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Distraught family faces eviction from Australia after 13 years

<p dir="ltr">A family in Sydney’s Sutherland Shire are facing the threat of deportation after 13 years living in Australia, with the Federal Government reportedly declining every attempt they’ve made at gaining permanent residency. </p> <p dir="ltr">Speaking to 2GB’s Chris O’Keefe, Emma and Nathan Mills explained how they’d left the United Kingdom in 2010 to start a new life down under with their two children, entering Australia on 457 skilled worker visas - visas for skilled migrants.</p> <p dir="ltr">They had plans to care for Emma’s dad, who is an Australian citizen with serious spinal injuries and mental health concerns. </p> <p dir="ltr">The young family settled in Sydney’s Sutherland Shire with their kids, and have spent the past 13 years making a home for themselves, and even welcoming a third child - daughter Daisy, who is now 11. Their eldest son James is now 21 and is considered “a respectable young member of the community”, while their second son Harry is undertaking his HSC.</p> <p dir="ltr">According to Emma and Nathan, they have done everything in their power to secure permanent residency for themselves and their children, but have been declined by the government at every stage. </p> <p dir="ltr">And now, they are facing an unwanted return to the country they left all those years ago. </p> <p dir="ltr">“Are we going to be sent back to a country that is essentially foreign to us all now?” Emma said to O’Keefe. “My children don’t have lives or memories of the UK, they have memories of Australia. This is their home.”</p> <p dir="ltr">She went on to stress that they’d “built a life here”, and that it was hard for any of them to “comprehend that this is even happening.” </p> <p dir="ltr">Emma did explain that changes to the immigration system, and her husband’s employment, were factors in their ability to apply for permanent residency - he works as an employment advisor, while she is a full-time carer to their children and to her father. They’d even tried to apply for a carer visa, but were rejected at that turn, too.</p> <p dir="ltr">And as Emma told O’Keefe, she’d only found out about the rejection when her kid’s schools called to inform her their enrolments had been cancelled due to the visa revocations. </p> <p dir="ltr">"The principal informed me that from the Monday she [Daisy] was not permitted to return to school. I was in shock and disbelief," she said. </p> <p dir="ltr">"I then got a call from Engadine High School with the same news. What shocked me and frightened me the most is my eldest son [still attending school] was due to sit his HSC the following week."</p> <p dir="ltr">And while the family did win an appeal in the Administrative Appeals Tribunal that should have permitted them to stay in Australia, they were never granted visas, and even their Medicare was cancelled. </p> <p dir="ltr">Things took another turn for the worst on April 13, when they received a letter from the Home Affairs Department that gave them 35 days to leave the country, or else they may be detained and deported. </p> <p dir="ltr">Emma revealed that her father was “absolutely devastated” about how the situation was transpiring, and that they’d “tried to do everything the right way” to no avail. </p> <p dir="ltr">Still, they’re determined to keep fighting to stay in their home, and have appealed for Immigration Minister Andrew Giles to reconsider the potentially life-changing decision.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: Drive with Chris O’Keefe / 2GB</em></p>

Legal

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“I want to go back”: Novak Djokovic weighs in on Australian visa outcome

<p dir="ltr">Novak Djokovic has said he was “very happy” to find out that he will be allowed to compete at the Australian Open next year, after he was granted a visa that lets him return to the country.</p> <p dir="ltr">The World No.1 was barred from entering Australia until 2025 after being at the centre of a major international drama ahead of this year’s Australian Open, which saw him being held in a detention centre for attempting to enter the country without being vaccinated.</p> <p dir="ltr">But, Djokovic will now be able to go for his record-extending 10th Australian Open title after receiving the visa and has said he couldn’t have received “better news”.</p> <p dir="ltr">“It’s a relief, obviously, knowing what I and people closest to me in my life have been through this year with what happened in Australia and post-Australia obviously,” he said after defeating Andrey Rublev at the ATP Finals in Turin.</p> <p dir="ltr">"I could not receive better news for sure — during this tournament as well. [The] Australian Open has been my most successful grand slam. I made some of the best memories there.</p> <p dir="ltr">"Of course, I want to go back there, I want to play tennis, do what I do best, hopefully have a great Australian summer.</p> <p dir="ltr">"I'm always thankful to go through experiences, no matter what the experiences are. I try to be optimistic and positive in life.</p> <p dir="ltr">"I look forward to starting the new year in Australia, and we'll see how the next year goes."</p> <p dir="ltr">Having received the news before the match, where Djokovic beat Rublev 6-4, 6-1 to qualify for the semi-finals, the 35-year-old reckons the good news helped him perform on court.</p> <p dir="ltr">"Did it affect my game today? I would like to believe it did,” he said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Why not? I don't think it did affect me too much because I'm familiar with what I need to do in order to prepare myself for every match.</p> <p dir="ltr">"Of course, knowing that I have clarity now, what I do in the off-season, starting the season in Australia, also of course it did relieve some of the pressure me and my team felt. Just giving that clarity makes it great for us."</p> <p dir="ltr">After missing out on this year’s competition, the Serbian athlete’s future in Australia has looked like a possibility since the government ended rules requiring overseas visitors to declare their Covid vaccination status in July.</p> <p dir="ltr">Earlier this week, Djokovic commented that he had received positive signs about the ban being overturned and his potential return.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-22a4009e-7fff-0279-d152-f1bb40eb3082"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Twitter</em></p>

Travel Trouble

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Aussies invited overseas to live and work tax-free

<p dir="ltr">Does the digital nomad lifestyle seem too good to be true? Well, working poolside could be your next sensible business move, with popular tropical holiday destination Bali introducing a new visa to entice visitors.</p> <p dir="ltr">The Indonesian government has announced a foreign “remote workers” visa where freelancers can dial in from the beautiful resort-style island tax-free.</p> <p dir="ltr">Proposed earlier in 2022, the renewed B211A visa allows Australians to work in Indonesia for up to six months without paying tax, according to the Tourism Minister Sandiaga Uno. The announcement was made last week in an attempt to attract workers who are keen on a change of lifestyle.</p> <p dir="ltr">Typically, digital nomads are on 30-day tourist visas and have had to leave and re-enter the country monthly if they wanted to stay. Tourism Minister Uno now hopes the government turning its attention to Bali’s remote worker crowd will help foster growth.</p> <p dir="ltr">He said the move could help create an extra 4.4 million jobs across Indonesia by 2024.</p> <p dir="ltr">“With a visa valid for two months and can be extended for six months, I am more confident that the number of foreign tourists interested in residing in Indonesia will increase and will automatically impact the economic revival,” he said.</p> <p dir="ltr">A proposal for an extended version of a similar visa is still under discussion.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Getty</em></p>

Money & Banking

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Australia’s temporary visa system is unfair, expensive, impractical and inconsistent. Here’s how the new government could fix it

<p>The election of the Albanese Labor government brings an opportunity to end one of the most detrimental elements of Australian refugee law and policy in the past decade: the use of temporary visas. </p> <p>Temporary protection has been the only option available for asylum seekers who arrived by boat a decade ago and were recognised as refugees. Known as the “legacy caseload”, these people are caught in a system of law and policy that keeps them in a state of perpetual limbo. </p> <p>As the new government committed to end temporary protection, we have <a href="https://www.kaldorcentre.unsw.edu.au/news/new-kaldor-centre-policy-brief-proposes-reforms-australia%E2%80%99s-temporary-protection-system">just published a policy brief</a> with the Kaldor Centre for International Refugee Law outlining how this could be achieved.</p> <p>Our report sets out practical reforms that can be implemented relatively simply, within existing legislative provisions and with only minimal changes to policy and regulations.</p> <p>The 17 recommendations were produced in consultation with refugees and asylum seekers living on temporary protection visas and bridging visas. We also consulted civil society, including former and current temporary protection visa holders and legal groups working with refugees.</p> <p>The impact of temporary protection and the fast-track system on refugees and asylum seekers has left many <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/inm.12325">depressed and suicidal</a>. <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/jun/29/the-new-government-gives-me-hope-that-the-cruel-limbo-of-temporary-protection-visas-might-end">Expectations</a> from those living on temporary visas and the wider refugee advocates are high and there is significant apprehension about the transition.</p> <p>The new government understands it will need to approach reforms carefully. Our recommendations are accompanied by a trauma-informed strategy to help reduce mental distress, deterioration and retraumatisation of asylum seekers, while also increasing community engagement.</p> <h2>The current system is damaging</h2> <p>Australia’s temporary protection system is <a href="https://www.kaldorcentre.unsw.edu.au/news/new-kaldor-centre-policy-brief-proposes-reforms-australia%E2%80%99s-temporary-protection-system">unfair, expensive, impractical and inconsistent</a> with our international human rights obligations.</p> <p>In 2014, the Coalition government reintroduced a Howard-era three-year Temporary Protection Visa (TPV) and a five-year Safe Haven Enterprise Visa (SHEV) for the more than 30,000 people who arrived by boat between August 13 2012 and January 1 2014. </p> <p>However, unlike the earlier Howard policy, the temporary visas this time provided no realistic prospect of applying for permanent protection. </p> <p>The number of people in this “legacy caseload” as <a href="https://www.homeaffairs.gov.au/research-and-stats/files/uma-legacy-caseload-may-2022.pdf">of May 2022</a> is 31,256. </p> <p>They come from many countries. The largest number are from Afghanistan, Iran, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. The majority – around 19,500 people – have been found to be refugees and have been granted TPV and SHEV. </p> <p>The 10,000 who have been refused a visa were assessed through a “fast-track” process that has <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-the-biloela-tamil-family-deportation-case-highlights-the-failures-of-our-refugee-system-123685">been neither fair nor fast</a>. </p> <p>People who have been refused have been living in the Australian community for ten years or more while awaiting the outcome of appeals. </p> <p>Some (<a href="https://theconversation.com/the-biloela-family-are-going-home-but-what-will-labor-do-with-thousands-of-other-asylum-seekers-in-limbo-in-australia-183621">such as the Nadeselingham family</a>) are working or have had children in Australia.</p> <p>There are also many asylum seekers from Afghanistan who have been refused visas but who cannot return due to the reemergence of the Taliban in August 2021. </p> <p>In other words, some of those refused visas may well be refugees or have other ties to the Australian community. However, the current legal system does not allow them to apply for other visas without going through cumbersome, expensive appeals and ministerial intervention processes. </p> <p>People who hold TPVs and SHEVs are allowed to work but not to reunite with family or travel freely overseas.</p> <p>Others live on precarious short-term bridging visas, some without the right to work. Many are without access to income support. In either situation, the uncertainty is damaging people’s mental health and well-being.</p> <h2>Key recommendations</h2> <p>The focus of the policy brief was to set out reforms either within the current legislative and policy framework, or with minimal changes. </p> <p>This means changes can occur within a relatively short time frame. </p> <p>Key recommendations include: </p> <ul> <li> <p>refugees on TPVs and SHEVs should be moved onto permanent visas known as Resolution of Status visas. People who have not yet been assessed or who have previously been refused protection should also be able to apply for a permanent visa that does not require another assessment of their protection claims</p> </li> <li> <p>restrictions on travel for TPV and SHEV holders should be removed, pending the grant of a permanent visa and includes specific recommendations in relation to travel documents. Travel is essential for re-establishing links to separated family</p> </li> <li> <p>family reunion, particularly partners and children, should be prioritised. Granting people permanent visas allows them to begin the process of family reunion through the family or humanitarian programs</p> </li> <li> <p>the government should establish a specialised team in the Department of Home Affairs to work closely with migration agents, lawyers and refugee communities. This group could identify other options for allowing reunification of close relatives and children who, under current law, may not fall within the definition of “member of a family unit”. Families have been separated for at least 10 years; many left children at home who have now reached ages where they will no longer be considered dependent.</p> </li> </ul> <p>In 2014, the new minister for immigration, citizenship and multicultural affairs Andrew Giles <a href="https://parlinfo.aph.gov.au/parlInfo/genpdf/chamber/hansardr/a275472e-b699-46e7-ac29-bcf2fb8ee942/0018/hansard_frag.pdf;fileType=application%2Fpdf">said, "</a>Labor has a longstanding policy of opposing TPVs, for good reason. They do not provide a sustainable solution for refugees. The uncertainty exacerbates real mental health issues and denies people the capacity to live full lives. As well as significant international law concerns with these provisions, they put people in limbo. There is no deterrence value here, even if you accept that to be a valid policy objective – they only place vulnerable people in a place of uncertainty."</p> <p>He now has significant power to put those words into action.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p> <p><em>This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/australias-temporary-visa-system-is-unfair-expensive-impractical-and-inconsistent-heres-how-the-new-government-could-fix-it-185870" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>. </em></p>

International Travel

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Djokovic addresses visa furore with Serbian president

<p dir="ltr">Two weeks after he was forced to leave the country, Novak Djokovic has shared his story with the public for the first time.</p><p dir="ltr">The tennis champion met with Serbia’s President Aleksander Vučić at a press conference on Thursday night, describing the “unfortunate events in Australia” which “was at least unexpected, as it happened”, he said, smiling.</p><p dir="ltr">Since his deportation, Djokovic has been spending his time in Belgrade and Montenegro.</p><p><span id="docs-internal-guid-3c5348da-7fff-dd8d-28a0-bebbe56c610c"></span></p><p dir="ltr">“This is the first time I go public,” he <a href="https://www.news.com.au/sport/tennis/novak-djokovic-promises-to-give-his-version-of-events-after-australia-drama/news-story/bd983956812f4f750788974b2b532ca9" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>.</p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Feb 3, 2022 Presidental Palace, Belgrade 🇷🇸<br /><br />Novak Djokovic: "President, I would like to thank you and the state of Serbia both for support during the unfortunate events in Australia and for standing by my side." <a href="https://twitter.com/pavyg?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@pavyg</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/TennisPuneet?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TennisPuneet</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/NovakFanClub?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NovakFanClub</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/CraigKellyMP?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@CraigKellyMP</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/DMDent?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DMDent</a> <br />1/2 <a href="https://t.co/tk0ocNeFzF">pic.twitter.com/tk0ocNeFzF</a></p>— Zvezda je život (@FkczBelgrade) <a href="https://twitter.com/FkczBelgrade/status/1489177087898714113?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 3, 2022</a></blockquote><p dir="ltr">He thanked the President for his support, as well as the Serbian people after “these circumstances that found me in Australia”.</p><p dir="ltr">Djokovic said their support has shown “that this connection will be like that forever”.</p><p dir="ltr">Though he has promised to share his story “in more detail”, he did share part of it was President Vučić.</p><p dir="ltr">“I wanted to see you first of all because as a citizen of Serbia I felt a great need to thank you for the great support you gave me as President of Serbia,” he said.</p><p dir="ltr">“Although I was alone in detention in Australia and faced many problems and challenges, I did not feel lonely.</p><p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-395ae6cf-7fff-0e7e-13fb-55b76bcb51db"></span></p><p dir="ltr">“You stood up and stood behind me and put yourself in a compromised political position, within the framework of international relations, and that is why I am extremely grateful. I will remember that.”</p><p dir="ltr"><img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/02/djokovic-vucic.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /></p><p dir="ltr"><em style="margin: 0px;padding: 0px;border: 0px;font-size: 16px;vertical-align: baseline;color: #323338;font-family: Roboto, Arial;background-color: #ffffff">Djokovic appeared alongside the President of Serbia to share his side of the story. Image: Andrej Isakovic/</em><em style="margin: 0px;padding: 0px;border: 0px;font-size: 16px;vertical-align: baseline;color: #323338;font-family: Roboto, Arial;background-color: #ffffff">AFP via Getty Images</em></p><p dir="ltr">President Vučić praised Djokovid for “glorifying our country”, though he admitted he initially urged the tennis star to leave the country when he first received the news of his detention.</p><p dir="ltr">“And then I saw how persistent he is, how much he wanted to play, to fight on the sports field, to show on the sports field how much he is ready to fight not only for himself, but his country and show that he is better than others,” Vučić explained.</p><p dir="ltr">Djokovic’s arrival in Australia sparked intense backlash after it emerged that he was eligible for a medical exemption to enter the country while unvaccinated and was then detained upon arrival in Melbourne.</p><p dir="ltr">After spending time in hotel detention - prompting protests for his freedom - Djokovic was finally deported after the Federal Court upheld Immigration Minister Alex Hawke’s decision to cancel his visa.</p><p dir="ltr">“For media representatives, I would like to add that since I did not advertise in public about the Australian events, this is the first time I go public,” he said on Thursday night.</p><p dir="ltr">He urged people to “please be patient”, and that he would address the situation “in more detail with my version of the story to everything that happened in Australia” within the next seven to ten days.</p><p dir="ltr">President Vučić had nothing but praise for Djokovic, telling the media that “someone special and bigger than all of us is here today”.</p><p dir="ltr">“Thank you for representing our country with honour, courage and in the best way, and for doing so in the future. Thank you for the great fight you fought in Australia,” Vučić said.</p><p dir="ltr">A statement from the President’s office said “that the ladies were specially groomed, and all this shows that someone special and much bigger came”.</p><p dir="ltr">“It had never happened that we have so many people in the building, that all the secretaries, all bookkeepers, all cooks, janitors, came because they wanted to see Novak,” the statement read.</p><p dir="ltr">“He will beat them all, at Roland Garros, Wimbledon and the US Open. I predict that.”</p><p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-c3816aad-7fff-361a-6b01-bb2190cc7832"></span></p><p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Srdjan Stevanovic/Getty Images</em></p>

News

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Has Novak's deportation ruined Australia's global reputation?

<p>The world has turned its attention to the Australian government's handling of Novak Djokovic and his refusal to get vaccinated, in order to compete in the Australian Open. </p> <p>As the tennis champion was <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/news/news/djokovic-escorted-out-of-australia">deported from Melbourne</a> on Monday morning, many spectators of the saga have drawn attention to the Morrison Government's strict border policies. </p> <p>Greg Barns from the Australian Lawyers Alliance said it was “dangerous” and “Orwellian” and “deeply troubling in a society supposedly committed to freedom of speech and freedom of thought”.</p> <p>However, despite the <a rel="noopener" href="https://oversixty.com.au/news/news/serbia-s-reaction-to-djokovic-deportation" target="_blank">growing outrage</a> in Novak's native Serbia, the notion that the tennis player's deportation has harmed Australia's international reputation is a lie Aussie's should not have to face.</p> <p>Readers of international publications such as the New York Times, the BBC and NBC News have all celebrated the decision made by Immigration Minister Alex Hawke to cancel Novak's visa and uphold the strong Australian borders. </p> <p>The Immigration Minister's decision to cancel the visa was supported by the Federal Court of Australia, preventing the tennis champion from competing in the Australian Open. </p> <p>“I am so glad this happened! Australia has worked very hard to keep its citizens safe! Kudos to them,” one commenter wrote on a Times story.</p> <p>“Australia has every single right to enforce their rules and laws, even on celebrities. Get vaccinated,” another wrote.</p> <p>When the BBC shared the news of his deportation on Facebook, the majority of the comments were in support of the government's decision. </p> <p>“Glad they stood their ground, in the end of the day Novak is just another human who should obey the rules,” one person wrote.</p> <div id="ad-block-4x4-1" class="w_unruly ad-block ad-custom unruly_insert_native_ad_here" data-type="unruly" data-ad-size="4x4" data-device-type="web" data-ad-tar="pos=1" data-ad-pos="1" data-google-query-id="CMaTzZ31t_UCFflCnQkdIy4Mow"> <div id="ad-block-2x2-1" data-google-query-id="CLnHxqT1t_UCFZCNjwodfvoFlg"> <div id="" class="story-content tg-tlc-storybody"> <p>Others agreed, writing, “Well done Australia for doing the right thing. You proved once again that you don’t pander to those who try to cheat and lie.</p> <p>“They’ve done the right thing by their citizens, who have had to live under restrictions (like many of us) for some time now. So someone blatantly lying to avoid the rules isn’t OK. He should’ve done the decent things and gone home days ago.”</p> <p>Australian journalist <span>Quentin Dempster wrote that the Morrison Government had no choice to deport Novak, given Australia's rising case numbers and hospitalisations. </span></p> <p><span>“This is a public health crisis,” he wrote on Twitter. “In a democracy free speech also comes with an ethical responsibility not to mislead or incite mass harm. Anti-vaxxers are doing just that. ICUs are clogged, people are dying.”</span></p> <p><span>Djokovic left Australia on a flight to Dubai on Sunday night after the full bench of the Federal Court of Australia ruled unanimously to kick him out of the country. </span></p> <p><span>Due to the visa restrictions, the world number one champion is banned from entering Australia for three years. </span></p> <p><span>Prime Minister Scott Morrison told Ben Fordham on 2GB on Monday that Novak "didn't have" a valid exemption to enter Australia unvaccinated. </span></p> <p>“He was wrong,’’ Mr Morrison said. “As simple as that. “He didn’t have one and that is the bottom line to that.</p> <p>“But the idea that someone could come and not follow those rules was just not on.”</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p> </div> </div> </div>

News

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New visa twist as more Novak accusations emerge

<p>After the decision to cancel Novak Djokovic's visa was overturned in Federal Court on Monday, the Serbian tennis champ is still at risk of being deported ahead of the Australian Open.</p> <p>Questions are now being asked about the information Novak provided on his Australia Travel Declaration form, as Australian Border Force officials are investigating if he lied on the document. </p> <p>Djokovic is facing allegations of traveling from his native Serbia to Spain in the 14 days before he flew to Australia last week. </p> <p>In his Travel Declaration form, the tennis champ ticked a box saying he has not travelled, and was not planning to travel, in the fortnight before his trip to Melbourne. </p> <p>A statement on the form reads, “Note: Giving false or misleading information is a serious offence. You may also be liable to a civil penalty for giving false or misleading information.”</p> <p>Djokovic flew from Spain to Dubai on January 4th, then boarded a flight from Dubai to Melbourne on January 5th.</p> <p>Following social media posts of Novak appearing to be in the Serbian capital of Belgrade over Christmas, multiple reports from international media outlets claim that Novak was in fact in Spain in early January to prepare for the Australian Open, which begins next week. </p> <p><span>On January 4, the </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://tennishead.net/its-disappointing-declares-two-time-slam-finalist-on-novak-djokovic-uncertainty/" target="_blank" class="body-link">Tennis Head </a><span>website reported: “Djokovic is still training in Marbella, Spain on the same surface and with the official balls for the Australian Open.”</span></p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">We can confirm <a href="https://twitter.com/DjokerNole?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DjokerNole</a> is ready for <a href="https://twitter.com/AustralianOpen?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@AustralianOpen</a> if possible! <a href="https://t.co/q9WJFzBU41">pic.twitter.com/q9WJFzBU41</a></p> — SotoTennis Academy (@SotoTennis) <a href="https://twitter.com/SotoTennis/status/1476898807795392527?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 31, 2021</a></blockquote> <p>On Monday night, a spokesman for Federal Immigration Alex Hawke said “it remains within (his) ... discretion to consider cancelling Mr Djokovic’s visa under his personal power of cancellation within section 133C (3) of the Migration Act”.</p> <p>“The Minister is currently considering the matter and the process remains ongoing,” the spokesman said.</p> <p>Government lawyer Christopher Tran said that if the Immigration Minister chooses to exercise his "personal power of cancellation", Novak would be unable to return to Australia for three years. </p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p>

News

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"Round 1" goes to Novak as ugly scenes unfold on Melbourne streets

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Novak Djokovic has claimed victory in “Round 1” of his legal battle with the Australian government over his cancelled visa.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">However the tennis champion may still be forced to leave the country, with Australia’s Immigration Minister still considering whether to cancel his visa for a second time.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">His hearing through the Federal Court of Australia - which he viewed via a live stream while at his lawyers’ offices - ended with the overturning of the government’s decision to cancel Djokovic’s visa on health grounds, ending his five days in detention.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Judge Anthony Kelly said it was “unreasonable” to cancel Djokovic’s visa and ordered that the World No.1 be released from immigration detention within 30 minutes of the verdict.</span></p> <p><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.foxsports.com.au/tennis/australian-open/novak-djokovic-australian-open-2022-court-hearing-live-verdict-updates-latest-deported-covid-vaccination-australia/news-story/229a81a296bfe1e20feefcc5c6cfda15" target="_blank"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Djokovic will be allowed to stay</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> in Australia and have his passport returned to him, despite the federal government’s strict requirements on foreign arrivals for the past two years.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Australian taxpayers will also foot the cost of Djhokovic’s legal team.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Serbian tennis star posted a photo on social media following the verdict, showing him standing with his entourage on Rod Laver Arena after finishing his first training session.</span></p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">I’m pleased and grateful that the Judge overturned my visa cancellation. Despite all that has happened,I want to stay and try to compete <a href="https://twitter.com/AustralianOpen?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@AustralianOpen</a> <br />I remain focused on that. I flew here to play at one of the most important events we have in front of the amazing fans. 👇 <a href="https://t.co/iJVbMfQ037">pic.twitter.com/iJVbMfQ037</a></p> — Novak Djokovic (@DjokerNole) <a href="https://twitter.com/DjokerNole/status/1480529173789696001?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 10, 2022</a></blockquote> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I’m pleased and grateful that the Judge overturned my visa cancellation. Despite all that has happened, I want to stay and try to compete (at the) Australian Open,” he wrote.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I remain focused on that.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I flew here to play at one of the most important events we have in front of the amazing fans.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Djokovic’s family also spoke to the media in Serbia after he shared his update, thanking fans for their support and praising the judge for his verdict.</span></p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">From Djokovic's brother Djordje <a href="https://t.co/q7T4CvdEYi">https://t.co/q7T4CvdEYi</a></p> — Christopher Clarey 🇺🇸 🇫🇷 🇪🇸 (@christophclarey) <a href="https://twitter.com/christophclarey/status/1480458045167521792?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 10, 2022</a></blockquote> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“The whole process was not about tennis or the Australian Open, it was about justice for what was done to him,” his younger brother, Djordje Djokovic, told media.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Novak is only fighting for the liberty of choice.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“We are grateful for [the] justice system for Australia.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Djokovic’s father - who led protests in the Serbian capital of Belgrade after his son was detained - said his son’s human rights had been taken away, while his mother Dijana said he was subjected to “torture”.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“This is his biggest win in his career, it is bigger than any grand slam,” she said.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“He has done nothing wrong, he hasn’t broken any of their laws.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“He has been subject to torture, to harassment.”</span></p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr"><a href="https://t.co/PGzegChaRo">pic.twitter.com/PGzegChaRo</a></p> — Laura Jayes (@ljayes) <a href="https://twitter.com/ljayes/status/1480456839770750979?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 10, 2022</a></blockquote> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">After the verdict, Djokovic’s fans congregated outside his lawyers’ office and chanted “Free Nole”, believing he was being detained once again due to a heavy police presence and false reports of his arrest.</span></p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Djokovic?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Djokovic</a> supporters have arrived at his location amid reports that he may be imminently re-detained <a href="https://t.co/JCMPdSLETW">pic.twitter.com/JCMPdSLETW</a></p> — Michael Miller (@MikeMillerDC) <a href="https://twitter.com/MikeMillerDC/status/1480465888994213891?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 10, 2022</a></blockquote> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Chaotic scenes soon broke out, including clashes between fans and police, while fans mobbed a black Audi attempting to make its way through the crowd.</span></p> <p><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-01-11/novak-djokovic-breaks-silence-family-attacks-aus-government/100748736" target="_blank"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Officers used pepper spray</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> to disperse the crowd as fans began banging on the windows and one man jumped onto it.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">It was later discovered that Djokovic was not in the vehicle, with police confirming he had already left the building.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Prime Minister Scott Morrison said Djokovic was treated “the same as everyone else”.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The 34-year-old was detained after touching down at Victoria’s Tullamarine Airport last week, where his visa was revoked.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">According to the court’s finding, read out in the online hearing, Djokovic was interviewed overnight and told he had until 8.30am to reply to the proposed cancellation of his visa.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Instead, a border agent cancelled it at 7.42am.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In a transcript from the airport interview, Djokovic expressed his confusion about why he wasn’t being allowed to enter the country.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I just really don’t understand what is the reason you don’t allow me to enter the country,” he told the border control agent, according to the transcript.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">But, lawyer Christopher Tran - representing the federal government - told Judge Kelly that, despite Djokovic’s victory, Immigration Minister Alex Hawke may still decide to use his “personal power of cancellation” to order his removal from the country. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">By doing so, Djokovic would be banned from coming into Australia for three years.</span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Image: @djokernole (Instagram)</span></em></p>

News

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Remote-work visas will shape the future of work, travel and citizenship

<p>During lockdown, travel was not only a distant dream, it was unlawful. Some even <a href="https://theconversation.com/coronavirus-is-a-once-in-a-lifetime-chance-to-reshape-how-we-travel-134764">predicted</a> that how we travel would change forever. Those in power that broke travel bans <a href="https://theconversation.com/could-the-dominic-cummings-affair-damage-boris-johnson-in-the-long-term-heres-what-history-tells-us-139514">caused scandals</a>. The empty skies and <a href="https://theconversation.com/coronavirus-should-give-us-hope-that-we-are-able-to-tackle-the-climate-crisis-133174">hopes</a> that climate change could be tackled were a silver lining, of sorts. COVID-19 has certainly made travel morally divisive.</p> <p>Amid these anxieties, many countries eased lockdown restrictions at the <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-532061480">exact time</a> the summer holiday season traditionally began. Many avoided flying, opting for staycations, and in mid-August 2020, global flights were <a href="https://www.statista.com/statistics/1104036/novel-coronavirus-weekly-flights-change-airlines-region/">down 47%</a> on the previous year. Even so, hundreds of thousands still holidayed abroad, only then to be caught out by sudden quarantine measures.</p> <p>In mid-August for example, <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-53773914">160,000 British holiday makers</a> were still in France when quarantine measures were imposed. On August 22, Croatia, Austria, and Trinidad and Tobago were added to the UK’s <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-53871078">quarantine list</a>, then Switzerland, Jamaica and the Czech Republic <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-53937997">the week after</a> – causing continued confusion and panic.</p> <p>This insistence on travelling abroad, with ensuing rushes to race home, has prompted much <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/europe-travel-coronavirus/2020/08/20/a426b6e4-e23e-11ea-82d8-5e55d47e90ca_story.html">tut-tutting</a>. Some have predicted travel and tourism may cause winter lockdowns. Flight shaming is already a <a href="https://theconversation.com/flight-shaming-how-to-spread-the-campaign-that-made-swedes-give-up-flying-for-good-133842">cultural sport</a> in Sweden, and vacation shaming has even become <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/europe-travel-coronavirus/2020/08/20/a426b6e4-e23e-11ea-82d8-5e55d47e90ca_story.html">a thing</a> in the US.</p> <p>Amid these moral panics, Barbados has reframed the conversation about travel by launching a “<a href="https://www.barbadoswelcomestamp.bb/">Barbados Welcome Stamp</a>” which allows visitors to stay and work remotely for up to 12 months.</p> <p>Prime Minister Mia Mottley explained the new visa has been prompted by COVID-19 making short-term visits difficult due to time-consuming testing and the potential for quarantine. But this isn’t a problem if you can visit for a few months and work through quarantine with the beach on your doorstep. This trend is rapidly spreading to other countries. <a href="https://forms.gov.bm/work-from-bermuda/">Bermuda</a>, <a href="https://e-resident.gov.ee/nomadvisa/">Estonia</a> and <a href="https://stopcov.ge/en/News/Article/Gov't_to_allow_int'l_citizens_to_work_remotely_from_Georgia">Georgia</a> have all launched remote work-friendly visas.</p> <p>I think these moves by smaller nations may change how we work and holiday forever. It could also change how many think about citizenship.</p> <p><strong>Digital nomads</strong></p> <p>This new take on visas and border controls may seem novel, but the idea of working remotely in paradise is not new. <a href="https://theconversation.com/digital-nomads-what-its-really-like-to-work-while-travelling-the-world-99345">Digital nomads</a> - often millennials engaged in mobile-friendly jobs such as e-commerce, copywriting and design - have been working in exotic destinations for the last decade. The <a href="https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/features/11597145/Living-and-working-in-paradise-the-rise-of-the-digital-nomad.html">mainstream press</a> started covering them in the mid-2010s.</p> <p>Fascinated by this, I started <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40558-020-00172-4">researching</a> the digital nomad lifestyle five years ago – and haven’t stopped. In 2015, digital nomads were seen as a niche but rising trend. Then COVID-19 paused the <a href="https://medium.com/age-of-awareness/has-covid-19-ruined-the-digital-nomad-ecf6772afda2">dream</a>. Digital nomad Marcus Dace was working in Bali when COVID-19 struck. His travel insurance was invalidated, and he’s now in a flat near Bristol wondering when he can travel.</p> <p>Dace’s story is common. He told me: “At least 50% of the nomads I knew returned to their home countries because of <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/">CDC</a> and <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/foreign-commonwealth-office">Foreign Office</a> guidance.” Now this new burst of visa and border policy announcements has pulled digital nomads back into the <a href="https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/how-to-be-a-digital-nomad-and-work-remotely-while-travelling-the-world-vn09rd7j6">headlines</a>.</p> <p>So, will the lines between digital nomads and remote workers <a href="https://theconversation.com/five-workplace-trends-will-shape-life-after-lockdown-138077">blur?</a> COVID-19 might still be making international travel difficult. But remote work – the other foundation of digital nomadism – is now firmly in the mainstream. So much so that remote work is considered by many to be <a href="https://theconversation.com/remote-working-the-new-normal-for-many-but-it-comes-with-hidden-risks-new-research-133989">here to stay</a>.</p> <p>Before COVID-19, office workers were geographically tethered to their offices, and it was mainly business travellers and the lucky few digital nomads who were able to take their work with them and travel while working. Since the start of the pandemic, many digital nomads had to work in a single location, and office workers have become remote workers – giving them a glimpse of the digital nomad lifestyle.</p> <p>COVID-19 has upended other old certainties. Before the pandemic, digital nomads would tell me that they <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40558-020-00172-4">despised</a> being thought of as tourists. This is perhaps unsurprising: tourism was viewed as an escape from work. And other established norms have toppled: homes became offices, <a href="https://theconversation.com/after-coronavirus-how-seasonal-migration-and-empty-centres-might-change-our-cities-139439">city centres emptied</a>, and workers looked to <a href="https://www.rightmove.co.uk/press-centre/village-enquiries-double-as-city-dwellers-escape-to-the-country/">escape to the country</a>.</p> <p>Given this rate of change, it’s not such a leap of faith to accept tourist locations as remote work destinations.</p> <p><strong>A Japanese businessman predicted this</strong></p> <p>The idea of tourist destinations touting themselves as workplaces is not new. Japanese technologist <a href="https://ethw.org/Tsugio_Makimoto">Tsugio Makimoto</a> <a href="https://www.wiley.com/en-us/Digital+Nomad-p-9780471974994">predicted</a> the digital nomad phenomenon in 1997, decades before millennials Instagrammed themselves working remotely in Bali. He prophesied that the rise of remote working would force nation states “to compete for citizens”, and that digital nomadism would prompt “declines in materialism and nationalism”.</p> <p>Before COVID-19 – with populism and nationalism <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-new-right-how-a-frenchman-born-150-years-ago-inspired-the-extreme-nationalism-behind-brexit-and-donald-trump-117277">on the rise</a> – Makimoto’s prophecy seemed outlandish. Yet COVID-19 has turned <a href="https://theconversation.com/overtourism-a-growing-global-problem-100029">over-tourism</a> into under-tourism. And with a growing list of countries launching schemes, it seems nations are starting to “compete” for remote workers as well as tourists.</p> <p>The latest development is the Croatian government discussing a <a href="https://www.total-croatia-news.com/lifestyle/45869-croatian-bureaucracy-2-0">digital-nomad visa</a> – further upping the stakes. The effects of these changes are hard to predict. Will local businesses benefit more from long-term visitors than from hordes of cruise ship visitors swarming in for a day? Or will an influx of remote workers create Airbnb hotspots, <a href="https://qz.com/quartzy/1574182/ahead-of-its-ipo-what-even-is-airbnb-anymore/">pricing locals out</a> of popular destinations?</p> <p><strong>It’s down to employers</strong></p> <p>The real question is whether employers allow workers to switch country. It sounds far-fetched, but Google staff can already work remote until <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/jackkelly/2020/08/21/salesforce-joins-google-and-facebook-in-extending-work-from-home-to-next-summer/">summer 2021</a>. Twitter and 17 other companies have <a href="https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/354872">announced</a> employees can work remotely indefinitely.</p> <p>I’ve interviewed European workers in the UK during COVID-19 and some have been allowed to work remotely from home countries to be near family. At Microsoft’s <a href="https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/research/event/new-future-of-work/">The New Future of Work</a> conference, it was clear that most major companies were mobilising task forces and would launch <a href="https://theconversation.com/remote-working-is-here-to-stay-but-that-doesnt-mean-the-end-of-offices-or-city-centres-145414">new flexible working policies</a> in autumn 2020.</p> <p>Countries like Barbados will surely be watching closely to see which companies could be the first to launch employment contracts allowing workers to move countries. If this happens, the unspoken <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_contract#:%7E:text=The%20theory%20of%20an%20implicit,legitimacy%20to%20such%20a%20government">social contract</a> between employers and employees - that workers must stay in the same country – will be broken. Instead of booking a vacation, you might be soon booking a workcation.</p> <p><em>Written by Dave Cook. Republished with permission of <a href="https://theconversation.com/remote-work-visas-will-shape-the-future-of-work-travel-and-citizenship-145078">The Conversation.</a> </em></p> <p><em> </em></p>

Cruising

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Do I need a visa? List of countries requiring a tourist visa

<p>So you’ve just booked an overseas holiday, or you’re at least pretty set on where you’re travelling to? The next question you should be asking yourself is “Do I need a visa?” Being aware of a country’s entry requirements before you jump on your flight is essential. Otherwise, you could be stuck between an airport interrogation room and a hard place. To save you pouring through hundreds of websites full of misinformation, we’ve put together a list with all the basic info you need.</p> <p><img style="width: 170px; height: 500px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7823248/visa-1.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/77f7eca36d704486bd4088640570e3f4" /></p> <p><img style="width: 166.8478260869565px; height: 500px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7823249/visa-2.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/b4885ec447034bc2b8b51c1b7c6c5014" /></p> <p><img style="width: 298px; height: 436px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7823250/visa-3.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/6db46b8d86ab484380dd95a564b30d13" /></p> <p>Always check the <a href="https://smartraveller.gov.au/Pages/default.aspx?utm_source=FAMILYTRAVEL.com.au">Smartraveller</a> website for the most up-to-date travel advice before you head overseas.</p> <p><em>Written by Bethany Plint. Republished with permission of <a href="https://www.mydiscoveries.com.au/stories/countries-needing-australia-visa/">MyDiscoveries</a>.</em></p>

Travel Tips

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Aussie travellers will soon need a visa to visit Europe

<p>Australians have had a great run of things when it comes to visiting Europe for the longest time now, reaping the benefit of the Schengen Agreement which allows us to explore the continent for 90 days without a visa.</p> <p>But this is set to come to a swift end as <a href="http://www.traveller.com.au/" target="_blank"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong>Traveller reports</strong></em></span></a>, <span>with the European Union implementing a new entry system called European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS). An extra layer of approvals is going to be added, making things slightly more complicated for Australians planning to visit Europe. </span></p> <p><strong>What’s happening?</strong></p> <p>From 2020 on, Australians planning to visit Europe will need to apply for a ETIAS visa online. As part of this process you’ll be asked security questions, details of your travel plans, and many experts are predicting a fee. Expect the process to be similar to the one involved in obtaining an ESTA visa when you’re visiting the US.</p> <p><strong>What if I don’t get a visa?</strong></p> <p>If you don’t get a ETIAS visa, you’re not going to have a very long trip. Australian travellers won’t be allowed to board any aircraft, ferry, cruise ship or train headed for Europe without an ETIAS visa, and there’ll be some big questions when you arrive if you’ve somehow managed to do so without one. </p> <p><strong>Why is this happening?</strong></p> <p>The new entry system is designed to help stem the tide of illegal immigration and beef up security against terrorism. Unfortunately, as is often the case in these matters, it’s the innocent travellers who must pay the price.  </p> <p><strong>Is there anything else I need to know?</strong></p> <p><span>Once you’ve obtained your ETIAS visa it will be business as usual within the Schengen countries, with Australians welcome to stay within the zone and travel freely for up to 90 days in any 180-day period. </span></p> <p><span>There are currently some question marks regarding visa waiver agreements with Australia that predate the Schengen Agreement, but these are expected to be cleared up by the time 2020 swings around.</span></p> <p><span>Our advice? Keep an eye on the <a href="http://smartraveller.gov.au/Pages/default.aspx" target="_blank"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade website</strong></span></a> and if you can, get to Europe before 2020!</span></p>

International Travel

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Are you sure your passport is valid?

<p>According to the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade’s (DFAT)<em> 2016-17 Consular State of Play</em> report, 7370 emergency passports were issued to Aussie travellers in the last year. And while around 4,500 were due to passports being reported stolen or lost, a staggering number had to be replaced as a result of physical damage or because they were invalid.</p> <p>Sure, you pay for a passport thinking it’ll last you 10 years, but some countries require a buffer (usually six months before your passport’s official expiry date) in order for you to enter.</p> <p>“Well before travel, travellers should check that their passport will meet the minimum validity requirements of the countries they plan to visit or transit," DFAT advises.</p> <p>And don’t make the mistake of overestimating the durability of your passport, either. “A passport with damage, especially to the photo page, may not be accepted at borders, leading to expensive inconvenience and a requirement to replace the passport during the trip. Even small tears can render a passport invalid.”</p> <p>According to DFAT, the most common causes of damage to passports are water damage and torn pages. “Travellers should avoid carrying their passport in their back pocket (this also helps to prevent passports being accidentally washed).”</p> <p>Have you ever had to be issued an emergency passport? Or been refused to board a flight because your passport wasn't valid? Share your story with us in the comments below.</p>

Travel Tips

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Could you pass the English language test in Australian visa application?

<p>A pregnant Irish veterinarian with two degrees who has been working in Australia for the last two years, has been sensationally denied a skilled migrant visa after failing the Australian government’s controversial new English language test.</p> <p><strong>To take some of the questions yourself, scroll through the gallery above. </strong></p> <p><strong>(We've included the answers on the very last slide).</strong></p> <p>Dr Louise Kennedy, who currently lives on the Sunshine Coast with her partner and is expected to give birth in 12 weeks, couldn’t believe she did not get enough points on the English oral test component to obtain a visa.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">Had trouble with voice recognition? We meet the Irish vet blaming it for failing the English fluency part of her visa test! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TheProjectTV?src=hash">#TheProjectTV</a> <a href="https://t.co/2rxuRiDRv5">pic.twitter.com/2rxuRiDRv5</a></p> — #TheProjectTV (@theprojecttv) <a href="https://twitter.com/theprojecttv/status/895248615592964096">August 9, 2017</a></blockquote> <p>"It was such a shock," she told <em>SBS World News</em>. "It's the only exam I’ve ever gone into not being nervous about.</p> <p>“It's taken about two-and-a-half years to get to this point because as a vet you've also got to prove your skills as a vet, so I’ve done all of that – that takes about two years – and then to not get it from English is just so frustrating."</p> <p>Dr Kennedy has been working as an equine vet for the last two years. There is currently a huge shortage of equine vets in Australia, particularly in Queensland.</p> <p>Dr Kennedy undertook the computer-based Pearson Test of English Academic (PTE Academic). This manner of testing was approved by the Department of Immigration and Border Protection in 2014, but controversially uses voice recognition technology.</p> <p>Pearson was told she could re-sit the test for free in five week, but is instead applying for a spousal visa and reportedly plans to continue working as an equine vet.  </p> <p>"We're due a baby in 12 weeks so at least I’ll be able to stay here with my husband and baby."</p> <p>A spokesperson for the Department of Immigration and Border Protection told <em>SBS World News</em>, “The Department has not been made aware of any other complaints regarding voice recognition technology used by English language test providers.</p> <p>“PTE Academic is the only English language test provider accepted by the Department using voice recognition technology.”</p> <p>What’s your take? Do you think there’s too much red tape involved with getting a visa? Or is it necessary that the process is that complicated?</p> <p><em>Image credit: Twitter / Nine News</em></p> <p><em>Question source: Department of Immigration</em></p>

Mind

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Could you pass the English language test in Australian visa application?

<p>A pregnant Irish veterinarian with two degrees who has been working in Australia for the last two years, has been sensationally denied a skilled migrant visa after failing the Australian government’s controversial new English language test.</p> <p><strong>To take some of the questions yourself, scroll through the gallery above. </strong></p> <p><strong>(We've included the answers on the very last slide).</strong></p> <p>Dr Louise Kennedy, who currently lives on the Sunshine Coast with her partner and is expected to give birth in 12 weeks, couldn’t believe she did not get enough points on the English oral test component to obtain a visa.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">Had trouble with voice recognition? We meet the Irish vet blaming it for failing the English fluency part of her visa test! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TheProjectTV?src=hash">#TheProjectTV</a> <a href="https://t.co/2rxuRiDRv5">pic.twitter.com/2rxuRiDRv5</a></p> — #TheProjectTV (@theprojecttv) <a href="https://twitter.com/theprojecttv/status/895248615592964096">August 9, 2017</a></blockquote> <p>"It was such a shock," she told <em>SBS World News</em>. "It's the only exam I’ve ever gone into not being nervous about.</p> <p>“It's taken about two-and-a-half years to get to this point because as a vet you've also got to prove your skills as a vet, so I’ve done all of that – that takes about two years – and then to not get it from English is just so frustrating."</p> <p>Dr Kennedy has been working as an equine vet for the last two years. There is currently a huge shortage of equine vets in Australia, particularly in Queensland.</p> <p>Dr Kennedy undertook the computer-based Pearson Test of English Academic (PTE Academic). This manner of testing was approved by the Department of Immigration and Border Protection in 2014, but controversially uses voice recognition technology.</p> <p>Pearson was told she could re-sit the test for free in five week, but is instead applying for a spousal visa and reportedly plans to continue working as an equine vet.  </p> <p>"We're due a baby in 12 weeks so at least I’ll be able to stay here with my husband and baby."</p> <p>A spokesperson for the Department of Immigration and Border Protection told <em>SBS World News</em>, “The Department has not been made aware of any other complaints regarding voice recognition technology used by English language test providers.</p> <p>“PTE Academic is the only English language test provider accepted by the Department using voice recognition technology.”</p> <p>What’s your take? Do you think there’s too much red tape involved with getting a visa? Or is it necessary that the process is that complicated?</p> <p><em>Image credit: Twitter / Nine News</em></p> <p><em>Question source: Department of Immigration</em></p>

Mind

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Foreign workers banned from local fast-food jobs

<p>The Federal Government is set to place restrictions on the number of 457 skilled worker visas handed out to fast food chains like McDonalds and Hungry Jacks.</p> <p>More than 500 skilled worked visas have been doled out over the past four years under a fast-track visa process for the industry approved by Julia Gillard’s Labor Government in 2012, but this has been canned by Immigration Minister Peter Dutton.</p> <p>In a statement, the Federal Member for Dickson said, “Australian workers, particularly young Australians, must be given priority. The Turnbull Government is committed to ensuring that career pathways are available for young Australians.</p> <p>“Fast-track arrangements for the fast-food industry put in place by Bill Shorten and Chris Bowen in 2012 are not consistent with putting Australian workers first.”</p> <p>Mr Dutton noted that individual businesses would still be able to make normal labour agreement arrangements which will be considered in exceptional circumstances.</p> <p>“Genuine business needs for overseas workers which contribute to economic growth will still be considered,” Mr Dutton added.</p> <p>What do you think of the move? </p> <p><strong>Related links:</strong></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="http://www.oversixty.com.au/news/news/2016/12/100-year-old-maccas-fan-gift/"><em>100-year-old McDonald’s super fan given incredible gift</em></a></strong></span></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="http://www.oversixty.com.au/news/news/2016/11/mcdonalds-workers-reveal-menu-items-you-should-never-eat/"><em>McDonald’s workers reveal menu items you should never eat</em></a></strong></span></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><em><a href="http://www.oversixty.com.au/lifestyle/retirement-life/2016/04/79-year-old-works-at-mcdonalds-and-loves-it/">79-year-old works at McDonalds and loves it</a></em></strong></span></p>

Money & Banking

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Temporary visa waiver for Aussies visiting the Brazil Olympics

<p>The Olympics only come around every four years, and Australians now have a great incentive to visit the next instalment of the games in Rio de Janeiro.</p> <p>The Brazilian government has announced the introduction of a temporary visa programs that will allow Aussie travellers to visit the country without a visa for up to 90 days during the course of the Summer Olympics and the Paralympic Games.</p> <p>The temporary visa waiver program also extends to people who hold US, Canadian and Japanese passports and officially runs from June 1 to September 18, 2016.</p> <p>Brazil generally has <a href="/travel/travel-insurance/2015/11/destinations-you-need-a-visa/"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong>strict immigration and entry laws </strong></em></span></a>which require Australian citizens to obtain a visa before their departure. But Aussie's travelling in the period where the temporary visa program is in place will stand to save $63, which could turn out to be a few extra churrasco skewers!</p> <p>Travellers looking to take advantage of this program should note that they are still required to provide a passport with at least six months’ validity upon entering Brazil, as well as showing proof of funds, proof of accommodation and be able to present onward or return to immigration officials.</p> <p>The 2016 Rio de Janeiro games promises to be a colourful memorable one and if you’ve never been to the Olympics overseas or visited Brazil before this could be a fantastic excuse to do so, despite <a href="/news/news/2016/02/should-i-be-concerned-about-the-zika-virus/"><em><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">concerns about the Zika Virus</span>.</strong></em></a></p> <p>For more information regarding Brazil and its visa entry requirements you can access the Australian government’s Smart Traveller resource by <em><strong><a href="http://smartraveller.gov.au/" target="_blank"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">clicking here</span>.</a></strong></em></p> <p><strong>Related links:</strong></p> <p><em><strong><a href="/travel/international-travel/2016/02/a-look-inside-first-class-cabins/"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Inside 8 first class cabins that will amaze you</span></a></strong></em></p> <p><em><strong><a href="/travel/international-travel/2016/02/most-photographed-locations-in-london/"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">London’s 8 most photographed locations</span></a></strong></em></p> <p><em><strong><a href="/travel/international-travel/2016/02/holiday-ideas-for-animal-lovers/"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">8 holiday ideas every animal lover needs to experience</span></a></strong></em></p>

International Travel

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Destinations you need a visa to visit

<p>As we’ve mentioned before Australians have access to <a href="/travel/international-travel/2015/08/worlds-most-powerful-passport/"><em><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">one of the most powerful passports in the world</span></strong></em></a>, giving us free access to over 167 countries. For everywhere else however, you need to obtain a visa. We’ve taken a broad look at the visa requirements for some of the most popular Australian tourist destinations. A little planning can go a long way, particularly when you’re crossing borders.</p> <p>Please note that as with anything related to international travel, Australian visa requirements with many countries are in a constant state of flux, so we recommend checking in with your planned destination’s consulate or the government’s <em><strong><a href="http://smartraveller.gov.au/" target="_blank"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Smart Traveller online resource</span>.</a></strong></em></p> <p><strong>China</strong></p> <p>All travellers headed to China are required to obtain a visa and you should make sure you get one well ahead of time as it’s quite difficult to get one at Chinese border entry points. Penalties for overstaying your visa period can be severe too, anything from fines to periods of detention depending on the severity. For more information on <em><strong><a href="http://au.china-embassy.org/eng/ls/vfc/" target="_blank"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Chinese visa requirements click here</span>.</a></strong></em></p> <p><strong>Vietnam </strong><em>(pictured)</em></p> <p>When entering Vietnam you’re required to have either a valid visa, visa exemption document or a written approval letter for a visa on arrival. Your passport also needs to have at least six months’ validity at the time of arrival. For more information on <em><strong><a href="http://visa.mofa.gov.vn/Homepage.aspx" target="_blank"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Vietnam visa requirements click here</span>.</a></strong></em></p> <p><strong>Russia</strong></p> <p>As you may imagine, entering Russian borders can be a tad difficult. Visas for Russia cannot be obtained before arrival and if you rock up without one you will be deported after paying a fine. Visa validity and visa restrictions are strictly enforced by Russian border authorities, so make sure your information is correct and up to date before arriving. It’s also recommended you have at least six months passport validity on arrival. For more information on <em><strong><a href="http://protocol.dfat.gov.au/Mission/view.rails?id=166" target="_blank"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Russian visa requirements click here</span>.</a></strong></em></p> <p><strong>Brazil</strong></p> <p>Contrary to what you make think, you need a visa to fulfil your Copacabana Beach strolling in skimpy swimwear aspirations. The Brazilian Government strongly enforces immigration and entry laws and you can’t obtain a visa on arrival so if you don’t have one you may very well be detained. Visa details should be up to date and valid. For more information on <em><strong><a href="http://protocol.dfat.gov.au/Mission/view.rails?id=30" target="_blank"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Brazilian visa requirements click here</span>.</a></strong></em></p> <p><strong>Entry requirements for other popular destinations</strong></p> <ul> <li><strong>United States of America</strong> – if you’re headed to the US you can stay for a period of 90 days with an Australian passport and a return ticket, but you will have to complete a travel authorisation form under the Electronic System for Travel Authorisation (ESTA).</li> <li><strong>India</strong> – the Indian Government has recently launched an e tourist Visa (e-TV) scheme, which requires you to complete an e-TV form for tourism travel of 30 days or less.</li> <li><strong>Turkey</strong> – if you happen to be headed to Turkey for tourist purposes for less than 90 days in a 180 day period you’re required to obtain an e-visa prior to your departure.</li> <li><strong>Indonesia</strong> – if you’re on the way to Indonesia you can generally acquire a 30-day visa on arrival for a fee of $US35, and some airlines offer visa processing services on board.</li> </ul> <p><em><strong>Have you arranged your travel insurance yet? Tailor your cover to your needs and save money by not paying for things you don’t need. <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://elevate.agatravelinsurance.com.au/oversixty?utm_source=over60&amp;utm_medium=content&amp;utm_content=link1&amp;utm_campaign=travel-insurance%20%20%20" target="_blank">Click here to read more about Over60 Travel Insurance.</a></span></strong></em></p> <p><em><strong>For more information about Over60 Travel Insurance, call 1800 622 966.</strong></em></p> <p><strong>Related links:</strong></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong><a href="/travel/travel-club/2015/04/holiday-organisation-tips/">Top tips for an organised (stress-free) holiday</a></strong></em></span></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong><a href="/travel/international-travel/2015/08/worlds-most-powerful-passport/">Do Australians have the world’s most powerful passport?</a></strong></em></span></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong><a href="/news/news/2015/04/wotif-reveals-cancellation-excuses/">The strangest travel cancellation excuses revealed</a></strong></em></span></p>

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