Guest Tanner Posted September 13, 2010 Share Posted September 13, 2010 The Stig, I wasn't the one saying people mix up Asylum seekers and other immigrants. Jo and Dave did, and I just gave my opinion to them that people actually do not. I also now note your distinction, that you think the decision is legitimate, however, not 'right', in your opinion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George Lombard Posted September 13, 2010 Share Posted September 13, 2010 More on Chris Bowen as the new Minister, courtesy of Crikey -- On politics, media, business, the environment and life : 1.While he merited a senior economic portfolio over the likes of Penny Wong (see below), Chris Bowen's shift to Immigration signals a more aggressive line from the government on asylum seekers and immigration and puts Bowen's undoubted political skills to much better use than they would have got in Finance. His match-up with the loathsome Scott Morrison will be thoroughly enjoyable. A long time since a shadow Minister for Immigration was called "loathsome", hopefully Mr Morrison has redeeming features. Cheers, George Lombard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Rami Posted September 13, 2010 Share Posted September 13, 2010 i totally agree with you. Chris Bowen is a pretty good politician. I remember him debating Scott Morrison on Q&A, and i have to admit he is eloquent and tough. He is definitely a match to Scott Morrison. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Rami Posted September 13, 2010 Share Posted September 13, 2010 hey guys, i got this information from a migration website Whilst he ( chris Evans) is no longer Minister for Immigration, we can expect Minister Evans to have a continued effect of Australia's migration program. This is mainly due to a significant overlap between immigration and education, employment and workplace relations. In addition, Minister Bowen is reasonably junior and has little experience with immigration matters; we may find that Senator Evans will be able to exert considerable influence in this portfolio. Readers may recall that Minister Evans' changes to the General Skilled Migration program have resulted in a significant downturn in enrolments of international students in Australia. Now that Minister Evans is in charge of higher education, we may find that this trend continues. Minister Evans also made changes to the 457 visa program to make it more difficult for employers to sponsor overseas workers - including increasing the training requirement and payment of a "market rate" salary rather than a fixed minimum salary. These changes were intended by Minister Evans to protect Australian jobs. Setting the training requirement will be part of Minister Evans' new portfolio, so we can expect the requirements to be tightened further and that it will be more difficult to sponsor under the 457 program. The new Minister will take some time to find his feet and we will reserve judgement until we see some of his decisions. The influence of the previous Minister will remain strong and we can be sure that Chris Evans will seek to encourage continuation of his initiatives. Counterbalancing this is a need to ensure that any changes introduced are palatable to the Greens and Independents holding the balance of power. We also have the possibility of regional incentives for immigration to be reintroduced, which would be very welcome. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Jo and Dave Posted September 13, 2010 Share Posted September 13, 2010 Hi guys, I know what I said may have been incorrect as I am not in Australia so cannot view it on the ground but from reading through posts, I got the impression that immigration from a non pollie point of view was mixing it all up, YES it appears Asylum takes centre stage as soon as immigration is mentioned and therefore makes it increasingly difficult I guess to get the debacle of skilled migration on the table at all, I firmly believe ANYONE with a legitimate case for asylum SHOULD be protected and offered help and support - that said i was also making a light hearted joke that Australian politics seems very "yes" prime ministerish, from all that I see it does appear to be very much a "spin" environment, and many, many legislative cock ups make for some comedic reading, pretty much like a script from the show itself. I will now avoid making anymore "light" hearted comments !! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Manj Posted September 14, 2010 Share Posted September 14, 2010 I can't halt boats, new immigration minister admits | Adelaide Now http://bigpondnews.com/articles/National/2010/09/13/Bowen_rejects_immigration_claims_512799.html Enjoy the read! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kernow43 Posted September 14, 2010 Share Posted September 14, 2010 Scott Morrison remains opposition Minister for Immigration Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kernow43 Posted September 14, 2010 Share Posted September 14, 2010 I can't halt boats, new immigration minister admits | Adelaide Now Telstra BigPond News and Weather Enjoy the read! The Greens are dictating already Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest jasonh Posted September 14, 2010 Share Posted September 14, 2010 Have I missed something then? What is the point in having a priority processing system and then processing the LOWER priorities FIRST???? I (unfortunately?) fall into Cat 2, and am awaiting the release of the elusive SMP's, but I can't understand how people in Cat 3 and Cat 4 can be having visas processed/granted??? Does this seem unfair to anyone else, or is it just me? Obviously it's great for those in Cat 3 and 4 that are getting some movement, but what is the point of introducing a system, and then working from back to front??? Sorry for the rant: We're all getting a bit fed-up now, though...:confused: Jason Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
User Name Posted September 14, 2010 Share Posted September 14, 2010 I (unfortunately?) fall into Cat 2, and am awaiting the release of the elusive SMP's, but I can't understand how people in Cat 3 and Cat 4 can be having visas processed/granted??? LOL:biglaugh::biglaugh::biglaugh: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest jasonh Posted September 14, 2010 Share Posted September 14, 2010 LOL:biglaugh::biglaugh::biglaugh: Hi User Name. Glad I gave you a giggle this morning!! Am I to assume by this that Cat 3 & 4's are NOT moving forward then??? :wink: I can't seem to keep track of it all - it changes from day to day!! Jason Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest tomtom Posted September 14, 2010 Share Posted September 14, 2010 How can you fall into catagory 2 ?.. The smp lists are not out yet so at the present time nobody falls into catagory 2. no one in cat 4 will be getting there visa for a long time you can be sure of that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest jasonh Posted September 14, 2010 Share Posted September 14, 2010 How can you fall into catagory 2 ?.. The smp lists are not out yet so at the present time nobody falls into catagory 2. no one in cat 4 will be getting there visa for a long time you can be sure of that. Tomtom, So where am I then, if not Cat 2? I have approved WA State Sponsorshipn (General Electrician), and according to our visa agent, this would mean that we'd be in Cat 2??? J Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest GemandJay Posted September 14, 2010 Share Posted September 14, 2010 Have I missed something then? What is the point in having a priority processing system and then processing the LOWER priorities FIRST???? I (unfortunately?) fall into Cat 2, and am awaiting the release of the elusive SMP's, but I can't understand how people in Cat 3 and Cat 4 can be having visas processed/granted??? Does this seem unfair to anyone else, or is it just me? Obviously it's great for those in Cat 3 and 4 that are getting some movement, but what is the point of introducing a system, and then working from back to front??? Sorry for the rant: We're all getting a bit fed-up now, though...:confused: Jason Hi Jason Cat2 doesn't exist and won't until the 'state migration plans' are released. As for Cat 3 and 4 being processed well that's not true either, as far as I know it's just Cat3 people but at the moment they are proceesing June 08 applicants so can't really complain about that as they have been waiting for over 2years! We are Cat 3 July 09 applicant and are waiting and waiting and waiting for the release of the SMP's so as far as the system working I think it is albeit very very very slowly. Gemma Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest tomtom Posted September 14, 2010 Share Posted September 14, 2010 Yes you will be cat 2 if general electrician is on there smp list. As at the moment they have no list tomtom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Mongobear Posted September 14, 2010 Share Posted September 14, 2010 The immi-page has just been updated with the new face: Biographical details - Chris Bowen MP Cheers Uli Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest gryhawk Posted September 14, 2010 Share Posted September 14, 2010 Have I missed something then? What is the point in having a priority processing system and then processing the LOWER priorities FIRST???? I (unfortunately?) fall into Cat 2, and am awaiting the release of the elusive SMP's, but I can't understand how people in Cat 3 and Cat 4 can be having visas processed/granted??? Does this seem unfair to anyone else, or is it just me? Obviously it's great for those in Cat 3 and 4 that are getting some movement, but what is the point of introducing a system, and then working from back to front??? Sorry for the rant: We're all getting a bit fed-up now, though...:confused: Jason Man, this takes the cake. Here we have people stuck in limbo for 2 years despite having qualifications and skills needed in Australia (accountants with Band 6) due to 'legislative' changes and you're complaining about being 'FED UP'? I'm as happy as the next guy for the SMP to appear, but Jason is complaining about a non-existant problem. It's all 'Me, me, me, me, me, me. Screw you guys, I'm going home.' a. There is not SMP yet. Hence, no Cat 2 yet. You're on Cat 3 (SOL), and you'll be processed accordingly. b. When SMP comes up, if Gen Elec ain't on it (or the state sponsorship list), you're outta luck. But you stay on Cat 3. If it is, you move up to Cat 2. Lucky you. c. Everyone whines and moans about the lack of SMP, but this is a first that I've read someone complaining that it's unfair that Cat 3&4 are being processed in the meantime. Are you saying that you'd prefer the queue be frozen until the SMPs appear (whenever THAT may be)? You're on Cat 3 right now! d. The new processing was introduced as a replacement for the 7-tier processing timeline which had the outdated CSL. It included SMP on the list, but SMPs have been delayed. There's no reason why Cat 3 & 4 can't proceed when Cat 2 isn't even out yet. It's not working back-to-front, just priority 1>3>4. No (2). I'm sure you mean well, but the douchbagginess of your statement just fumes me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest TheStig Posted September 14, 2010 Share Posted September 14, 2010 Man, this takes the cake. Here we have people stuck in limbo for 2 years despite having qualifications and skills needed in Australia (accountants with Band 6) due to 'legislative' changes and you're complaining about being 'FED UP'? LOL.. that post must have really set you off... so much that you actually created an account and made you first post as the reply. Sit back and relax mate, there are complacent people out there... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
User Name Posted September 14, 2010 Share Posted September 14, 2010 @Jason. State Sponsorship is not same as SMP. As General Electricians are in new SOL you are in cat 3 I believe as there is a direct mapping from the ASCO one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Jamie Smith Posted September 14, 2010 Share Posted September 14, 2010 Now is the time to educate the new Minister about how unfair the system is at present, and how individuals have been treated. That is exactly Bowen's area of interest - supporting the maltreated and disenfranchised. In a few days I will put up the new contact details for the new Minister, and I suggest EVERYONE let's him know what they think of the immigration system and their own status within it :realmad:. For issues relating to Chris Bowen's duties as the Minister for Immigration and Citizenship please use the following contact details. Address: Chris Bowen MP Minister for Immigration and Citizenship Parliament House M1/24 Canberra ACT 2600 Telephone: 02 6277 7200 Fax: 02 6273 4406 Email: chris.bowen.mp[at]aph.gov.au Electorate office: Chris Bowen MP 115 The Crescent Fairfield NSW 2165 Postal address: Chris Bowen MP PO Box 802 Fairfield NSW 1860 Australia Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
User Name Posted September 14, 2010 Share Posted September 14, 2010 He's already dug himself with asylum seekers. I reckon should they split the immigration portfolio into two. Minister of Refugee Settlement or (whatever you want to call it) to just deal with asylum seeker, and Minister of Immigration to deal with everything immigration minister does except handling refugees. Given immigration Ministers spend 90% of the time they allocate for ministerial duties on asylum seekers to save embarrasments, they might as well have one minister working on it full time so GSM is not overlooked and better managed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Gollywobbler Posted September 14, 2010 Share Posted September 14, 2010 Have I missed something then? What is the point in having a priority processing system and then processing the LOWER priorities FIRST???? I (unfortunately?) fall into Cat 2, and am awaiting the release of the elusive SMP's, but I can't understand how people in Cat 3 and Cat 4 can be having visas processed/granted??? Does this seem unfair to anyone else, or is it just me? Obviously it's great for those in Cat 3 and 4 that are getting some movement, but what is the point of introducing a system, and then working from back to front??? Sorry for the rant: We're all getting a bit fed-up now, though...:confused: Jason Hi jasonh You and I have not exchanged posts before, so welcome to Poms in Oz. Please take no notice of a new member called gryhawk having a go at you. Everybody's nerves are frayed to shreds by the on-going uncertainty but one PiO member taking his/her frustration out on another one is not going to end the uncertainty or the resulting frustration, so that seems like a pointless notion to me. Your own situation is that you are a General Electrician and so your occupation is in Schedule 3 of the new SOL. Therefore your visa application is in processing priority Category 3. If you have State sponsorship AND General Electrician is one of the occupations on the SMP for the State which is sponsoring you, then your application will move up into Processing Priority Category 2 once the SMP for the relevant State has been published. At the moment, Cat 2 has no occupants because none of the SMPs has been published as yet. Therefore DIAC are working their way through the Cat 3 applications instead, whilst DIAC await the publication of the SMPs. If they weren't processing the Cat 3s, the staff employed by DIAC to process applications for GSM visas would be sitting on their bums doing nothing at all. DIAC are notorious for slave-driving their staff, so there is no way that they will pay a staff member for taking a furlough, in effect. The confusion and frustration that you and thousands of other applicants all feel is the result of the fact that the previous Minister for Immigration, Senator Chris Evans, mismanaged the GSM programme completely. The bloke couldn't have made a worse mess even if he had tried, as they say. Unfortunately he did try and the current illogical mess is the result. Evans himself has skedaddled off to interfere with Jobs, Skills and Workplace Relations (oh, and Tertiary Education) next. Having created havoc in the Immigration portfolio, he is off to do the same in the DEEWR now. Evans has been replaced by a new Immigration Minister, Chris Bowen. So far, 100% of Mr Bowen's attention is devoted to trying to resolve the political hot potato which the Boat People have become. Nobody knows when Mr Bowen will get round to considering the GSM programme as well or what he will do once he does start to consider it. Does this answer your questions, please? Cheers Gill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest jasonh Posted September 14, 2010 Share Posted September 14, 2010 Hi jasonh You and I have not exchanged posts before, so welcome to Poms in Oz. Please take no notice of a new member called gryhawk having a go at you. Everybody's nerves are frayed to shreds by the on-going uncertainty but one PiO member taking his/her frustration out on another one is not going to end the uncertainty or the resulting frustration, so that seems like a pointless notion to me. Your own situation is that you are a General Electrician and so your occupation is in Schedule 3 of the new SOL. Therefore your visa application is in processing priority Category 3. If you have State sponsorship AND General Electrician is one of the occupations on the SMP for the State which is sponsoring you, then your application will move up into Processing Priority Category 2 once the SMP for the relevant State has been published. At the moment, Cat 2 has no occupants because none of the SMPs has been published as yet. Therefore DIAC are working their way through the Cat 3 applications instead, whilst DIAC await the publication of the SMPs. If they weren't processing the Cat 3s, the staff employed by DIAC to process applications for GSM visas would be sitting on their bums doing nothing at all. DIAC are notorious for slave-driving their staff, so there is no way that they will pay a staff member for taking a furlough, in effect. The confusion and frustration that you and thousands of other applicants all feel is the result of the fact that the previous Minister for Immigration, Senator Chris Evans, mismanaged the GSM programme completely. The bloke couldn't have made a worse mess even if he had tried, as they say. Unfortunately he did try and the current illogical mess is the result. Evans himself has skedaddled off to interfere with Jobs, Skills and Workplace Relations (oh, and Tertiary Education) next. Having created havoc in the Immigration portfolio, he is off to do the same in the DEEWR now. Evans has been replaced by a new Immigration Minister, Chris Bowen. So far, 100% of Mr Bowen's attention is devoted to trying to resolve the political hot potato which the Boat People have become. Nobody knows when Mr Bowen will get round to considering the GSM programme as well or what he will do once he does start to consider it. Does this answer your questions, please? Cheers Gill Hi Gill, Thanks so much for the reply!! Don't worry - I haven't taken any notice of the other response... I'm after information, nothing else :cool: Like you say, everyone is getting frustrated with all the changes and delays and to be honest, I think I have just purely misunderstood what I was told by my visa agent. We've left everything in their hands, and when the "new" priority processing was announced, our agent told us we will be Cat 2. I didn't know that it didn't even EXIST at the present time. However: In hindsight, it does make sense that it can't exist until the SMP's are released, but it's all just getting too confusing. It could almost be a full-time job, just trying to keep up with all the new names and new rules. (That's why we've paid an agent!) :laugh: Anyway, thanks again for all your info! And I'll be sure to try NOT rattle anyone's cages in future! Kind regards, Jason Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Gollywobbler Posted September 14, 2010 Share Posted September 14, 2010 Hi Gill, Thanks so much for the reply!! Don't worry - I haven't taken any notice of the other response... I'm after information, nothing else :cool: Like you say, everyone is getting frustrated with all the changes and delays and to be honest, I think I have just purely misunderstood what I was told by my visa agent. We've left everything in their hands, and when the "new" priority processing was announced, our agent told us we will be Cat 2. I didn't know that it didn't even EXIST at the present time. However: In hindsight, it does make sense that it can't exist until the SMP's are released, but it's all just getting too confusing. It could almost be a full-time job, just trying to keep up with all the new names and new rules. (That's why we've paid an agent!) :laugh: Anyway, thanks again for all your info! And I'll be sure to try NOT rattle anyone's cages in future! Kind regards, Jason Hi Jasonh I reckon that you need a degree in Logistics to have any hope of following the ex-Minister's recent antics with the GSM program. The problem faced him as well as everyone else in the end, since Evans' own degree is in a subject called "Arts." Evans has skedaddled out of all the confusion and frustration that his antics have caused. He's now gone off to interfere with the DEEWR instead, leaving others to try to clear up the havoc that he caused in the Immigration portfolio. God knows which portfolio he'll want in a few months or 3 years hence, once he has left the DEEWR in an equal muddle. Cheers Gill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Jamie Smith Posted September 14, 2010 Share Posted September 14, 2010 If Evans applies the style of rapid and significant changes he applied so disastrously to the immigration market across in the education, TAFE and whatever sections, many highly influential people will force his resignation. (Yes, more influential than an RMA...) The problem with ex-union people like Evans and Bowen is they've never had to justify their wage or lived in fear of losing their jobs. Had they ever experienced what the rest of us go through, they might be more balanced and realistic in what they try to do and how they apply change. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.