Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Immigration) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

asked the Minister representing the Minister for Immigration and Citizenship, upon notice, on 1 June 2011:

(1) What is the number of charges laid and convictions recorded against non-citizens for each financial year from 2006-07 to 2010-11 to date: (a) by state; (b) by visa type; (c) by type of offence, and (d) where relevant, the nature of any sentence, classified as: (i) no custodial sentence, (ii) a custodial sentence of 12 months or less, (iii) a custodial sentence of more than 12 months to 3 years, (iv) a custodial sentence of more than 3 years to 10 years, or (v) a custodial sentence of more than 10 years?

(2) What reporting requirements are in place to the department from responsible state, territory and other Commonwealth agencies, for charges laid and convictions recorded against non-citizens?

(3) Are there any proposals to change the reporting requirements to the department from responsible state, territory and other Commonwealth agencies, for charges laid and convictions recorded against non-citizens?

Kim Carr (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Innovation, Industry, Science and Research) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Minister for Immigration and Citizenship has provided the following answer to the honourable senator's question:

(1) My Department does not collect the data sought in the question. The Department considers the preparation of an answer to the question would involve significant diversion of departmental resources in the seeking of information from each state or territory and the Australian Federal Police and, in the circumstances, does not consider that the additional work can be justified.

(2) My Department has in place information sharing arrangements with state, territory and other Commonwealth agencies to identify non-citizens serving prison sentences who fail the character test. Such agencies are not required to report to my Department on charges laid and convictions recorded against non-citizens.

(3) No.