Clare O'Neil
Exclusive
International students
Chinese students outnumber others in asylum claims surge
Visas for Chinese students continue to be approved at much higher rates than other source countries. A former top immigration bureaucrat is urging the government to overhaul the system.
- by Angus Thompson
Latest
Crackdown targets foreign agents harassing dissidents
Australians with Iranian, Chinese, Cambodian, Rwandan and Indian backgrounds have reported foreign agents harassing and assaulting them on local soil.
- by Paul Sakkal
Unis blame government for student visa delays weeks before semester two
Several alarmed universities believe the visa delays are more evidence of the government suppressing foreign arrivals due to a political fight over migration.
- by Angus Thompson
‘No deterrent if no consequences’: Opposition wants people smugglers charged here
Coalition home affairs spokesman James Paterson says Australia should reserve the right to prosecute people smugglers when they’re caught here.
- by Angus Thompson
Andrew Giles under fire as PM rips up deportation rule book
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese was forced to back his embattled minister in a fiery parliamentary question time following growing opposition calls for Giles to be sacked.
- by Angus Thompson, David Crowe, Olivia Ireland and James Massola
How direction 99 has put pressure on Andrew Giles and forced the government’s hand
Giles is under fire over a ministerial direction that has been linked to several legal decisions to allow foreign-born criminals to stay in Australia.
- by Olivia Ireland
1.2 million homes needed, but construction workers not yet on ‘core skills’ visa list
Migrants who are plumbers, roof tilers, painters or workers in other building trades are at risk of not being eligible for a core skills visa.
- by Olivia Ireland
Analysis
Political leadership
Who really runs the country? The secret roles of Albanese’s ministers
Anthony Albanese’s ministers have portfolios – they also have other roles: confidantes, influencers, attack dogs. And some are more equal than others.
- by James Massola
Exclusive
Federal budget
Mothballing Nauru’s detention centre could save $250 million in a year
Home Affairs expects the centre to move from an “active state” to “enduring capability” – empty but operated by a skeleton staff.
- by Olivia Ireland, James Massola and Angus Thompson
Mortgage lender suffers hack, credit card details published on dark web
Firstmac customers are being warned they may need to replace their identity documents after copies of them were stolen by a ransomware gang.
- by David Swan
Exclusive
Immigration
Laws for immigration detainees only drafted after landmark High Court ruling
A freedom-of-information request has revealed Home Affairs officials did not draft legislation until after the November High Court ruling on immigration detention.
- by Angus Thompson