Immigration Data

Letter to the Editor - The Australian
7 June 2005

Dear Sir/Madam

We were disappointed to see that your article (Illegals dodging dud data, 7/6/05) was a gross misrepresentation of the Australian National Audit Office's (ANAO) comments on the department in their report, Tax File Number Integrity.

It would be interesting for your journalist to note the ANAO auditors themselves also agree that their report findings have been distorted in this article.
In fact the ANAO says that, in relation to the Department, its report is a good news story. The Australian Tax Office and the department have a cooperative relationship and a number of data matching initiatives which are actually reducing the number of illegal workers in Australia.

It is clear to us and the ANAO that your journalist just didn’t understand the findings contained in the report and as such should have contacted someone seeking clarification.

Kym Charlton
Acting Director
Public Affairs
DIMIA