Ethics Toolkit labelled a farce by industry expert

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Created on Tuesday, 05 February 2013 15:34

Written by Editorial staff

The Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) failed to adequately prepare a document that has significance for all registered migration agents.

That's the assertion of Migration Alliance founder Liana Allan who feels that the estimated $42,425 plus printing and distribution costs spent on an 'Ethics Toolkit' by the Office of Migration Agents Registry Authority (OMARA) has been wasted.

An academic paper, entitled 'Response to the Ethics Toolkit', claimed that the toolkit, written by Fragomen Australia, was not actually an instructional document for ethics.

"Call the Ethics Toolkit what it is: a compliance manual for RMAs [registered migration agents]," writes the paper's author, Robert Balzola.

"If it is the intention of the OMARA and Fragomen to devise an Ethics Toolkit then the author of this response stands ready to assist."

Migration Alliance is awaiting the response of the new immigration and citizenship minister, Brendan O'Connor, who was appointed to the role after a cabinet reshuffle.

Ms Allan has written to the Minister and asked whether this initiative was delegated by former immigration minister Chris Bowen, and if it was - she queried how a document of such importance could be released without his involvement.

If delegated, Ms Allan compared such a scenario to the Law Society of New South Wales releasing the Riley Solicitors Manual without passing it by the society's ethics committee.

A document of such high importance required the undivided attention of the immigration and citizenship minister, she said, given that an Ethics Toolkit is the very basis of the ethical obligations of the whole profession.

She explained: "I have drawn the conclusion that the Office of the MARA has invested $42,425 plus salaries of those who coordinated it's production, plus printing and distribution costs into a flawed and incoherent 'Toolkit' which is not fit for use in any profession, let alone a profession which deals with law.  That's not even taking into account the social costs.

"I would urge you to make an inquiry into how this Toolkit was ever allowed to be released into the public space."

The founder also questioned whether the Office of MARA or the Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) would be seeking to recoup the $42,425.

Ms Allan called for the toolkit to be removed from circulation to prevent further embarrassment for the Office of MARA.

Former Minister for Immigration, Chris Bowen will now be heading up the higher education portfolio.