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Migration agents' regulator to be reviewed
Migration Alliance is in receipt of the following information. We are pleased about this review.
Migration agents’ regulator to be reviewed
The Office of the Migration Agents Registration Authority (OMARA) as an industry regulator will be the subject of an independent review, Assistant Minister for Immigration and Border Protection, Senator the Hon. Michaelia Cash said today.
Minister Cash said the review is consistent with the government’s commitment to de-regulation.
“The review will examine and report on the OMARA’s organisational capability and challenges, as well as the quality and effectiveness of its internal controls and governance,” the Minister said.
“It will also examine the regulatory framework and powers of the OMARA to determine if they are still appropriate and identify opportunities to reduce regulatory burden.”
The review will be undertaken by Perth barrister, Dr Christopher N Kendall, who sits on the executive of the Law Council of Australia, is a Commissioner with the Insurance Commission of Western Australia, and was formerly a Commissioner with the Law Reform Commission of Western Australia.
Dr Kendall will provide a final report to the Assistant Minister in early September 2014.
Comments
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Tuesday, 24 June 2014It is in the best interest of any Registered Migration Agent that the governing body not be directly in control of their profession. I go for the axiom "For the RMAs , by the RMAs". The Regulatory Authority should be governed only by suitably qualified and experienced RMAs in order to present transparency in their dealings with RMAs and their clients. Reports of unfounded threats by Immigration officials that they will get certain RMAs censured/de-registered would become things of the past if they thought so. I sincerely hope the Regulatory Authority separates from the Department is has its own board members who are actually RMAs and not some senior departmental officials from any Government Department. I will be glad if either Liana Allan or Christopher Levingston (or both) as well as Robert Chelliah from WA get nominated to such a kind of independent Authority. Only then can RMAs around the country can function effectively.
Just to let some readers know that my wife is a Nurse and my good friend is a teacher. Can anyone guess what is their re-registration fees each year(they have CPD too)- a fraction of what we currently pay. Their process of re-registration is not as ambiguous as ours. I saw my wife finish hers in one hour flat including the fee payments online. If such organisations can have such precise methods for re-registration then why do we have to fill in half of our stuff online and then post the lot to the Authority.
Immigration blog
Here is a link to the profile of the Independent reviewer...the key to this will be the terms of reference
http://johntooheychambers.net.au/index.php?option=com_community&view=profile&userid=57&Itemid=163