http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-06-05/people-smuggler-discovery-a-catastrophic-f...

Immigration Minister Chris Bowen has ordered an investigation into revelations that people smugglers have posed as asylum seekers to gain entry into Australia.

An ABC Four Corners investigation, aired last night, also revealed that a people-smuggling kingpin passed himself off as a refugee in 2010, and now operates his business from a Canberra suburb.

Captain Emad, also known as Abu Khalid, captained an asylum boat from Indonesia, but then acted like an ordinary passenger when Australian authorities arrived.

He was taken into detention on Christmas Island and was given a protection visa and Australian residency on April 20, 2010, only three months after his boat arrived.
Audio: Opposition slams people smuggling policy (AM)

Today Mr Bowen said he had ordered an investigation into the case, and into separate allegations that a people-smuggler's wife works for his department.

"That was a suggestion that was made in the media for the first time yesterday, and we will assess the veracity of that," he said.

And he said he had "no tolerance at all for people gaining refugee status based on false information".

"When we have somebody who has been granted refugee status, if it can be established that that status was based on wrong information then that can be revoked," he said.

"If somebody has gotten through that net is something that can be rectified and will be rectified."

But he said it was important to make sure the allegations were investigated "appropriately" and would not put a time frame on the process.

Emad and other smugglers passed ASIO security checks and went on to set up lucrative people smuggling deals in Australia.

He now lives just a few kilometres from the Australian Federal Police's headquarters in Canberra.

And where is the suggestion that it may take more than four years?

Frances wrote on Jun 6^th, 2012 at 11:06am:


I think its maqqas suggestion and he made TWO threads on it too. Prolly trying to draw a parallel between thomson and this. Who knows.

SOB

Sir Spot of Borg wrote on Jun 6^th, 2012 at 11:10am:


At the time I posted that, I hadn't noticed Maqqa's subsequent response.  That thought did cross my mind, but I thought that anyone with half a brain would realise that the circumstances surrounding both of these incidents are totally different, as would be the manner in which the enquiries would be conducted, so there is no valid comparison.  I was assuming that Maqqa is of average intelligence, and that he must have meant something else, but I think I must have been assuming too much.

LOLOLOLOLOLOLOL!

SOB

Maqqa wrote on Jun 6^th, 2012 at 11:34am:


I can't recall specifically what SOB said, but I have a feeling it was something a bit different from that.  You're not taking it out of context to try to make a point are you?

Sir Spot of Borg wrote on Jun 6^th, 2012 at 11:59am:


Your forgetting Abbotts lies about cutting public hospital funding by a billion dollars when he was health minister.

adelcrow wrote on Jun 6^th, 2012 at 12:03pm:



Provide the links then we'll discuss. Don't forget comparisons and changes made to Medicare and Health Agreements with the State!!

CHECK & MATE adel