Australian Immigration Daily News

• The Australian reports that the Federal Government is seeking legal advice after a 17-year-old Kiwi boy was released from a Victorian adult detention centre instead of being deported.
• The Australian writes that the number of temporary foreign residents on bridging visas has increased by 45 per cent in the past nine months as the Department of Home Affairs strengthens checks on applicants.
• The Australian reports that Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has stated he will talk to Liberal Senator Dean Smith about his proposal for a year-long inquiry into issues such as immigration levels and the areas where migrants should be settled.

Govt taking advice over NZ teen’s release

The Home Affairs Portfolio brings together the Department of Home Affairs, the Australian Border Force (ABF), the Australian Federal Police (AFP), the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission (ACIC)*, the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO), and the Australian Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre (AUSTRAC), to ensure a safer and more secure Australia.

The Department of Home Affairs includes the entirety of the former Department of Immigration and Border Protection and functions relating to multicultural affairs, emergency management, transport security, transnational serious and organised crime, criminal justice policy, national security and counter-terrorism coordination, cyber policy, and countering foreign interference.

The Portfolio is structured to maintain the statutory independence of Portfolio agencies, while ensuring the external accountability and oversight arrangements are appropriately retained, and our departmental and agency powers are exercised proportionally and lawfully.

• The Australian reports on Senator Dean Smith’s comments urging the Prime Minister to sanction an inquiry into Australia’s population policy. Senator Smith’s comments are motivated by a concern that the recent reduction in immigration does not adequately address community concerns regarding population levels and should go further.
• The Guardian reports on Peter Dutton’s praise of Australia’s reduction to immigration numbers, highlighting its benefit to Australia’s economy through an increase in skilled workers. This contradicts comments made by Scott Morrison who displayed concern towards the drop in immigration.

Dean Smith, Tony Abbott urge population debate to stop government perishing

Today I will be coordinating the following representatives of Migration Alliance at NSW Parliament House:

• Mark Northam
• Jason Watt
• Christopher Levingston
• Yunfeng (Daniel) Du

To listen to the live hearing please click here:

https://www.aph.gov.au/News_and_Events/Watch_Parliament

• The Australian reports that Australia’s annual permanent migration intake has fallen by more than 10 per cent to less than 163,000, marking the lowest level for more than a decade on the back of a crackdown on fraudulent claims and a sharp rise in visa refusals under the government’s new integrity measures.
• The Adelaide Advertiser reports that the South Australian Greens say the Hodgman Liberal Government is 'unhealthily close' to the Chinese Communist regime as the number of state-sponsored visas from the country soars.
• The SBS Punjabi website features an interview with Minister for Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs Alan Tudge about changes to Australia’s immigration policy.

Dutton's vetting drive slashes 20,000 from migrant intake