Media Centre
Media Releases – 2012
This section offers media releases published by the minister in 2012.
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December
- 19 December – Sri Lankan men removed to Colombo
- 17 December – Transfers resume to Pontville Centre
- 17 December – Second man removed to Afghanistan under returns agreement
- 15 December – Refugee sponsorship pilot underway next year
- 13 December – Visa policy for at-risk Afghan employees
- 13 December – Another Sri Lankan group sent home
- 10 December – Coalition choose mistruths and cheap politics over solutions
- 06 December – Another group of Sri Lankans sent home
- 05 December – Aid package a boost for Manus Island
- 04 December – PNG Ministerial Forum and Manus Island visit
November
- 30 November – Group of Sri Lankans returned to Colombo
- 29 November – Australia and Uruguay sign work and holiday deal
- 27 November – More people sent home to Sri Lanka
- 27 November – Employer sanctions bill passes the house despite Coalition hypocrisy
- 23 November – Abbott rehash more chest-beating, no substance
- 23 November – Family groups returned to Sri Lanka
- 23 November – New support for family violence victims
- 23 November – Longer tourist visas now open to parents of Australians
- 23 November – Significant Investor visa opens to business migrants
- 22 November – Group of 40 Sri Lankan men returned
- 21 November – Large group of Sri Lankans sent home
- 21 November – No advantage onshore for boat arrivals
- 21 November – First transfer to Papua New Guinea
- 19 November – More involuntary returns to Sri Lanka
- 18 November – Another group of Sri Lankans sent home
- 15 November – More Sri Lankans returned to Colombo
- 13 November – Another group of Sri Lankans returned
- 13 November – New work and holiday negotiations to get underway
- 11 November – Another group of Sri Lankans returned
- 09 November – More Sri Lankans sent home
- 08 November – Another 30 Sri Lankans sent home
- 07 November – More Sri Lankans involuntarily sent home
- 07 November – Australia agrees to introduce electronic visa for PNG travellers
- 02 November – Group of Sri Lankans removed from Australia
- 01 November – Cutting visa red tape
- 01 November – Clearing Customs now easier for US travellers
- 01 November – Greater access to APEC Business Travel Card
October
- 31 October – A fairer approach to migration for people with disability
- 31 October – Government acts to remove incentive for longer boat journeys
- 30 October – Review of visa arrangements for international airline crew
- 28 October – Attracting skilled migrants, tourists and students to Australia in the Asian Century (English and Mandarin versions)
- 27 October – Sri Lankans returned from the Cocos Islands
- 26 October – Priority regions announced for refugee intake boost
- 20 October – Immigration Minister to visit Lebanon
- 16 October – Abbott's turn-backs to Indonesia in tatters
- 15 October – Government to legislate on visa status of offshore resource workers
- 09 October – Papua New Guinea designated for regional processing
- 02 October – Minister to visit Nauru and Papua New Guinea
September
- 29 September – More boat arrivals returned to Sri Lanka
- 27 September – Interest in Citizenship increasing
- 22 September – Group of boat arrivals returned to Sri Lanka
- 22 September – Government implements Expert Panel's family reunion recommendation
- 19 September – New legal sanctions against noncompliant employers
- 16 September – Australia Citizenship Day 2012 celebrations
- 13 September – Australia to resettle an additional 1000 refugees from Syria
- 11 September – Accelerated citizenship for families of defence recruits
- 10 September – Australia welcomes establishment of regional support office
- 10 September – Nauru designated for regional processing
- 08 September – Australia and Papua New Guinea sign updated memorandum of understanding
- 04 September – Government extends tourist visas for parents of Australians
- 02 September – Coalition turns its back on Refugee Convention
August
- 29 August – Key conditions released for significant investor visa
- 29 August – Australia signs Memorandum of Understanding with Nauru
- 24 August – Coalition hypocrisy on refugee intake boost
- 23 August – Refugee Program increased to 20 000 places
- 14 August – Work and holiday visa talks with Greece
- 07 August – Select Council on Immigration and Settlement communique
- 05 August – New ministerial direction on character decisions
- 03 August – Government takes tougher stand against employing illegal workers
- 03 August – 'Captain Emad' visa cancellation
July
- 19 July – India now Australia's largest source of permanent migrants
- 19 July – Government delivers skilled migration on target
- 19 July – Delivering on our humanitarian commitment
- 18 July – Select Council on Immigration and Settlement communique
- 16 July – Morrison exposes coalition hypocrisy on refugee convention
- 10 July – Indonesia confirms what Abbott refused to admit
- 09 July – Abbott needs to turn back on dangerous asylum seeker policy
- 02 July – New advisory council on skilled migration
June
- 29 June – New migration and refugee tribunal appointments
- 21 June – More Abbott boats as destructive negativity continues
- 20 June – Abbott's 'No' vote aiding people smugglers
- 20 June – New services to help migrants and refugees in Queensland
- 20 June – New services to help migrants and refugees in Victoria
- 20 June – Boost to settlement services for new migrants and refugees
- 20 June – New services to help migrants and refugees in New South Wales
- 20 June – New services to help migrants and refugees in the Northern Territory
- 20 June – New services to help migrants and refugees in South Australia
- 20 June – New services to help migrants and refugees in Tasmania
- 20 June – New services to help migrants and refugees in the West
- 20 June – New services to help migrants and refugees in ACT/NSW
- 20 June – Government recognises World Refugee Day and invites views on sponsorship pilot
- 17 June – New support for family violence victims
- 16 June – Northern Territory celebrates Refugee Week 2012
- 16 June – South Australia celebrates Refugee Week 2012
- 16 June – Queensland celebrates Refugee Week 2012
- 16 June – Canberra celebrates Refugee Week 2012
- 16 June – Tasmania celebrates Refugee Week 2012
- 16 June – Western Australia celebrates Refugee Week 2012
- 16 June – Victoria celebrates Refugee Week 2012
- 16 June – New South Wales celebrates Refugee Week 2012
- 15 June – 'Captain Emad' subject to visa cancellation process
- 13 June – Old Coalition policies and more Abbott boats
- 11 June – 50 Abbott boats
- 10 June – Another Tony Abbott boat arrives
- 09 June – Coalition negativity aiding people smuggling trade
- 09 June – Tony Abbott and Scott Morrison should quit the cheap political stunts and join with the Government to pass legislation enabling offshore processing
- 07 June – Abbott green light sees the boats keep coming
- 05 June – Government extends Scherger contract
- 05 June – Another boat after Abbott votes against offshore processing
- 04 June – Another boat, but Abbott still voting 'no'
- 03 June – 42 Boats but Abbott's destructive negativity is unwavering
- 02 June – More boats the consequence of Abbott inaction
- 01 June – 40 boats as Abbott votes against offshore processing
May
- 31 May – Abbott records 'No' vote against offshore processing
- 29 May – Another boat, another 'No' from Tony Abbott
- 25 May – First Enterprise Migration Agreement approved
- 25 May – Skilled visa reform targets investors and entrepreneurs
- 22 May – Fast-tracked citizenship for defence families
- 21 May – Muddled Morrison just can't get figures right
- 21 May – More boats arrive due to Abbott's negativity
- 21 May – An update on community detention
- 20 May – Another boat as Coalition ignores warnings
- 18 May – Abbott's negativity putting lives at risk
- 16 May – Another boat due to 'do nothing' Abbott
- 16 May – 4.5 million people have joined Australian family
- 15 May – Abbott says 'Yes' to another boat and 'No' to offshore processing
- 12 May – 31 boats due to Abbott's obstinacy
- 11 May – 30 boats due to Tony Abbott's negativity
- 10 May – Negative Coalition prefer boat arrivals
- 08 May – Australia committed to refugees most in need
- 08 May – Targeted migration increase to fill skills gaps
- 07 May – 28 boats due to Coalition negativity
- 07 May – 27 boats but Tony Abbott is still saying 'no'
- 03 May – Australia provides support to displaced people overseas
April
- 30 April – Minister Bowen to visit India and Sri Lanka
- 29 April – Another boat but Tony Abbott still says no
- 27 April – 23 boats and Tony Abbott still says 'No'
- 26 April – 22 boats and negative Tony Abbott unmoved
- 19 April – Reports find Inverbrackie impact positive
- 18 April – 21 boats intercepted since Abbott said 'no'
- 14 April – 20 boats due to Coalition negativity
- 11 April – More boats as Coalition negativity continues
- 05 April – 15th boat since Tony Abbott said 'No'
- 03 April – Another boat on the back of Tony Abbott's negativity
- 03 April – Skilled American workers to fill labour shortages
- 02 April – 13th boat since Tony Abbott rejected agreement that would stop the boats
March
- 23 March – A dozen boats as a result of Coalition roadblock
- 22 March – Statement - Update on community detention
- 22 March – Changes to boost international education
- 21 March – Collier should get facts right on skilled migration
- 20 March – Australia Celebrates Harmony Day 2012
- 20 March – South Australia Celebrates Harmony Day 2012
- 20 March – Northern Territory Celebrates Harmony Day 2012
- 20 March – Queensland Celebrates Harmony Day 2012
- 20 March – ACT Celebrates Harmony Day 2012
- 20 March – Tasmania Celebrates Harmony Day 2012
- 20 March – Victoria Celebrates Harmony Day 2012
- 20 March – New South Wales Celebrates Harmony Day 2012
- 20 March – Western Australia Celebrates Harmony Day 2012
- 19 March – New Single Protection Visa Process Set to Commence
- 16 March – Abbott still in denial on tow-backs
- 14 March – Statement on the facts about the Serco manual
- 13 March – Another boat as coalition 'turn back' policy continues to unravel
- 12 March – Immigration MoU signed with Northern Territory Government
- 10 March – More evidence Abbott's tow-backs puts lives at risk
- 09 March – Simplifying Sponsorship for Permanent Skilled Migrants
- 07 March – Boats reach double figures since Tony Abbott said 'No'
- 06 March – Pontville Detention Centre Decommissioned
February
- 22 February – Boats double since Tony Abbott said 'no'
- 22 February – Australia hosts UNHCR resettlement services meeting
- 21 February – Seventh boat since Tony Abbot said 'No'
- 18 February – Sixth boat since Tony Abbott said 'no'
- 17 February – Statement on the facts on community detention
- 17 February – More boats since Tony Abbott said 'no'
- 16 February – New agreement to meet Darwin's growth challenges
- 15 February – Second boat since Tony Abbott said 'No'
- 15 February – First ever termination of a labour agreement
- 15 February – Simplifying Student Visas
- 11 February – First boat arrives since Tony Abbott said 'no'
- 09 February – Changes to Minister's Advisory Council
- 07 February – Virtual English tuition for new migrants
- 07 February – Opposition's Nauru 'costings' in tatters
- 04 February – Statement on opposition's Nauru costings
- 01 February – Greens get their facts wrong again
- 01 February – Australia welcomes UNHCR visit
January
- 27 January – Department of Immigration and Citizenship submission to the Minister on the infrastructure report on Nauru
- 26 January – Congratulations to Secretary Andrew Metcalfe on Order of Australia award
- 26 January – Nation welcomes new citizens on Australia Day
- 26 January – ACT's newest citizens celebrate Australia Day
- 26 January – New South Wales' newest citizens celebrate Australia Day
- 26 January – Northern Territory's newest citizens celebrate Australia Day
- 26 January – Queensland's newest citizens celebrate Australia Day
- 26 January – South Australia's newest citizens celebrate Australia Day
- 26 January – A rocking Australia Day for Tasmania's newest citizens
- 26 January – Victoria's newest citizens celebrate Australia Day
- 26 January – Western Australia's newest citizens celebrate Australia Day
- 25 January – NSW foster mother wins 2012 Local Hero
- 24 January – New labour agreement to help tourism employers
- 24 January – Correspondence between Minister Bowen and Shadow Minister Morrison