Overstayers In Australia

[Chris Lawrence]

Hey Berek how many 4 year olds enter the country illegally a year? You really need to look at the case notes, as it may be a person who has come under the notice of the law. Doing the work I do meet a young 17 yr old kid from Sudan, getting in trouble with the law and being told his place here in Oz is in jeopardy. Mum and older brother here also. Of course not an overstayer. But a 4 yr old sounds strange?

A lot don't need 100 points but this can also be got. False documents, or a tax file number can be got as soon as you arrive.

The biggest problem with all of this paper work is that it is not connected between Govt Depts.

So we have about 13 million coming into the country and out of all those arrivals we have 56,000 people that have overstayed. Now these overstayers may have been here for many years. So we have less than .43% that have overstayed just on this years arrival figure. This may show that our overstayer rate on a year by year figure will be less than this .43%. Could be half to a quarter of this .43%.

How do we compare with the rest of the world?

Its a hard subject as many opinions float to the top. And you don't really know what this Government is up to letting these figures come out?

It would be good to see that they have something positive to say; bit like dear old Nancy' 'just say no', Bowen is going to crackdown on employers. Its a bit like saying 'we are coming to get you'.

Don't doubt its a hard job, but the article sounds more like a smoke screen by the Gillard Govt.

The only way a four yo would enter the country illegally would be with his parents as a boat refugee claiment. The case mentioned has to be based on character assessment because of the persons criminal behaviour. I think I've read about the case berek highlighted, he was a nasty, habitual criminal who was sent back to the country that spawned him. He had never taken up Oz citizenship.

There is a great deal of cooperation between government departments in Australia (and also with NZ)

as far as cross matching data bases and also exchanging info on individuals. There are many ways to locate someone in the community unless they go completely off the radar.(eventually someone whom they piss off will probably dob them in)

Overstay lists are compiled by comparing arrivals with departures. The figures are released every year (I think a requirement for the minister to report to Parliament) and is not a political ploy. Can't blame everything on Gillard! I remember many years ago the figure was around 120,000.

Thais were always in the top 10 high risk country group. This is based on percentages, not numbers.

This has had a lot to do with the trafficking of sex workers/slaves into Australian brothels.

The govt has taken a lot of flack on the boat people arrival's. Doing a search on the www, I couldn't see where the last Govt media release on overstayers came up. My point was that this release seems to be a measure to counter the boat people problem. But, I think they were already doing what they said they were to do, that is to crack down on illegal workers. Just need to go into any cleaning companies doing big cleaning jobs and they will find a few. What I would think they also need to do is name and shame a few hundred to let others know that there place at work is not safe. Fine the companies that are employing cash waged employees. I suppose they can do a few things but I don't hear the Govt saying it. I wouldn't worry about putting people on notice as its something they need to be doing.

I did see someone get a TFN without a valid passport (expired), but back in 2004. They were helped by another Govt Dept at the time. If they have tightened up thats good.