Sarwari Family

Letter to the Editor - Launceston Examiner
21 January 2003

Dear Sir/Madam

Alison Andrews' column of January 21 concerning the Sarwari Family bears no relevance to the facts and it is disappointing that Ms Andrews' undertook a personal attack on Departmental Officers in relation to the Sarwari refugee case.

The Department of Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs was not informed that the Sarwari family was no longer in Sydney. When the family moved to Tasmania they failed to provide a forwarding address to the Department, as they have always been required to do by law. The Department found out that the family had relocated to Tasmania following a routine information check in support of compliance activity.

The reasons Ms Andrews gives for the rejection of the Sarwari family's application for bridging visas are misleading. Privacy laws prevent me from addressing Ms Andrews' points specifically as this would necessarily require me to disclose personal information in relation to the Sarwari family. I can say however, that the Migration Act (1958) provides for the cancellation of a visa - or the refusal of an application for a visa - in circumstances where a person is found to have provided false information.

Ms Andrews personal opinions as published in her column, are not justified and to entertain the idea that the Department's processing and investigation of the Sarwari refugee case was flawed, is unfounded.

Stewart Foster
Director
Public Affairs
DIMIA