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Australian Immigration News 11 February 2020
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
- Sydney Morning Herald reports FOI documents have revealed that Crown Casino had an arrangement with the Australian government to give Chinese "high rollers" access to fast-tracked Australian visas between 2003 and 2016. Under the arrangement, the Australian government allowed Crown to lodge bulk applications on behalf of Chinese nationals, give character references, and to act as an intermediary for applicants who hit a roadblock. The Department of Home Affairs said its stakeholder agreement with Crown was the same as it has in place with "a number of large international organisations" to facilitate the quick visa processing of short stay visas.
- Sydney Morning Herald reports Indonesia's President Joko Widodo addressed the Australian Parliament on Monday to discuss Australia and Indonesia's relationship following a landmark free trade agreement between the countries. The address came shortly after President Widodo and Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison committed to reassessing stringent entry requirements for Indonesians travelling to Australia, and Prime Minister Morrison also announced that Indonesia's access to Australia's work and holiday visas will increase from 1000 to 4100 per year.
- WA Today reports that sources have confirmed the Australian government is preparing to extend the travel ban for all non-Australian residents travelling from China once the current temporary 14-day restriction expires on Saturday. Up to 56 per cent of the Chinese international student cohort at Australia's top universities are reported to remain overseas, including 65,000 from the Group of Eight.
Fast tracks and bulk deals: How Crown got visas for its high rollers
Sydney Morning Herald, Other, 11/02/2020
Crown casino's "special arrangement" with the Australian government gave Chinese high-rollers access to fast-tracked Australian visas and allowed Crown itself to vouch for people's character, according to details released under Freedom of Information laws. For 13 years, the Australian government allowed Crown to lodge bulk applications on behalf of Chinese nationals and then act as the middle man for applicants who hit a roadblock.
'Identity politics is a threat to democracy': Joko Widodo's message for Australia
Sydney Morning Herald, Other, 10/02/2020
Indonesian president Joko Widodo has called for his country and Australia to stand together in leading on development aid in the Pacific and action against climate change in a historic address to Australian Parliament. Fresh from the Indonesian Parliament voting to approve a new trade agreement with Australia and with rising trade tensions in the world, Mr Joko said the two countries needed to avoid the "zero-sum game" of protectionism.
Australia prepares to extend China travel ban due to coronavirus
WA Today, Other, 10/02/2020, Eryk Bagshaw
Australia is set to extend its coronavirus travel ban in a move expected to hammer the education sector and block 100,000 international students from entering the country in time for the start of semester. The flu-like disease claimed its highest number of fatalities in China so far on Monday, up by 90 to more than 900, with 40,235 infections recorded since the epidemic began. The head of the World Health Organisation, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said as the virus spreads to other countries the figure could be "just the tip of the iceberg".
Chinese mother granted exemption from coronavirus travel ban bids farewell to dying son
ABC Online, Other, 10/02/2020, Neelima Choahan & Michael Li
"It will be very painful, but you have to be strong because you will save more people." These were the last words of grief-stricken mother Xianglan Ren to her son, Li Changxiang, before she allowed the Royal Melbourne Hospital doctors to operate and donate his organs. Mr Li, in Australia on a working holiday visa, was in a road crash in Victoria in late January and was declared brain dead on February 3.
Labor wants to resuscitate its Multicultural Policy
Neos Kosmos, Other, 10/02/2020, Fotis Kapetopoulos
Many multicultural communities drifted to the Coalition last year forcing Labor to rethink its multicultural policies The Australian Labor Party (ALP) wants to reignite its commitment to multiculturalism and migrant aspiration. Its defeat to the Coalition last year shone a light on what many see as Labor’s failed election policies.
News in Brief
PSNews, Other, 10/02/2020
The Australian Border Force Commissionerhas cancelled a number of visas of passengers arriving in Australia from the novel coronavirus-infected area of Wuhan, China. The move follows the National Security Committee agreement to give the Commissioner discretionary powers to make decisions in relation to the arrival in Australia of persons who were in transit when enhanced border protection measures were announced on 1 February.
Sky News Live, Credlin, 10/02/2020, Peta Credlin
Credlin is joined by Annelise Nielsen, Political Reporter, Sky News. Credlin says Indonesia's President Joko Widodo addressed the Australian Parliament today to discuss about Australia and Indonesia's relationship.
Coronavirus: Uni semester goes ahead, schools defend isolation plans
Weekly Times Now, Other, 10/02/2020, Camille Smith
Victoria's largest university has delayed the start of semester one [week] due to the novel coronavirus outbreak, while classes will start as planned on other university campuses. Monash University has 11,000 enrolled students from China. The institution decided to push semester one's start date from March 2 to March 9, after postponing more than 850 exams earlier this month.
ABC Radio Melbourne, Mornings , 10/02/2020, Virginia Trioli
Interview with Acting Minister for Immigration Alan Tudge. Trioli recalls the interview with Angus Wan, the friend of Xiao Li who was declared brain dead at the Royal Melbourne Hospital after being involved in a road crash in Victoria.
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