A secret briefing to the Immigration Minister confirms his department is under ”stress” from a flood of asylum-seekers, just as the navy intercepted the first boat of the year. The incoming government red book warns of potential legal action from skilled migrants unable to get their visas processed because of a backlog of 140,000 applicants.It also predicts further riots from the detained Indonesian crews of asylum-seeker boats and warns immigration detention facilities are at ”critical pressure”. After the navy revealed yesterday it had stopped a boat carrying 92 people on Tuesday, the Opposition said more than 10,000 people had now landed in boats under Labor’s three-year watch.
Meanwhile, the Federal Government is also disputing media reports that an asylum-seeker forcibly returned to Sri Lankan was beaten after being arrested on his arrival.The person was one of seven Sri Lankans removed from Christmas Island.
The information is contained in separate confidential Immigration Department briefing papers issued yesterday under Freedom of Information.” One client who was involuntary removed was arrested by Sri Lankan authorities upon their arrival in Sri Lanka,” the paper says.
”Media reports that he was beaten have not been substantiated by the department’s investigations.”The weekly ”On the Radar” briefings to the Immigration Minister also show a Pacific Island worker, allowed into Australia temporarily for fruit picking, absconded. After he handed himself in to authorities two months later, he was allowed to remain to finish the work before returning home.
The briefings reveal a ”marked increase” in cancellation of second working holiday visas for young foreign people returning to Australia for more casual work due to fraudulent information provided to immigration officials.
The minister was told that 308 staff of his department has accepted voluntary redundancies, described by departmental secretary Andrew Metcalfe as a ”good outcome” towards the savings the department has to find.
Meanwhile, the Federal Government is also disputing media reports that an asylum-seeker forcibly returned to Sri Lankan was beaten after being arrested on his arrival.The person was one of seven Sri Lankans removed from Christmas Island.
The information is contained in separate confidential Immigration Department briefing papers issued yesterday under Freedom of Information.” One client who was involuntary removed was arrested by Sri Lankan authorities upon their arrival in Sri Lanka,” the paper says.
”Media reports that he was beaten have not been substantiated by the department’s investigations.”The weekly ”On the Radar” briefings to the Immigration Minister also show a Pacific Island worker, allowed into Australia temporarily for fruit picking, absconded. After he handed himself in to authorities two months later, he was allowed to remain to finish the work before returning home.
The briefings reveal a ”marked increase” in cancellation of second working holiday visas for young foreign people returning to Australia for more casual work due to fraudulent information provided to immigration officials.
The minister was told that 308 staff of his department has accepted voluntary redundancies, described by departmental secretary Andrew Metcalfe as a ”good outcome” towards the savings the department has to find.
