DIAC Feed

Dedicated mayor is Queensland’s Local Hero

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 20:30:00 +1100

The Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) tonight congratulated the Ipswich Mayor, Paul Pisasale, for being honoured as Queensland’s Local Hero in the lead-up to the 2010 Australian of the Year Awards. DIAC is once again proud to sponsor Australia’s Local Hero Award and to celebrate the extraordinary work of ordinary Australians who make their local communi...

OzHarvest founder is New South Wales’ Local Hero

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 20:30:00 +1100

The Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) tonight congratulated OzHarvest founder, Ronni Kahn, for being honoured as New South Wales’ Local Hero in the lead-up to the 2010 Australian of the Year Awards. DIAC is once again proud to sponsor Australia’s Local Hero Award and to celebrate the extraordinary work of ordinary Australians who make their local commun...

Bushfire recovery volunteers named Victoria’s Local Hero

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 15:54:00 +1100

The Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) tonight congratulated Blaze Aid founders, Kevin and Rhonda Butler, for being honoured as Victoria’s Local Hero in the lead-up to the 2010 Australian of the Year Awards. DIAC is once again proud to sponsor Australia’s Local Hero Award and to celebrate the extraordinary work of ordinary Australians who make their loca...

Green thumbs up for Northern Territory’s local hero

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 21:00:00 +1100

The Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) tonight congratulated Katherine-based horticulturalist Norma Higgins for being named the Northern Territory’s Local Hero in the lead-up to the 2010 Australian of the Year Awards. DIAC is once again proud to sponsor Australia’s Local Hero Award and to celebrate the extraordinary work of ordinary Australians who make ...

Volunteer fire fighter is South Australia’s local hero

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 21:00:00 +1100

The Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) tonight congratulated captain of the Murray Bridge Country Fire Service, Mike Coddington, for being named South Australia’s Local Hero in the lead-up to the 2010 Australian of the Year Awards. DIAC is once again proud to sponsor Australia’s Local Hero Award and to celebrate the extraordinary work of ordinary Austral...

Brisbane Immigration Transit Accommodation

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 15:15:00 +1100

Brisbane Immigration Transit Accommodation

Indian Ocean survivors arrive on Christmas Island

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 17:00:00 +1100

The 27 survivors rescued from a boat that capsized in the Indian Ocean this week arrived at Christmas Island today and will be placed in mandatory detention under the care of the Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC). The LNG Pioneer, a Bahamas-flagged tanker that responded to the vessel in distress call and rescued the survivors about 640km north-west of Cocos...

DIAC apologises to former detainee

Wed, 28 Oct 2009 18:05:00 +1100

The Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) today acknowledged the Australian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) report regarding the detention of Ahmed El-Masri and has extended its unreserved apology for the breach of his human rights. “We take this matter very seriously,” a DIAC spokeswoman said. “In line with the AHRC’s recommendations, departmental pr...

DIAC raises $4000 cooking for a cause

Fri, 23 Oct 2009 16:41:00 +1100

Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) staff put their wallets and stomachs behind a good cause today, with the annual Pink Ribbon Breakfast for staff raising $4000 for the Cancer Council ACT. The breakfast, which has previously raised almost $10 000 for the National Breast Cancer Foundation (NBCF), aims to increase awareness of the importance of research and it...

New immigration residential housing and transit accommodation preferred tenderer announced

Mon, 19 Oct 2009 16:12:00 +1100

The Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) today announced that Serco Australia Pty Ltd is now the preferred tenderer for the new contract for the provision of a range of immigration detention services at immigration residential housing and immigration transit accommodation around Australia. G4S Australia Pty Ltd was initially selected on 1 May as the preferred ...

Would you pass the new citizenship test?

Mon, 19 Oct 2009 00:01:00 +1100

Prospective Australian citizens will start sitting the new citizenship test from today. To find out how well you or your listeners would go in the test, a sample of questions similar to those used in the test are included. The new 20 multiple-choice questions test is not easier than the old one but it is fairer; mandatory questions have been removed giving equal weight...

Paul Watson visa application

Fri, 16 Oct 2009 20:15:00 +1100

The Department of Immigration and Citizenship today rejected claims it was delaying processing of a visa application for Sea Shepherd captain Paul Watson. Mr Watson has applied for a visa to visit Australia to undertake a range of public speaking and media activities associated with the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society. “Our standard procedure is to follow-up certai...

DIAC refutes hoax email on asylum seeker policy

Wed, 14 Oct 2009 19:39:00 +1100

The Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) is urging the media and the public to ignore hoax emails circulating on the internet about government benefits provided to asylum seekers and refugees permanently settling in Australia. Some of the hoax emails also falsely claim Australia accepts terrorists and other criminals under its international obligations. �...

Christmas Island housing not denying indigenous Australia

Wed, 14 Oct 2009 19:39:00 +1100

The Department of Immigration and Citizenship said today demountable units surplus to the government’s requirements were being transported to Christmas Island as part of its contingency plans. The demountable units were returned to the department as they were declared excess to the needs of the Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs. ...

Immigration wizardry wins international e-business award

Mon, 12 Oct 2009 15:23:00 +1100

Australia’s IT “wizardry” supporting the Department of Immigration and Citizenship’s (DIAC) new online visa and citizenship sites has recorded its second award with a first prize in the business process category at the international FutureGov Government Technology Awards in Bali. The honour was presented to DIAC for the visa and citizenship wizards, the department...

Newcastle compliance operation finds seven illegal workers

Thu, 08 Oct 2009 16:36:00 +1100

Immigration compliance officers located seven illegal workers on two adjoining construction sites in Charlestown, Newcastle today. Compliance officers from the Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC), assisted by NSW Police, located this group following an operation at a Hurstville construction site last week where 17 illegal workers were located. “A total o...

Subclass 457 visa reforms explained in Cairns

Mon, 05 Oct 2009 17:03:00 +1100

The Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) will run information sessions about recent reforms to the subclass 457 visa on October 7 and 8 in Cairns. “We encourage employers, visa holders and other stakeholders in the Cairns area to attend a seminar to gain an understanding of the changes, as well as ask questions about the reforms,” a DIAC spokesman said. ...

Sydney compliance operation finds 15 illegal workers

Tue, 29 Sep 2009 18:27:00 +1100

Immigration compliance officers located 15 illegal workers on a construction site in the Sydney suburb of Hurstville today. Compliance officers from the Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC), assisted by NSW Police, located the group following community information that people were working at a large apartment complex under construction. “A total of 11 unl...

National meatworkers operation in Wagga Wagga

Tue, 22 Sep 2009 10:14:00 +1100

As part of a multi-state compliance operation on March 11, immigration officers visit a residence in Wagga Wagga, NSW. The operation cracked an alleged labour hire and identity fraud racket targeting the meat industry.

Victorian compliance sweeps net 51 in three weeks

Thu, 03 Sep 2009 17:43:00 +1100

A series of compliance operations in regional Victoria – the latest last night – has seen Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) officers locate 51 people who were either in Australia unlawfully or working in breach of visa conditions. And early today an operation by officers from Adelaide located a further six people, also in Australia unlawfully. Most o...