Writer
Abul Rizvi
Abul Rizvi PhD was a senior official in the Department of Immigration from the early 1990s to 2007 when he left as Deputy Secretary. He was awarded the Public Service Medal and the Centenary Medal for services to development and implementation of immigration policy, including the reshaping of Australia's intake to focus on skilled migration, slow Australia's rate of population ageing and boost Australia's international education and tourism industries.
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Are allegations of bogus asylum claims valid?
Hannah Dickinson, an asylum lawyer from the Asylum Seeker Rights Centre, is reported in The Canberra Times to “have rubbished suggestions people are seizing on huge backlogs of asylum applications to lodge bogus claims for protection”. Continue reading »
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Interpreting Treasury’s latest population statement (Part 1)
Treasury’s December 2022 Population Statement has received more media attention than any of its previous statements. This is predominantly due to Treasurer Jim Chalmers promoting the statement extensively in contrast to his predecessor who largely treated these statements as business as usual. Continue reading »
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Overseas students visa criteria – a new approach needed
One of the most important issues the Migration System Review must address is the overseas student visa system and associated pathways to permanent residence. Continue reading »
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Denying trafficking not the way to protect the Asylum system
Hannah Dickinson from the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre (ASRC) has penned an article in this Journal that is full of distraction and denial of the massive labour trafficking scam that started in 2014-15. That approach does nothing to help genuine asylum seekers nor help the over 70,500 unsuccessful asylum seekers currently living in Australia with Continue reading »
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Abuse of Australia’s asylum system grinds on
While we await a government decision on the 31,000 legacy boat arrivals in Australia, asylum applications from people arriving by air continued an inexorable rise to 1,448 in October 2022. Continue reading »
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A migration system for Australia’s future
A three-member panel to review Australia’s migration system – former PM&C Secretary Martin Parkinson, academic Joanna Howe and businessman John Azarias – has been set the task of producing “a holistic strategy that articulates the purpose, structure and objectives of Australia’s migration system to ensure it meets the national interest in the coming decades”. Continue reading »
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Is the Pacific Engagement Visa Australia’s first climate change humanitarian visa?
The new Pacific Engagement Visa (PEV) has more similarities to a humanitarian visa than a labour supplementation visa – at 3,000 permanent resident places per annum, it could be Australia’s first climate change humanitarian visa. Continue reading »
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The link between immigration and recessions
If Australia experiences a major economic slowdown in 2023-24 and a weaker labour market, what would happen to migration and recently arrived migrants? Continue reading »
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How will our stretched housing market cope with surging immigration?
Respected ABC commentator Alan Kohler has recently raised this issue in an article provocatively titled Labor’s immigration and housing policies are an explosive combination. Continue reading »
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Massive shortage of early childhood teachers demands skilled migration reform
Increased availability of high quality and affordable early childhood education is central to the Albanese Government’s strategy to increase labour force participation rates, particularly participation of women. Continue reading »
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Asylum Seeker Policy – Where to now?
One of the most complex and controversial issues the Albanese Government will deal with during the current budget process will be asylum seeker policy. Continue reading »
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The Jobs Summit and our labour shortages
There is little doubt Australia is facing a huge labour shortage. Continue reading »
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Working holiday makers crucial to tourism industry
The working holiday maker program is a crucial part of Australia’s tourism industry. They not only spend significantly as tourists, they also provide the labour that enables many tourism operators to remain in business. Many go onto become permanent residents as part of the skill stream of the migration program. Continue reading »
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Demographic future of China, the USA and India
Much has been written of the 21st century being the Chinese century in contrast to the 20th century being the American century. Continue reading »
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Three immigration solutions for worker shortages from Victorian and NSW business lobby
The Victorian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) and Business NSW have proposed three immigration solutions to address worker shortages. Continue reading »
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Migrant Farm Worker Policy – Where to now?
Policy and administration of migrant farm workers will be one of the new Government’s biggest immigration challenges. Continue reading »
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Partner visas – another Dutton scandal
Under Dutton, the Department of Home Affairs just ignored the law. Continue reading »
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Tripartite bargain on Immigration Policy
Given current skill shortages and how gummed up the visa processing system has become, the new Government will need a focussed strategy on what needs to be fixed first. Continue reading »
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If I were the Minister for Immigration policy in the next parliament
Why do business lobby groups prefer governments recruit skilled migrants? Continue reading »
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Why only bridging visas to Biloela family?
Interim Home Affairs Minister Jim Chalmers has granted the Murugappan family bridging visas to enable the whole family to return to Biloela ‘while they work towards resolution of their immigration status’. Continue reading »
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Exploited Pacific Island workers applying for asylum
One of the symptoms of exploitation in the Pacific Access Labour Migration (PALM) Scheme is the number of workers who run away from their employer and then apply for asylum. Continue reading »
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Morrison misleads again on migration
On the 160,000 migration program in 2021-22, the Australian Financial Review reports that Morrison said “we’re not even going to get close to that cap (sic) in the short term because we are seeking to rebuild the program, re-open the lines of people being able to come to Australia”. Continue reading »
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Morrison Government’s high risk visa switch for migrant meatworkers
We are on a very slippery slope with these visas towards the slavery-like conditions that have existed for migrant workers in North America and Europe for decades. Continue reading »
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If I were the Minister for Immigration policy in the next parliament
Under the Morrison Government we have seen the biggest wave of asylum seeker applications in Australia ever – at over 100,000. Coming by air it is almost twice as big as the fourth wave under the Rudd/Gillard Governments. Continue reading »
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Immigration of Nurses and Doctors
Australia must fix the design of employer sponsored visas to make them easier, faster and cheaper to use while increasing penalties for employers who misuse these visas. Continue reading »
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Home affairs misleads Senate on Djokovic case
The responses Home Affairs officials recently gave to Senate Estimates on the Department’s handling of the Novak Djokovic case were a mixture of smoke and mirrors overlaid by outright misinformation. Continue reading »
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Smoke and mirrors: Afghans neglected in Australia’s humanitarian program
Far from holding out a helping hand to Afghans left stranded by the withdrawal of foreign troops, Australia has been even less generous than normal. Continue reading »
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Djokovic case highlights need for change in how we check vaccination status
With international travel ramping up, changes to passenger visa checks should already be in place — and could’ve prevented the Djokovic debacle. Continue reading »
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Morrison’s doubletalk exposed again in Djokovic farce
The public is white hot with anger at Djokovic’s conduct. Even so, allowing him to stay and play tennis remains the best option for the government. Continue reading »
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Whether running immigration or being PM, Morrison fiddles the books
Using income tax receipts to offset departmental spending undermines good government. But that doesn’t faze this government. Continue reading »
