Melissa Price (Durack, Liberal Party, Minister for the Environment) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move:

That this bill be now read a second time.

Introduction

The Migration Amendment (Streamlining Visa Processing) Bill 2018 will enable enhanced scrutiny and improve the integrity of our visa programs, decrease visa-processing times and ensure that only genuine and valid applications are made.

Currently, after a visa application is lodged, the minister or his or her delegate may request that personal identifiers be provided. Personal identifiers are already collected by the department when applying for a specific visa from a specific country.

This bill will establish the legislative framework which will require certain applicants of certain visa classes to provide personal identifiers at the time they lodge their visa application.

This bill retains the definition of personal identifiers under section 5A of the Migration Act 1958. For example, under this bill, a person applying for a specific visa from a specific country will be required to provide fingerprints, photographic ID or any other personal identifier as defined by the Migration Act 1958 at the time the application is lodged.

The collection of personal identifiers is essential to establishing the identity of noncitizens, as checks using personal identifiers are more accurate than document based checks of biographic details such as name and date of birth alone.

This bill does not remove the discretion to require personal identifiers from visa applicants at any time after a visa application has been made. The minister would continue to be able to require additional personal identifiers after lodgement of the visa application, where for example the identity of the visa applicant remains uncertain.

Protections

These amendments fully retain the existing protections associated with the collection of personal identifiers in the Migration Act, such as those relating to privacy, humanity, and dignity.

This bill does not change meaning of personal identifiers as stipulated in section 5A of the Migration Act 1958. Rather, this bill is about enabling the streamlining of the process by which personal identifiers are required and provided at the time of a person applying for a visa.

It is important that identity checks are able to be conducted against personal identifier data to detect individuals of concern as soon as they make a visa application. Personal identifiers are superior to checks undertaken using biographic details such as name and date of birth that are contained in identity documents.

Recent terrorism related events both in Australia and overseas highlight the need for the Department of Home Affairs to know who is applying for a visa as soon as they make a visa application through the provision of personal identifiers. These amendments will enable enhanced scrutiny, improve the integrity of our visa programs, and reduce the risk of terrorism.

Conclusion

In conclusion, this bill enables the department to conduct identity, security, law enforcement and immigration checks immediately following lodgement of a visa application and mitigate unnecessary delays or fraudulent lodgements.

This bill enhances the integrity of Australia's visa programs and protects Australians from persons who are a criminal threat or a risk to national security.

Debate adjourned.