What would you say to the Minister of Immigration? Really.

[McKlaut]

Whether the MIA has influence on the governmental, does not stop them from representing many of us, some of whom are not privileged to be represented by migration agents or lawyers. I think this is a good sign forward!

I should also point that they've made a rather clear and tough statement. So, it's twice as good!

[Guest Kangaroo]

I think it's very important to generate maximum spinoff of this submission and that the submission will be read by all of the people Jamie mentioned on page 75. So let's sent them all an e-mail with the submission-link/pdf attached.

[McKlaut]

I think it's very important to generate maximum spinoff of this submission and that the submission will be read by all of the people Jamie mentioned on page 75. So let's sent them all an e-mail with the submission-link/pdf attached.

Good point!

I have just sent the link to Peter Mares from ABC radio.

[Guest Justin JIANG]

wish there would be some good news before Chrismas. woo hoooo!!!!!

[Guest floater]

Peter Mares has contacted me to ask if he could use our case in a newspaper article he is writing, I will tell him to look on here for plenty of other cases to use.

The man is a star!

[McKlaut]

Peter Mares has contacted me to ask if he could use our case in a newspaper article he is writing, I will tell him to look on here for plenty of other cases to use.

The man is a star!

It's nice that we have such a good reporter on our side!

By the way, we might infrom him about planned protest on 30/11. I think he can cover this topic too.

[frautfreida]

thanks Peter

[TraceyT]

I have just received a response from one of the Senators from SA, who has requested more details and is trying to get some info for me.

I did email lots of the SA Senators before their meeting with DIAC and he is the only one to respond. He did say that he did not attend the meeting, but lets hope one of his colleagues did.

 

Tracey x

[Guest bindog1uk]

Just wanted to say a big thankyou again to all of you fighting all of our cases. There are those of us who have paid out thousands of pounds and only want the chance to get over to Oz, be able to work and start a new life without all the hassle we are getting from DIAC. I find it unbelievable that decent hardworking people can be treated in this way and can only hope that DIAC will see some sence very soon. So once again many thanks, we really do appreciate all your hard work. Lesley and Paul

[Guest jains005]

Dear Minister

I would like you examine why you had to implement the 23/9 changes even for applications who were close to finalising. This kind of steps are taken in emergency situations which is understandable. In this case, recession has been on for last one and a half years and a proper study of it would have helped you to foresee situations. Is it your failure to assess in advance the so-called present crisis that led many like me to this tragedy?

I took it for granted that I was wanted in the state where i got sponsorship from and that was the reason I applied for visa spending my hard earned money. After you gave priority to state sponsorship I took only minimum time to meet them and apply for the visa.

Had you given a prior warning regarding these changes many would have saved their money from paying the agents, skill assessment and other expenses. Now I have my skill assessed by an australian assessment body and state sponsorship. But no permission to enter Australia!!!! Then what is the use of all these?

I feel being pushed back by you at the entrace. I started my journey as I was invited by DIAC and state.

Though I take the whole responsibility of it, I would like to say that I even quit my job as I thought I will get my visa soon.

I feel it is totally unfair to tell me to wait for 3 more years to get my visa. And I am afraid if you made any attempt to avoid an extreme step like this. If things are so uncertain and accidental like this how can I believe that you will not tell me to wait for another 3 more years in 2012?

 

i know it is 100000000001th letter to you on this...still...

[frautfreida]

Good letter well written and stating what most of us are thinking, regarding State sponsorship.

Thanks

[Guest Gollywobbler]

Dear Minister

I would like you examine why you had to implement the 23/9 changes even for applications who were close to finalising. This kind of steps are taken in emergency situations which is understandable. In this case, recession has been on for last one and a half years and a proper study of it would have helped you to foresee situations. Is it your failure to assess in advance the so-called present crisis that led many like me to this tragedy?

I took it for granted that I was wanted in the state where i got sponsorship from and that was the reason I applied for visa spending my hard earned money. After you gave priority to state sponsorship I took only minimum time to meet them and apply for the visa.

Had you given a prior warning regarding these changes many would have saved their money from paying the agents, skill assessment and other expenses. Now I have my skill assessed by an australian assessment body and state sponsorship. But no permission to enter Australia!!!! Then what is the use of all these?

I feel being pushed back by you at the entrace. I started my journey as I was invited by DIAC and state.

Though I take the whole responsibility of it, I would like to say that I even quit my job as I thought I will get my visa soon.

I feel it is totally unfair to tell me to wait for 3 more years to get my visa. And I am afraid if you did not make any attempt to avoid an extreme step like this. If things are so uncertain and accidental like this how can I believe that you will not tell me to wait for another 3 more years in 2012?

 

i know it is 100000000001th letter to you on this...still...

 

Hi Jains

 

Very well said. I agree with you 100%. Have you sent your letter to the Minister and all the other senior DIAC staff? (Plus to the Senators in your sponsoring State?) If not, I would send it to everyone you can think of.

 

I think it is necessary to make a f-u-s-s because the Minister cannot expect to get away with taking people's money and then wrecking their lives. Australia is not the only country that people are willing to consider moving to. I think that both the Minister and DIAC have a grossly inflated perception of Australia's attractiveness, myself.

 

The overwhelming majority of people who live in the UK (including me) do not yearn to live in Australia instead. I think the EU super state is an abomination but that does not tip the scales in Australia's favour as far as I am concerned. I could have strolled into Australia 25 years ago but I did not feel remotely tempted then and I don't believe that the place is Nirvana now.

 

I believe that the Aussie Minister needs to be warned that he is getting far too big for his boots and that he is trying to do too much too fast, which is why he is making such a mess of the migration program at the present time.

 

Keep on and keep at 'em, Jains.

 

Cheers

 

Gill

[Guest valeries]

ETHICS is a word that should be used more often in the 23/9 situation, in my view. There is a code of ethics and Mr Evans and his government has breached it!

[Guest jains005]

Hi Jains

 

Very well said. I agree with you 100%. Have you sent your letter to the Minister and all the other senior DIAC staff? (Plus to the Senators in your sponsoring State?) If not, I would send it to everyone you can think of.

 

I think it is necessary to make a f-u-s-s because the Minister cannot expect to get away with taking people's money and then wrecking their lives. Australia is not the only country that people are willing to consider moving to. I think that both the Minister and DIAC have a grossly inflated perception of Australia's attractiveness, myself.

 

The overwhelming majority of people who live in the UK (including me) do not yearn to live in Australia instead. I think the EU super state is an abomination but that does not tip the scales in Australia's favour as far as I am concerned. I could have strolled into Australia 25 years ago but I did not feel remotely tempted then and I don't believe that the place is Nirvana now.

 

I believe that the Aussie Minister needs to be warned that he is getting far too big for his boots and that he is trying to do too much too fast, which is why he is making such a mess of the migration program at the present time.

 

Keep on and keep at 'em, Jains.

 

Cheers

 

Gill

thank you Gill. nowhere else i have posted this. I am just happy if you or anyone use this to get closer to our common target...

Jains

[connaust]

You could also add devaluing Australia's brand in the world by political knee jerk reactions trying to appease bigots in marginal electorates...... they forget that everyone watches internationally at their incompetent efforts to increase their chances of reelection.... at the expense of prospective migrants who have merely taken up an offer from Australia, to apply for residency....

[Guest Gollywobbler]

Hi All

 

Prowling through the West Australian newspaper earlier, I saw that Monadelphous have been awarded a $60 million contract to provide key elements for the Gorgon LNG plant which is to be built on Barrow Island, off the Pilbara coast of WA. Work on site is expected to start in February 2010.

 

So I took a look at the Monadelphous website to find out more about the company:

 

Monadelphous - About Us

 

The Jobs section of their website makes it clear that they expect to be able to attract migrants from overseas and interstate:

 

Monadelphous - Jobs With Us

 

However they make it clear that sponsoring staff for visas is not one of their activities. How does the Minister expect to force a company like Monadelphous to change its policies in order to suit his latest whims about visas?

 

Cheers

 

Gill

[Guest Siavash]

Hi All

 

However they make it clear that sponsoring staff for visas is not one of their activities. How does the Minister expect to force a company like Monadelphous to change its policies in order to suit his latest whims about visas?

 

Cheers

 

Gill

By blocking the skill supply pipe using his bloody priority list papers.

[Guest Migration Help]

Dear all

 

I sent the following email on the 14 Nov to Andrew Bolt of the Herald Sun re the GSM debacle:

 

________________________________________

From: S Blanckenberg

Sent: Saturday, 14 November 2009 2:10 PM

To: Bolt, Andrew

Subject: Immigration Minister's changes to GSM programme leave many in limbo

Andrew

 

Love your blogs! More power to you.

 

Would you be interested at all in writing about the plight of thousands of potential (legal) migrants to Australia from around the world who have been left in limbo by Chris Evan’s Jan 09 and Sep 09 legislative changes?

 

See following online forum for the anger and dismay felt by many: http://www.pomsinoz.com/forum/migrat...on-really.html and there are many other outpourings on forums like Poms In Oz.

 

Peter Mares from ABC National Radio had an interview with the Minister about this yesterday. See the Migration Help forum for details - Discussion on skilled migration changes - ABC Radio National - Migration Help

 

An online petition to the Minister has also been set up - Immigration Processing priority changes of September 2009 unfair Petition .

 

In my opinion the retroactive changes fly in the face of natural justice.

 

To leave hundreds of people out of pocket to the tune of thousands of dollars after paying for visa application fees, skills assessment fees, and medical checks and then advise that even if DIAC have not touched an application, refunds of application fees will not be countenanced, is highway robbery, morally and ethically wrong, and a blight on our nation! (I don’t suppose they are using the windfall in their coffers to help fund the illegal boat arrival debacle?)

 

Thanks for your time.

 

Sheelagh Blanckenberg

[Guest Migration Help]

Mr Bolt replied today as follows:

 

 

You raise a good point, which I'll now consider. Thanks very much, Sheelagh.

 

Andrew Bolt

Herald Sun

Herald Sun Andrew Bolt Blog

 

 

Fingers crossed that a real heavyweight hitter in the media takes on this issue!

 

Thank you Andrew!

.

[Guest jains005]

hopefully it helps to get the minister out of the room....eh!!!

[Kazzarazza]

Dear all

 

I sent the following email on the 14 Nov to Andrew Bolt of the Herald Sun re the GSM debacle:

 

 

Congrats - that's quite a coup. Although, he writes for the Herald Sun, his blogs get published in most other State newspapers.

For those in the UK - Andrew Bolt is NOT politically correct and he "calls it exactly how he see's it". Can't wait to see what he writes.

Kazza.

[Guest Gollywobbler]

Hi Sheelagh

 

Thanks very much indeed for contacting Andrew Bolt.

 

We know that some 3,500 visas need clarification. We have learned - to the world's dismay - that DIAC's information release system has as usual collapsed at a criticial moment. The Department has a duty to keep its clients informed, in accordance with its banner "People Our Business." Visa applicants become DIAC's clients as soon as they lodge their applications. The duty to keep them fully, accurately and promptly informed is a duty which DIAC never has taken seriously and they are not taking it seriously now, plainly.

 

Thanks again for your sterling effort with Mr Bolt. Let us hope that he decides to weigh in.

 

Cheers

 

Gill

[Guest Jamie Smith]

That's adding to the info he has been getting from me, starting with 19 pages on about 14 October.... so it looks like you've finally tipped his scales Sheelagh.

 

Bolt usually doesn't get into immigration issues, and his emotional approach rather than dispassionate commentary can turn people off, or on, depending on if you agree with him.

 

But anyway, the more journos tracking this thing, the better.

[Guest jenni30]

I would ask him:

 

Do you know of any way you could get people on various forums to appreciate better that there would be not much point in visas being processed quicker just so the country can fill up with more unemployed.

 

I don't think your answer will do anything but infuriate people (like me)...

We don't need your sarcasm here - this is a place for people to speak of their frustrations over the fact that the Australian government have taken their money and guaranteed them nothing!

There may not be a point in processing Visas 'quicker' but to only say vaguely that they may be processed before 2012 is unacceptable. Maybe you do not understand how difficult it is to put your life on hold for 3 years with no guarantee of anything?

 

'can fill up with more unemployed' - Unfortunately, most countries suffer with unemployment, we have this problem in the UK, and yet there are still thousands of migrants. At the end of day, more people = more expansion = more jobs. They have to keep the wheels turning as we are coming out of the recession or they will slow their growth down.

 

If it were a company, rather than a government, there would be no way that they would be able to take your money like this and get away with it. And to not even tell those that if affects is appalling - i found out through this forum.

 

It all just seems so unjust...... :mad:

 

If I could speak to the minister (rationally) I would ask him for the most accurate timeline they can manage, A website to follow the progress of all types of Visas and their routes, and regular email updates that would inform migrants of their progress.

 

If I could speak to him (irrationally) I would ask for him to take a cut in his Christmas bonus so I can have a refund.

[Guest wanderer]

Gill,

How does the Minister expect to force a company like Monadelphous to change its policies in order to suit his latest whims about visas?

 

First of all Gill, in a democracy as you would well know I suspect in being a solicitor in the UK, governments do not go around telling businesses how they run their business.

 

And then for some realistic perspective

. Of course any company will seek available onshore/offshore personnel before they look at sponsoring.

. There has been a significant downturn in construction and other work over the past 12 months and so there are unemployed to be re-employed.

. Many of the major construction entities also sub contract out work and depending on workloads re other construction programs around the country employees could come from anywhere within Australia and quite possibly with sub contractors re 457s.

. Record number of Brits coming to Australia | Travel News | News.com.au refers to many Australians leaving the UK and there'll possibly be others from around the planet.

. And of course if any company cannot source essential project personnel without sponsoring or contracting out, they can of course work outside of their stated policies.

 

As to what one could ask the minister generally, given

Dubai debt crisis raises financial fears

You may want to consider the concept of GFC ripples/waves and what that could do for projections on workforce demand and immigration management.

 

And Jenni30

I don't think your answer will do anything but infuriate people (like me)...

We don't need your sarcasm here - this is a place for people to speak of their frustrations over the fact that the Australian government have taken their money and guaranteed them nothing!

 

I gather you've dragged up my comment from about page 2 for whatever reason and if you think it is fine for people to continually vent their fury over and over again that's fine but does that help if you do not help yourself to look at what other options may be available.

People can be very much blinded by their own fury and the storm that has been whipped up, a storm that is a mere ripple on the global scene of financial dissaray and where developed nations may yet plunge themselves further with Carbon trading schemes.

 

Immigration programs have been running for decades and recent decades have seen a skills demand approach with people applying.

Application does not mean guarantee and never has, and something like 160,000 applications per year in recent years were being rejected for incomplete/incorrect/fraudulent applications and so if you expect a government to process applications for free you had better think again.

There may not be a point in processing Visas 'quicker' but to only say vaguely that they may be processed before 2012 is unacceptable. Maybe you do not understand how difficult it is to put your life on hold for 3 years with no guarantee of anything?

 

Sorry, our government has not got a crystal ball as neither I nor you have and would you rather a government not attempt to give a broad indication so as people do not have any guide whatsoever to decide for themselves whether they want to apply or not.

If the planet slides into a catastrophic depression, that 2012 could easily become 2022 or never.

'can fill up with more unemployed' - Unfortunately, most countries suffer with unemployment, we have this problem in the UK, and yet there are still thousands of migrants. At the end of day, more people = more expansion = more jobs. They have to keep the wheels turning as we are coming out of the recession or they will slow their growth down.

 

I too hope that the planet climbs out of recession but I do not think the rate of population growth and immigrants will necessarily help that with the planet having finite resources that are being rapidly depleted.

Governments cannot plan for this because people generally do not want to be told how it is going to be and change will happen by default through shortages, higher costs, electing to do without on a gradual basis and who knows, warfare!

 

The UK/Europe has what, close to a billion people in an area much the same size as Australia, much of it being far more fertile and temperent in climate and so a much bigger population that develops its own internal market economics you could say, in both agriculture and industry.

Australia is vastly different and of great distance from markets other than Asia [still some distance away] which is the sourcew of massive low labour cost industries, one of the reasons Australias industry has been in great decline for many decades.

Next to Antartica, the continent is the driest, there already being significant water issues and so the ability to support a huge population in the new carbon reduced world is significantly limited.

And then there is the question of how or what do you employ people on.

If it were a company, rather than a government, there would be no way that they would be able to take your money like this and get away with it. And to not even tell those that if affects is appalling - i found out through this forum.

 

It all just seems so unjust......

Have a look at most governments and see how they function and how any organisation you get services from functions.

Most if not all the information you read on here can also be accessed off the DIAC web site.

A lot of the information on this forum is heavily slanted in a ridiculous manner either through complete ignorance or believing in fairies

 

Sorry to offend if what I say has but I believe people may best handle the future if they have a realistic grip on the present and supposedly mature people posting absolute garbage at times does not help people to have a realistic grip.

If I could speak to the minister (rationally) I would ask him for the most accurate timeline they can manage, A website to follow the progress of all types of Visas and their routes, and regular email updates that would inform migrants of their progress.

 

And he could turn around and say well we may be able to increase our workforce by 20-30% to attempt to manage something like that for it would be next to useless if we just set it up and not monitor and remonitor and I could still never guarantee accuracy for many things change outside of what we may predict, but if you like, the costs for having another bunch of PS boffins doing that would have to be met and so existing visa fees would have to rise, OK?