DIMA 12 Months After Palmer: On the Move to Improve

One year ago, a comprehensive series of reforms in the then Department of Immigration and Multicultural Affairs (DIMA) was announced following the Palmer and Comrie reports.

These reports highlighted a number of deficiencies within key areas of the department which meant that it was not meeting the expectations of the Australian Government and the community.

The department's work makes a great contribution to Australia – on a typical working day, the department will receive more than 12 000 visa applications; grant citizenship to around 375 people; meet around 560 clients face to face at scheduled interviews, and process more than 60 000 people across the border at air and sea ports (around one person per second).

It has undertaken this reform process while fulfilling its normal tasks with aplomb.

After 12 months of reform to the processes and structures, the department is now beginning to meet the expectations of the Parliament and the public, although the scale and extent of the challenge ahead should not be underestimated.

DIAC, led by Secretary Andrew Metcalfe, has been focused heavily on reforming the department around three themes: the need to be fair and reasonable when dealing with clients; the need for the department to be open and accountable; and the need to have well-trained and supported staff.

Since the release of the department's 2005 implementation plan in response to the Palmer Inquiry, a total of 56 projects have been completed.

Some notable projects which have been completed include:

• The expansion of the National Identity Verification and Advice Section;
• The development of facial recognition software to match missing persons against images of immigration detainees;
• Improvements to the Baxter Immigration Detention Facility, and
• Improvements to health service delivery.

Substantial resources have been committed by the Government to ensure the department is provided with an appropriate level of resources to do its job, including $495 million for the department's largest-ever information technology overhaul and funding for the long-term detention strategy with significant upgrades to improve conditions at detention centres around Australia. New types of accommodation, such as residential housing and transit accommodation, are also being provided for low-risk detainees, women and children.

While much has been achieved, the acceptance of the recommendations of the Palmer and Comrie Reports marked the start of a long-term process which means much still lies ahead.

The Government is committed to ensuring that the improvements to the department are sustained and built upon in the future to ensure that the expectations of the community are met and the department gains a reputation as a professional, responsive and accountable organisation.

See Also:
Report from the Secretary
How the department is ensuring it deals with clients fairly and reasonably
How the department is becoming open and accountable
How the department is ensuring its staff are well-trained and supported