Well, now news is in. And it's not good.
In just a few words, the Ministry of Immigration snuffed out any hope. This is part of the letter sent to GM Antic and which he kindly shared with his supporters.
While Section 351 of the Act provides the Minister with the power to substitute a decision of the Migration Review Tribunal with a more favourable decision, it is a discretionary, non-compellable power. This means that the Minister is not obliged to intervene in your case.
The Minister has personally considered your case and has decided that it would not be in the public interest to intervene.
7 comments:
That's a great loss to Australian Chess. Our politicians should hang their heads in shame.
Did anyone expect other than that the Minister would seek to protect an incompetent Immigration Review Tribunal member? Antic was just unlucky to be trapped in such an unfair system where his fate was in the hands of an IRT member - paid around $200,00 p.a. for a part-time job - who acted as if he was annoyed with Antic for interrupting his summer holidays.
Australia has a long history of anti-immigration.
What other country sents the navy out to threaten boat people.
GMs should be able to live anywhere the want. Clearly Australia is currently a seriously backward country
i reckon it's good they kept the eastern european out. alright, it's a chance for the poor guys to come over to a beautiful country and train weak juniors and get some money and get out of their hole...because this country is so desperate for decent chess players to train their little johnnies and sarahs. but there's so many of those weak GM's or IMs who have tried to come over here and fail to get residency. and why should they? for them, its an easy pass to a new life, without much hard work for it.
he is no exception, and besides, he's a weak GM by any standard, it's no big deal or loss.
and there's nothing wrong with strict immigration laws. in fact, it should be stronger. look at all the ethnics we've let in, who have created their own communities and live in their own little world in australia...cant even speak proper english and complain all the time.
I don't believe this is the fault of Australian immigration officials. GM Antic simply applied for the wrong type of visa.
That aside, however, I don't think the ACF did a heck of a lot to assist him.
"he is no exception, and besides, he's a weak GM by any standard, it's no big deal or loss."...You haven't got a clue mate. I would rather have a "weak GM",which he isn't,then no GM at all. It's a great shame that Australian immigration is so short sighted as to disallow skilled people like Mr Antic to migrate.
As for there being many foreign titled players looking to migrate to Australia..well that simply isn't the case. We have had less than a dozen in 20 years.
@simon: they havent tried because they know they have no chance...or they get some flimsy tourist visa through playing a weak australian weekender (i.e. sydney open, 3 day stuff etc etc)and then escape into the wide open as illegal immigrants. i believe several filipinos have done this in the past, and i wouldnt put it past any of the soviets either.
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