New migration laws introduced

william_chang

The government has introduced legislation to alter notification requirements in an attempt to reduce the number of migration cases being challenged in court.

The bill will "clarify" the way the immigration department, the Migration Review Tribunal (MRT) and the Refugee Review Tribunal (RRT) communicate decisions on visa applications and cancellations, parliamentary secretary for multicultural affairs Laurie Ferguson says.

The government argues the Migration Amendment (Notification Review) Bill 2008 is needed to crack down on applicants using technical errors in the notification process "to delay the resolution of their cases".

The bill allows the relevant minister or tribunal to communicate with a person who they reasonably believe have care of a minor, rather than the minor themselves.

It makes it clear that "substantial compliance" with notification requirements is sufficient, unless that causes an individual "substantial prejudice".

The legislation also makes clear that where a person has actually received a document, notification provision will apply "despite non-compliance with a procedural requirement".

The lower house also passed a bill that proposes more than 100 changes to Australia's migration laws across four Acts.

The Migration Legislation Amendment Bill (No. 1) 2008 was passed by the Senate last week.

It alters the way the MRT and RRT may hand down decisions, the reporting requirements for aircraft and ship operators bringing passengers into Australia and the ability of the minister to cancel transitional visas on character grounds.
   
据《澳大利亚时报》报道，澳大利亚联邦政府修改了移民法的相关通告要求，以试图减少提起上诉的移民案件的数量。

　　联邦议会多元文化事务次长Laurie Ferguson表示，这项法案将一改移民部，移民上诉法庭(MRT)以及难民上诉法庭(RRT)对于签证申请和取消决定的通告方式。

　　政府认为需要通过2008移民修改法案，对利用通知过程中的技术错误来“延长对于他们案件的审理”的申请给予坚决打压。

　　这项新法案允许相关的部长或法庭与他们认为对未成年人负责的人进行沟通，而非与未成年人本身沟通。

　　下议院也将通过对澳洲四大移民法案做出超过一百处修正。

　　上周，移民法案修改文件在参议院通过。该法案修改了MRT以及RRT可以做出判决的方式，飞机及船运营者将乘客带入澳洲的报告要求，以及部长根据个人情况取消过度签证的能力等。