New Minister for Immigration

**pippa1** · 11-09-2010, 03:29 AM

How sad am I?

Well he's gone...just waiting for new immigration minister....and it is....

Chris Bowen??

**chalkyhill** · 11-09-2010, 03:42 AM

I couldn't stand the guy - he was alright after the big breakfast but after that he went downhill.

**rgrangana** · 11-09-2010, 03:54 AM

For people who are waiting for SMP this is Bad news I suppose. May be it will take months when new minister go through all these policies and take a decision.

**electrical guy** · 11-09-2010, 03:56 AM

now dying people can take a breath of life

**FlemingOz** · 11-09-2010, 04:19 AM

Good riddance! :v_SPIN:

**MOTO** · 11-09-2010, 04:36 AM

Originally Posted by rgrangana

For people who are waiting for SMP this is Bad news I suppose. May be it will take months when new minister go through all these policies and take a decision.

Good for people in CAT3 though.

**User Name** · 11-09-2010, 05:53 AM

Originally Posted by MOTO

Good for people in CAT3 though.

And 4 as well.

**George Lombard** · 11-09-2010, 06:01 AM

Chris Bowen becomes the new immigration minister replacing Chris Evans, who moves to a jobs portfolio. See Gillard announces her team .

Interesting that Evans is going to have a role with the skills side of immigration - you'd expect that the economic modelling input to future manifestations of the skilled occupation list, any new MODL or CSL, and state sponsorship lists. Just a shame that he won't be able to drive the reform of disability discrimination in migration from his new jobs portfolio.

Bowen, according to his Wikipedia entry, is an atheist, which will give him interesting discussions with the many religious groups who work in the broader immigration portfolio. Otherwise his CV doesn't reveal any special qualifications for the job apart from growing up in multicultural Western Sydney and being a former mayor of Fairfield. See Chris Bowen - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia .

Cheers,

George Lombard

**rgrangana** · 11-09-2010, 06:11 AM

Originally Posted by User Name

And 4 as well.

**Jamie Smith** · 11-09-2010, 06:15 AM

Chris Bowen:

37 years old.

Like many in the current government, has never had a "proper job" working in a business that has to earn money, he has always been paid by ratepayers or taxpayers.

At age 25 was elected to a council and then became mayor, before going into politics in a safe Labor seat. Since then has never held a portfolio for more than 18 months.

Has main interest in industrial relations and economics.

Minister for Financial Services, Superannuation and Corporate Law (since 9 Jun 2009)
Minister for Human Services (since 9 Jun 2009)
Assistant Treasurer (3 Dec 2007 to 9 Jun 2009)
Minister for Competition Policy and Consumer Affairs (3 Dec 2007 to 9 Jun 2009)
Shadow Assistant Treasurer (10 Dec 2006 to 6 Dec 2007)
Shadow Minister for Revenue and Competition Policy (10 Dec 2006 to 6 Dec 2007)
Entered House of Representatives on 9 October 2004 — General election

The Hon Chris Bowen MP | MP Profile | Q&A | ABC TV

Home - Chris Bowen - Federal Member for McMahon - Minister for Human Services - Minister for Financial Services, Superannuation and Corporate Law

Note that his portfolios are not about change, all are basically portfolios that require maintenance rather than innovation.

My assessment, FWIW, is that some people get promoted because they never screwed up, not because they actually achieved something.

They get put somewhere to stop the boat getting rocked by other people, but can't design or skipper the boat in the first instance.

Overall, appears reasonably smart but not a risk taker or innovator. Not good for immigration in terms of new ideas, perhaps.

On the other hand, he seems cautious and MIGHT unwind the pace of Evans' reforms and slow things down a bit eg points test review, reviews of all visa systems etc.

That would be nice!

I think this new Minister is likely to be fairly unsympathetic to business issues (with background in supporting workers and consumer issues ie "victims"), so unlikely to ever speed up or simplify 457 and ENS processing to help employers.

He will err on the side of supposed caution ie slower processing and will be a defender of a ponderous bureaucratic system as that is really all he has ever known.

He may restore labour market testing for 457 and ENS even though it is ponderous, able to be rorted and inefficient.

With his perceived victim protection orientation, he could possibly be more sympathetic to those affected by cap and kill.

I don't see him holding up the SMPs as long has senior DIAC staff verify that the States followed the process laid out by Evans for approval.

I see this appointment as Gillard putting a steadying and more cautious hand on the immigration tiller after Evans' reckless pace of change.

Hopefully the new "safe pair of hands" Minister will see Metcalfe as the vague and political animal that he is and move him along "to further develop his career".