⏱️This edition of the National Account’s newsletter is a five-minute read.
👋 G’day everyone, Archie here.
We’ve got a pretty full-on topic today, so let’s dive into it🗞️.
Like, do you believe everyone should have the opportunity to have a fair go?
🗣️ Why did she say that?
The other day I delved into a topic that I knew very little about.
Immigration law.
As a Kiwi migrant to this country, I’m in one of the most fortunate positions when it comes to easily moving my life here. My move to Australia was completely my own decision, motivated by new work opportunities and a sense of adventure.
But for others, coming to Australia is for survival.
Last week, the Federal Government introduced new legislation that means an appeal on a decision about a temporary visa can be adjudicated without an oral hearing, leaving applicants to plead their case in a written submission.
The government says student visa refusals will be the first area where this new law is applied.
I spoke with Asylum Seeker Resource Centre Deputy CEO Jana Favero, who says there is nothing stopping the government from using this law to make it harder for people to be granted asylum.
She said written submissions alone can’t show the complexity of a person’s situation, and that they can be an insurmountable challenge for those who don’t speak English as their first language.
Check-out the full interview below:
Thanks for catching up with me. I hope you enjoyed this issue, and I’d love to hear your thoughts. Just reply to this email and I’ll be on the other side 👋
I’ll be back on Monday.
Cheers, Archie