will be drunks with power and this will lead to more elitism and scratching each others back. The profession is too small for self regulation.
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Thursday, 17 October 2013
I think they were very busy preparing for the suspension of RMA on 01/01/14 whoever will not score IELTS 7
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Thursday, 17 October 2013
If you see any postings from a goose called Murray Rivers ignore him..he is a troll. His brother Sydney Harbour and his mum Luna Park need to pick him up from after school care.
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Thursday, 17 October 2013
COMMENTS DELETED
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Thursday, 17 October 2013
Dear Migration Alliance, I want to apologise for being a complete troll. I simply cannot help myself and I am in effect a serial pest who is a notorious coward who fancies himself as a bush lawyer. I have driven my career on that basis and have enjoyed great success with the MIA on that intellectual pillar. I am too embarrassed to have a real opinion on anything but I have unlimited conceit and guile and I will continue to do whatever I can to tear down MA. I simply cannot bear the thought of any good coming of RMAs who stand up for themselves. I am much more comfortable back stabbing and whispering behind the back of my betters. I have 2 faces but I am not the phantom, but I am the ghost who walks.
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Thursday, 17 September 2015
I was so pleased to see Michaels Walkers post of 17 October 2013.
I guess the saying what goes around comes around is so true. Michael Walker admitting in his post dated 17 October 2013 that he is a Back Stabber and he whispers behinds the backs of his betters. I guess that includes me as a better.
I also loved Christopher Levingston's comment
QUOTE: Either way Michael walker is an outstanding human being with a fantastic reputation and only one minor blemish arising out of a bankruptcy. -
Thursday, 17 October 2013
This can't be a genuine post from Michael Walker. He is an important person at the MIA and although he does have form as " Janus" on the MA website this does not sound like him at all. Perhaps it is the troll Murray Rivers? Either way Michael walker is an outstanding human being with a fantastic reputation and only one minor blemish arising out of a bankruptcy.
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Friday, 18 October 2013
Eddie Kang's response to the OMARA investigation (received today from a primary source victim):
Here is what transpired with Helen Sun of OMARA.......
Dear Ms. Helen Sun
Re: MARA Complaint form
Q. 3, Why did my name and number not written in the space provided
Q. 6, They want me to repay $35,000, where is the evidence to prove they actually paid me this money?
Q. 8, Can I please have a copy of the contract they signed with me?
Q. 9, Claims of threats and extortions, can you please provide proof and evidence of these and ‘stand-over’ tactics used including transcripts of text messages from me.
I have never communicated with the person named Shan Lee and never heard of this name before now
Q. 10, They do not want you to give me a copy of these serious allegations, why?
Where is the proof of these threats from me?
The correspondence between DIAC and Singaporeoil was conducted by Eddie Kang mostly
without my knowledge with exception of a letter dated 17-4-2012 -
Friday, 18 October 2013
I worked with Eddie Kang for 2 afternoons in November 2012. I quit the next day because I suspected he was doing business illegally. I have been keeping my text messages for nearly a year now. I am so glad meeting with Karl Konrad yesterday (17 Oct 2013) and provided him with my evidence.
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Saturday, 19 October 2013
Karl Konrad this migration agent is doing the job for the DIAC and OMARA. (DIAC and MARA are the same company despite pretending to be seperate. Check their ABN if you aren't sure. You will see MARA is a division of DIAC. They DO HAVE THE RESOURCES. They just don't care unless it hits the media or websites like this. MARA is incompetent. I work inside DIAC and I can tell you that DIAC DO NOT CARE! They only care now because they have egg on face.
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Saturday, 19 October 2013
Leslie, you are right. It is easier to do nothing if there is no pressure. I think that all of this shows thar organised RMAs are a force to be recognised. I am sick of being ignore and scapegoated by the public, the unions, DIAB and the media. The implementation and integrity of the migration program can only be guaranteed with the cooperation of RMAs. We are the good guys here. We report DIAB does FA. Their lack of action is a complete embarrassment. These are the people who drove the whole regulation of RMAs regime and decided that they would regulate us through their satellite the OMARA. This toxic conflict of interest does not work to protect consumers. This is either laziness or incompetence. Either way the consumer is being ripped off by DIAB and OMARA getting into bed together.RMAs need independent regulation not micro management and marginalization by DIAB. We are the good guys here!
· Liana - Allan likes this comment. -
Sunday, 20 October 2013
Dear all,One of Singapore oil employee contacted me two months ago and reported The owner may not be an honest person,because nearly every day,his clients approached his office and lodged complaints for their visa refusal and ask for money back, it has been last for long time since the person working for Eddie Kang's business. In my point of view, all good agents will pay the price, OMARA and DIBP will complain us instead of reviewing their bodies, they may request more IELTS or others, for example set up more difficult provisions on us I hope MA should act on behalf of all members to make sure all our interest will be protected.
Regards
Stanley Chan -
Monday, 21 October 2013
While Eddie Kang's (Mr) reply to the OMARA is nothing short of a hoot nanny,[ would love to see what comes of it] it is difficult to determine how one can protect desperate people - be they agents or the public commonly called 'victims- from themselves. The mere fact that he was charging the alleged amounts should have caused suspicion. There are migration agents and there are agents. There will always be an Eddie to work on the latter irrespective of deterrents, especially if they are not policed for whatever reasons.
Immigration blog
Maybe there should be some sort of code of conduct to govern omara themselves.