The festivities, organised in Melbourne, Perth and Brisbane by the members of Bihar Jharkhand Sabha of Australia and New Zealand, reflected the vibrant and dedicated community that honours this ancient festival in the Southern Hemisphere.

Garima Shrivastav, Secretary of BJSM, shared enthusiasm with The Australia Today, stating,

“With such success, we are confident that next year’s Chhath will be even grander, and we eagerly look forward to the next celebration.”

The dedication of volunteers was instrumental in organising this year’s celebration, underscoring the deep sense of devotion and cultural pride that transcends borders.

Chhath Puja is a significant Hindu Vedic festival, primarily celebrated in the Indian states of Bihar, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, and parts of Madhya Pradesh, as well as in Nepal.

Devotees honour Surya Dev (the Sun God) and Chhathi Maiya (Mother Goddess) twice a year, during the Indian months of Chaitra (March-April) and Kartika (October-November).

The Kartika celebration, six days after Diwali, is particularly cherished in Bihar.

Over six days, women sing traditional songs, wear colourful attire, and celebrate with abundant joy, symbolising the festival’s central themes of faith, family, and gratitude.

The Bihar Jharkhand Sabha of Australia and New Zealand, which began in Melbourne, has expanded to major cities across Australia and New Zealand, including Canberra, Brisbane, Sydney, Adelaide, Darwin, Perth, Auckland, and Wellington, generating strong interest among the Indian diaspora.

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This decision, reportedly made without an explanation, has intensified feelings of unease within the diaspora community, and sparked strong responses across media and political circles.

Daniel Bordman, Senior Correspondent for National Telegraph, condemned the move, calling it “absolutely disgraceful behaviour” from Poilievre and the Conservative Party.

“Cancelling Diwali celebrations this year because they are afraid that the Liberals and the media will accuse them of foreign interference…shameful and cowardly behaviour which really throws into question the notion that Poilievre has the backbone to be a successful leader.”

Organised by the Overseas Friends of India Canada (OFIC), the Diwali celebration was set for October 30 and has been a longstanding tradition at Parliament Hill for over two decades.

In a letter addressed to Poilievre, OFIC President Shiv Bhasker expressed dismay, describing the cancellation as an act that left Indo-Canadians “feeling betrayed and unjustly singled out.”

“This event was meant to be a joyous occasion to celebrate Diwali, a festival that is not only deeply significant to the Indo-Canadian community but also symbolic of the multicultural values Canada stands for.”

He added that “the decision to pull out of the event sends a message to Indo-Canadians that we are being perceived not as fellow Canadians, but as outsiders. This is a dangerous narrative at a time when our community needs solidarity and understanding.”

Bhasker also raised concerns over the cancellation’s broader implications, suggesting it reflects a “systemic bias” against Indo-Canadians.

“Racism and discrimination are thriving in Canada,” he stated, adding that “our politicians, by withdrawing from cultural celebrations, have signalled—intentionally or not—that Canadians of Indian heritage are not fully part of the nation.”

The Diwali event’s cancellation this year marks a departure from the previous years when political leaders, including Poilievre himself, participated actively in the celebrations.

The tradition of celebrating Diwali at Parliament Hill began with former Conservative MP Deepak Obhrai and has continued since his passing in 2019, with other MPs stepping in to carry on the legacy.

Bhasker called for an apology from Poilievre’s office, insisting that such acts of “insensitivity” would resonate at the “time of exercising our franchise.”

The decision has sparked heated debate within the academic and political communities in Canada, with several prominent figures voicing their support for the Indo-Canadian community.

Dr Suchit Ahuja, Associate Professor at Concordia University, criticised the cancellation, noting that it runs counter to Canada’s values of diversity, equity, and inclusion. “This is not merely a diaspora issue but a Canadian issue,” Ahuja stated.

“What a great way to showcase the Canadian version of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion!! While at the same time we see so many examples from the US, Australia, NZ, UK, and other nations where Diwali was celebrated with great appreciation and respect. Has Canada alone slipped into a dark age of some kind?”

Prof. Rahul Ravi of the John Molson School of Business at Concordia University also echoed these sentiments, referring to historic instances where Indo-Canadians have felt marginalised and urging Canadian leaders to foster a more inclusive environment.

“The message is clear: some voices are more “Canadian” than others. Freedom of expression is upheld for those advocating divisive causes, but Indo-Canadian celebrations are sidelined when convenient. Is this the Canada we signed up for?” Prof. Ravi added.

Despite tensions between Canada and India, the Indo-Canadian community, especially Hindus, maintains that cultural celebrations like Diwali transcend politics. Bhasker concluded his statement with a call for unity, saying, “Diwali is about light and new beginnings. It is a celebration of peace and unity, a part of our Canadian identity.”

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Some of the ways migrants are exploited in the workforce get a lot of public attention. We hear tragic stories about wage theft, forced unpaid overtime, unsafe work conditions or discrimination. And we are likely to hear more such grim stories revealed at a NSW parliamentary inquiry that will examine modern slavery in Australia.

These vulnerabilities all relate to what researchers call workplace precarity – insecurity or uncertainty at work. But too often, a major piece of this picture gets overlooked.

My recent analysis of more than 900 court cases brought by migrant workers shines a light on migrants being sexually harassed, sexually assaulted or trafficked for sexual reasons in their workplaces.

Yet, with the exception of a recent landmark research report on sexual harassment experienced by migrant women, this issue has not received the attention it deserves.

The taboo nature of sexual crimes likely plays a role in this neglect. When it is covered, there is often a somewhat sensationalist focus by the media on the sex work industry.

In the process, we may overfocus on sex work and neglect many other workplaces in which migrant workers can face forms of sexual violence. Any reckoning with workplace precarity more broadly cannot afford to ignore the risk of sexual exploitation.

What is ‘precarity’?

Workplace “precarity” – insecurity or uncertainty at work – can affect us all.

It can encompass a wide range of aspects, including a lack of workplace protections, job insecurity and social or economic instability at work.

Visa status, a lack of knowledge of local laws and language barriers can all make migrants more vulnerable to workplace precarity.

Unscrupulous employers may exploit these known vulnerabilities to extract favours and take advantage.

Many theories of economic precarity do not consider sexual risk at all.

What my research uncovered

My research, drawn from more than 900 court cases brought by migrant workers, uncovered some harrowing examples.

In one case in Canada, an employer sexually harassed and in one case raped two migrant women who worked in his business as fish filleters. One of the women felt she had to comply with demands for fellatio to avoid deportation back to Mexico.

Following a ruling, the women were awarded damages under Ontario human rights law.

In another highly publicised case in Australia, a farmer was found guilty of raping a young British backpacker, threatening refusal to sign off on her farm work if she did not comply.

Such a “sign off” is required for a working holiday maker to be able to extend their visa for an additional year.

Sex slavery

A further case concerned sex slavery. Two Thai women entered Australia fraudulently on tourist visas with the intention of undertaking sex work. The sex work began, with their consent.

However, they came to be subjected to work that went beyond what had been contracted in terms of the number of clients, the nature of sexual services provided, frequency and rest periods.

One woman suffered damage to her sexual organs. They also had their mobile phones removed. After several legal appeals, this behaviour was found to amount to sex trafficking and the defendant employer was imprisoned.

An attempt to overturn the conviction was refused.

Recent research by the NSW Anti Slavery Commissioner’s Office with migrant workers on NSW farms also suggests allegations of sexual violence could be unreported due to a perceived risk of retaliation.

Interwoven risks

These cases, and many others, all demonstrate that economic and sexual exploitation can commingle for migrant workers.

In such cases, employers may use economic and visa vulnerability to extract sexual favours. At times in these cases, there are also egregious examples of underpayment or even non-payment.

To capture this relationship in migration systems, I developed the term sexual precarity. This has five core components:

1. restrictive visa conditions
2. debt bondage
3. live-in arrangements that heighten exposure to employers during non-working hours
4. entrapment and slavery
5. the combination of sexual violence with economic exploitation or other forms of physical injury.

What needs to be done?

First, as with broader migrant worker rights, education campaigns for migrants are required.

These would extend beyond making them better informed about their rights on economic exploitation to issues of discrimination and protection from sexual exploitation.

Second, practical safeguards can be put in place to protect migrant women in isolated workplaces.

This might include female-only sleeping dorms, female-only agriculture workforces, support person rules for meetings with male employers and general advice on sexual consent laws for both employers and employees.

Third, policymakers could consider whether sexual offences that are accompanied by a visa threat should suffer additional penalties under criminal or immigration law.

This has already been made the case with recent changes to visa sponsorship where employers who coerce migrants into breaching their visa conditions are subjected to certain penalties.

Anna Boucher, Associate Professor in Public Policy and Political Science, University of Sydney

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

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In a move reflecting the growing influence of India and its diaspora in Australia, Qantas, the nation’s national airline, has introduced samosas to its newly revamped domestic flight menu.

The inclusion of this humble yet iconic Indian street snack marks a significant moment in the fusion of cultural flavours in Australian aviation.

Dr Ritesh Chugh, Associate Professor in Information and Communications Technology at CQUniversity Australia, reflecting on this development, remarked,

“Who would have thought that Qantas would serve samosas on board their flights? I certainly did not see that coming! However, I am not complaining at all. It is fantastic to see such inclusivity in the domestic in-flight menu.”

Earlier this month, Qantas unveiled a refreshed domestic menu that will be rolled out across its entire network in both economy and business class cabins throughout October. Passengers will now be offered nearly 70 new items, with meals available across six mealtimes: breakfast, morning tea, lunch, afternoon tea, dinner, and supper.

The airline’s new economy menu highlights include a focaccia with chorizo, pesto, and Meredith Goats Cheese, a cheese board paired with Australian salt bush chilli jam, and the newly introduced spinach and cottage cheese samosas. The new dessert options include a triple choc brownie cookie and a macadamia granola slice.

For business class travellers, standout dishes include a smoked salmon bagel with cream cheese, capers, and pickled onions, and a miso-glazed chicken salad served with brown rice, sweet potato, green beans, and sesame dressing. Dessert options in business class have also been elevated, with an all-new dark chocolate sour cherry fondant cake.

In a statement, Qantas emphasised that customer favourites, such as Lindt Lindor balls, will continue to feature on domestic flights, alongside a new focus on sustainable packaging as part of the airline’s ongoing efforts to minimise its environmental impact.

Phil Capps, Qantas Executive Manager of Product and Service, highlighted the significance of customer feedback in the airline’s evolving menu choices.

“We are always adjusting our menu in response to customer feedback and to enhance our in-flight dining experience. These hot menu items have been created using quality Australian ingredients, and we’re pleased to be rolling out a wider range of choice for customers travelling across our domestic network.”

In addition to the new food options, business class passengers can now enjoy an enhanced selection of spirits, including Campari and Starward Whisky. Qantas remains the only domestic airline in Australia to offer complimentary food, beverages, baggage, and on-board WiFi on its Boeing 737 and Airbus A330 flights.

The introduction of a diverse menu, featuring both local and international flavours such as the Indian samosa, highlights Qantas’ commitment to offering a world-class dining experience for passengers travelling within Australia.

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The newly appointed AFP Human Exploitation Community Officers (HECOs) support existing teams tackling human trafficking and child protection, focusing on vulnerable communities at risk of these crimes. Their mission includes delivering targeted outreach and education aimed at preventing victimisation in areas such as online child sexual exploitation and human trafficking.

Reports of human trafficking, encompassing forced marriage, servitude, forced labour, exit trafficking, and slavery, rose to 382 in the 2023-2024 financial year, compared to 340 in the previous year. Additionally, the AFP-led Australian Centre to Counter Child Exploitation (ACCCE) recorded over 58,000 reports of online child sexual exploitation in the same period, reflecting a yearly increase.

HECOs are instrumental in raising awareness among at-risk communities, ensuring they understand their rights and encouraging them to report crimes to law enforcement. By engaging directly with these groups, HECOs aim to disrupt criminal activity before it occurs.

The HECO initiative, launched in 2023, now includes five specialised officers stationed in AFP Commands across Victoria, South Australia, New South Wales, Queensland, and Western Australia. These officers, informed by AFP intelligence and operational outcomes, focus their efforts on high-risk communities vulnerable to human exploitation.

Their interventions are tailored to prevent crimes such as human trafficking and forced marriage, with HECOs also spearheading engagement programs like the AFP’s ThinkUKnow, which targets online child sexual exploitation.

AFP Commander Helen Schneider emphasised the significance of this initiative, noting its role in protecting potential victims. “This capability provides an important opportunity for law enforcement to intervene to protect potential victims and prevent criminal offending,” she said.

“We know that education is key.”

Schneider also highlighted the challenge of identifying victims.

“Many victims of human trafficking and slavery offences may not understand the crimes committed against them, or they may not even identify as victims.”

HECOs will work closely with community stakeholders to deliver prevention and response messaging, particularly focusing on vulnerable groups. Their outreach will cover topics such as online grooming and sextortion, helping communities identify unsafe situations and encouraging them to seek help.

With ACCCE intelligence suggesting that only 12 per cent of victims report online child sexual exploitation to law enforcement, HECOs are expected to play a crucial role in boosting awareness and reporting.

In addition, HECOs will engage with schools following reports of individuals at risk of forced marriage, offering presentations and resources to inform students and staff about the dangers of human trafficking and the support available to those at risk.

The AFP’s efforts underline the critical need for proactive community engagement in combating rising exploitation across Australia.

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Enhancing regional integration by promoting freer movement in the Pacific has emerged as a compelling strategy for fostering regional prosperity. Yet, the social and economic integration of the Pacific diaspora in Australia — a key destination for Pacific migrants — remains relatively underexplored beyond basic population statistics.

In the first part of a new blog series, we analyse Australian Census data to explore the characteristics of the Pacific diaspora, focusing on age structure. Subsequent blogs will look at labour market outcomes, geographical distribution, gender gaps and the second generation. We limit our focus to people born in independent Pacific states with ancestry from the region (including Fijian Indian) to exclude expatriates’ children and we compare Pacific diaspora outcomes with those for migrants from Western and other (referred to as “non-Western”) countries.

Figure 1 shows that the average age within the Pacific diaspora in the 2021 Australian Census is 45, younger than for Western countries (54) but older than for other, non-Western countries (41). Diasporas from Niue and Timor-Leste have an average age of over 50, while those from Solomon Islands and Vanuatu are much younger, averaging just over 30.

Why do differences exist between regions and countries? We explore two factors — duration of residency and age at arrival — to help explain them.

Figure 1: Average age of migrants in the 2021 Australian Census

Figure 2 shows that, for the region as a whole, Pacific migrants have moved evenly — that is, at a steady rate — to Australia over the past 50 years. By contrast, migration from non-Western countries has been more recent, and from Western countries less recent.

Arrival patterns are mostly consistent and steady across Pacific countries, but Vanuatu and Timor-Leste are at the two extremes. Vanuatu is a significant source of workers for the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) scheme so Vanuatu’s pattern is shaped by recent inflows of temporary workers who return home after their employment ends. In contrast, Timor-Leste’s arrivals are shaped by historical events, with 80% arriving in Australia before 2000, primarily under humanitarian visas.

Pacific countries with a relatively large diaspora in Australia — Fiji (33,742), Samoa (24,066), PNG (11,584) and Tonga (10,680) — show steady arrival rates over the past 40 years. However, their growth rates have been declining and are now below those of non-Western countries.

Another factor is the age of migrants upon arrival in Australia. There is less variation across Pacific countries in average age of arrival than current age. Migrants from Niue have the highest average age at arrival (34), partly due to a relatively high proportion migrating after age 50 (over 10%), which skews the average for their small diaspora. Niue is a tiny country and most Niueans who wanted to leave did so long ago. All Niueans have New Zealand passports and can migrate to Australia easily. Samoa also has a relatively high arrival age because many Samoans migrate to New Zealand first before relocating to Australia. Migrants from Nauru and Papua New Guinea have lower arrival ages. Many arrived as children: 51% of Nauruan and 33% of Papua New Guinean migrants to Australia were between 0 and 9 years old on arrival (Figure 3).

To summarise, while there are interesting national differences, the average Pacific migrant is younger than the average Western migrant (45 vs 54) because, even though they arrive older (25 vs 20), the former has lived in Australia for much a shorter period (20 vs 34 years). By contrast, the average Pacific migrant is older than the average non-Western migrant (45 vs 41) because although they both arrive at the same age (25), the former has been in Australia for longer (20 vs 16 years).

Subsequent blogs in this series will further explore the unique characteristics of the Pacific diaspora within the broader Australian context.

Disclosure: This research was supported by the Pacific Research Program, with funding from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. The views are those of the authors only.

This article was first published in the Australian National University’s DevpolicyBlog and has been republished here with the kind permission of the editor(s). The Blog is run out of the Development Policy Centre housed in the Crawford School of Public Policy in the ANU College of Asia and the Pacific at The Australian National University.

Contributing Author(s): Huiyuan (Sharon) Liu is a research officer at the Development Policy Centre, working in the area of economic development. Toan Nguyen is a Research Fellow at the Development Policy Centre, Crawford School of Public Policy, ANU.

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Today, their life journey has blossomed into a profound legacy in Australia, helping 39 international students through the Rao Family Bursary—a gift that promises to impact generations across continents.

The late Dr T. Janardhana (Jana) Rao OAM arrived in Australia as a qualified surgeon but initially faced challenges securing a position in hospitals. Instead, he joined a group general practice, marking the beginning of his career in a new country.

Dr Rao’s dedication and talent were later recognised when he became an honorary fellow of both the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons and the American College of Surgeons.

While Dr Rao navigated the medical landscape, his wife, Vimala, was carving out opportunities for others. Embracing her new life, she began welcoming recent Indian migrants into their home, offering hospitality and support that helped newcomers establish a sense of belonging within the growing Indian-Australian community.

Now, 56 years after their arrival, the Rao family continues to make strides in supporting further education and the Indian community at the University of Melbourne through the Rao Family Bursary.

Recipients of this bursary have shared how it has transformed their lives, often marking the difference between mere survival through exhausting work hours and the freedom to pursue academic ambitions while adjusting to life in Australia.

Prominent within the Indian-Australian community, the Rao family has made a lasting impact, with Dr Rao being the first honorary Indian consul-general and his sons achieving success in their respective fields—Harish as a businessman and Ranjit as a urologist.

The bursary, first awarded in 2021, has left an indelible mark on its recipients. For many, it has provided the financial relief necessary to focus on their studies rather than work long hours to make ends meet.

Mohammed Faisal, a Master of Construction Management alum, expressed gratitude for the support:

“I faced considerable challenges. The costs of tuition, course materials, and living expenses weighed heavily on me. I can now pursue my dreams without undue financial strain on my family.”

For female students, finding suitable accommodation can be daunting, but the bursary has offered vital stability during transitional periods. Doctor of Philosophy – Science researcher Nishtha Tewari noted,

“My bursary provided crucial stability and support during transitional periods. This stability, in terms of safe and secure housing, has also eased my personal journey in Melbourne.”

The Rao family’s empathy for the struggles faced by newly arrived Indians in Australia is matched by their unwavering commitment to creating opportunities for success. Their generosity inspires the bursary recipients, like Master of Marketing Communications student Javesh Juneja, who expressed a desire to “pay it forward by inspiring and assisting other students.” He added,

“I look forward to the future with optimism and enthusiasm.”

Stephen Manallack paid tribute to Dr Rao, highlighting how Dr Rao taught him valuable lessons about the Indian way of thinking, particularly regarding concepts like acceptance and patience.

“Quietly spoken and very considered in his comments, he was a strong believer that the two countries would benefit from much closer ties across politics, trade, culture and the arts.”

The legacy of Dr. T. Janardhana (Jana) Rao, who passed away on 26 August 2024, endures through the family’s dedication to transformative community impact in Australia and India.

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Among the winners, Commercial Cookery graduate Leela Subramaniam shone brightly, taking home the GOLD in the Outstanding Student Achievement Award category.

Leela, a mature-age student who completed her Certificate III in Commercial Cookery at Chisholm in 2022, has since climbed the culinary ladder.

Leela is now Senior Sous Chef at the Flinders Hotel on Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula, where she manages a team of eight kitchen staff.

Reflecting on her journey, Leela credited her time at Chisholm with transforming her confidence and opening doors to life-changing opportunities.

“Training at Chisholm built my confidence and gave me several life-changing opportunities,” she said. “Before, I was nervous and afraid to make mistakes, but TAFE provided a nurturing space for me to learn, free from judgement.”

Leela’s journey is one of resilience and triumph. She was previously studying for a Bachelor of Laws and Commerce while working part-time in hospitality. However, following a family tragedy—the death of her father—she found it difficult to continue her studies.

Seeking a fresh start, Leela enrolled in Chisholm’s Commercial Cookery program and took on an apprenticeship at her workplace.

Upon completing her apprenticeship in 2022, she was quickly promoted to junior sous chef, a feat her head chef proudly acknowledged as “unheard of” for recent graduates.

Leela’s exceptional talent has continued to garner recognition. In addition to her recent global accolade, she was also named Apprentice of the Year at the 69^th Victorian Training Awards held last year.

Leela’s ambitions stretch beyond the kitchen of the Flinders Hotel. Following the WFCP Leadership Summit, she will head to Oslo, Norway, to intern at a Michelin-starred restaurant.

Leela’s long-term goal is to establish a social enterprise restaurant that offers training opportunities to disadvantaged youth in remote areas.

Chisholm’s Chief Executive Officer, Stephen Varty, expressed pride in Leela’s achievements.

“I congratulate Leela and all those who have supported her to achieve her goals. Having your accomplishments recognised internationally is a significant honour.”

The World Federation of Colleges and Polytechnics is an international network that promotes workforce education on a global scale. Its annual Leadership Summit and Awards of Excellence celebrate leadership, course innovation, and student success in vocational education and training.

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This week, the first group of Qantas passengers arriving from New Zealand completed the Australia Travel Declaration, marking a new chapter in border processing.

The initiative, led by the Trans-Tasman Seamless Travel Group, reflects the commitment of both countries’ Prime Ministers to work towards “contactless travel.”

The aim is to streamline the travel experience using digital credentials and facial recognition technology, allowing for quicker and easier movement through key airport procedures.

ABF Commissioner Michael Outram hailed the pilot as a pivotal moment in modernising border procedures. “A significant amount of work has gone into getting this pilot off the ground, and I’d like to commend the efforts and contribution of Australian and New Zealand agencies and companies to get us here,” Commissioner Outram said.

“This is just one of many border modernisation initiatives co-designed by government and industry, and its importance cannot be overstated.”

Looking ahead to Brisbane hosting the 2032 Olympics, Outram added,

“We are striving to be global leaders at the border, and this is the first of many big steps in the right direction.”

The Australia Travel Declaration pilot, a product of months of collaboration between the Australian Border Force (ABF), the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF), and Qantas, commenced on Monday, 21 October 2024.

Passengers on QF126, arriving in Brisbane from Auckland, were the first to trial the system, landing at Brisbane Airport around 5 pm.

Eligible passengers were invited to complete the digital declaration via the Qantas app prior to travel. After submission, they received a QR-coded digital pass through the app and by email, which was presented to ABF and DAFF officers for swift processing through border controls.

DAFF Deputy Secretary of Biosecurity Justine Saunders emphasised the importance of maintaining Australia’s strong biosecurity measures while embracing innovation. “We are pleased to see the biosecurity process becoming more integrated and streamlined while still effectively protecting Australia from harmful pests and diseases,” she said.

“The success of this pilot is a positive step towards our shared goal of streamlined border clearances.”

Qantas Group Chief Customer and Digital Officer, Catriona Larritt, expressed excitement about the initiative. “Qantas customers will be the first to experience this great initiative through the Qantas App, in partnership with the Australian Government,” Larritt said.

“This is only the first step in a larger project to make the arrival experience more seamless for our customers.”

Brisbane Airport CEO, Gert-Jan de Graaff, added that the trial is a critical move towards elevating Australia’s travel experience to match the world’s top travel hubs. “We’re proud to play a part in shaping the future of seamless travel for everyone,” de Graaff said.

Currently, the pilot program is limited to Qantas passengers flying solo from Auckland to Brisbane, with further expansions planned to include other New Zealand cities like Wellington, Christchurch, and Queenstown.

The program will also likely expand to other Australian airports and may involve additional airlines as the project progresses.

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Professor Mitter brings a wealth of experience in interdisciplinary research and international collaboration to her new role, where she will be instrumental in advancing the university’s global research initiatives.

Expressing her enthusiasm for the appointment, Professor Mitter highlighted her commitment to driving international research partnerships and fostering innovation.

“Charles Sturt University’s innovative spirit is grounded in deep community engagement, education, and research to make a difference on the ground, contributing to agriculture, food and water security, and healthcare in regional communities, among others,” she said.

“I am eager to drive global research partnerships with my passion for borderless innovation.”

An Accomplished Academic with a Vision for Sustainable Solutions

Charles Sturt University praised Professor Mitter’s exceptional track record, noting her history of leading world-class interdisciplinary research centres and securing significant research funding.

Before joining Charles Sturt, Professor Mitter served as the founding Director of the Centre for Horticultural Science at the University of Queensland, where she played a key role from 2018 to 2024. Her achievements include winning numerous awards, securing fellowships, and earning patents, which have positioned her as a leader in the fields of agriculture and sustainable crop protection.

In addition to her academic accomplishments, Professor Mitter is the Director of the Australian Research Council’s Industrial Transformational Research HUB for Sustainable Crop Protection. Her research has gained international recognition, particularly her work on BioClay, a groundbreaking technology in crop protection.

BioClay is designed to combat agricultural pests such as whitefly, a major threat to global crop yields. The technology has shown promising results, with ongoing collaborative efforts through the Australia-India Strategic Research Fund.

In her new role, Professor Mitter will focus on enhancing Charles Sturt University’s international research profile, including the development of partnerships, commercialisation of research, and collaborative postgraduate programs.

The university has made substantial investments in research over the past two years, particularly in areas such as rural health, cybersecurity, food and water security, and regional well-being. Professor Mitter’s appointment aligns with Charles Sturt’s commitment to addressing regional challenges that have a global impact.

“The role of Deputy Vice-Chancellor Associate (Global Research) is to provide strategic leadership, advice, and support in the development of international research partnerships, new sources of international research income, and collaborative initiatives,” the university stated.

“Professor Mitter’s appointment is further testimony to Charles Sturt’s commitment to recruiting the best and the brightest to foster world-class research.”

Professor Mitter’s new position at Charles Sturt University marks a significant step forward for the institution’s efforts to lead in sustainable agriculture and technology-driven research. Her leadership is expected to drive strategic, multidisciplinary initiatives that span multiple regions, enhancing the university’s impact on both a local and international scale.

With Professor Mitter at the helm of its global research initiatives, Charles Sturt University aims to strengthen its reputation as a hub for innovation, providing solutions to pressing global issues and cultivating future leaders in agriculture, technology, and health.

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A two-day workshop held in Nadi on 17-18 October 2024 aims to bolster Fiji’s border management and immigration services, ensuring more efficient service delivery for both citizens and foreign nationals.

The workshop brings together key border agencies, government officials, and representatives from UN agencies based in Fiji, focusing on resolving challenges within the current visa framework. Participants will explore solutions designed to enhance operational efficiency in visa processing and immigration services.

Coordinated by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Pacific Office in Fiji and the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the workshop seeks to foster a common understanding of the existing rules and regulations governing visas, exemptions, and applications under Fiji’s laws.

One of the workshop’s key objectives is to streamline decision-making processes within the border management system across various agencies. By implementing standardized procedures and leveraging technology through inter-agency cooperation, the initiative aims to enhance the integrity of the visa system, reduce processing times, and improve the overall accessibility of immigration services.

The MFA has expressed gratitude for the vital support provided by UN agencies, recognising this initiative as a crucial step towards streamlining border and immigration services. This effort aligns with the Sovereignty and Security pillars outlined in the recently launched Foreign Policy White Paper, reinforcing Fiji’s global engagement and economic development goals under the Prosperity pillar.

As part of its mandate, the MFA plays a pivotal role in coordinating inter-agency efforts, setting strategic priorities, mobilising teamwork, and implementing policy reforms to enhance decision-making processes. The Ministry acknowledges the collaboration and support offered by UNDP and IOM, which include technical expertise, resources, and guidance aimed at sharing best practices and innovative solutions.

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The announcement, which comes as a special Diwali gift, marks a significant step forward in strengthening the two nations’ ties.

———————————————————————————————————————–Highlights:

• New MATES Visa Scheme: Indian graduates to live and work in Australia for up to two years under Subclass 403 Visa.
• 3,000 Visa Places Annually: The program will offer 3,000 spots each year, selected through a pre-application ballot.
• Eligible fields: Renewable energy, Mining, Engineering, Information Technology, Artificial Intelligence, Financial Technology, and Agricultural Technology.
• No Employer Sponsorship Required: Applicants do not need employer sponsorship
• ——————————————————————————————————

Assistant Minister for Immigration, Matt Thistlethwaite says, the initiative will help attract top Indian talent to Australia and support the country’s migration goals.

“MATES is the centrepiece mobility offer in the Australia-India Migration and Mobility Partnership Arrangement, and supports our migration priorities by attracting some of India’s most talented graduates with in-demand knowledge and skills to Australia,” Thistlethwaite said.

“It is mutually beneficial for both countries, allowing young Indian professionals with the right qualifications to utilise and expand their skills and experience in relevant Australian industries.”

The program is a key feature of the Australia-India Migration and Mobility Partnership Arrangement (MMPA), signed in May 2023, which aims to promote two-way migration and enhance collaboration between the two countries.

The scheme will benefit both nations by facilitating skills transfer and offering Australian industries access to some of India’s most talented graduates, particularly in high-demand fields such as renewable energy, mining, engineering, information technology, artificial intelligence, financial technology, and agricultural technology.

Key eligibility criteria for the MATES scheme include:

• Age Limit: Applicants must be 30 years or younger at the time of application.
• Educational Qualification: A Bachelor’s degree or higher in eligible fields.
• Graduation Timeline: The degree must have been obtained within two years of applying.
• English Language Proficiency: An IELTS score of at least 6 (with a minimum of 5 in each section) or an equivalent.
• Previous Participation: Applicants must not have participated in MATES before.

The MATES visa, available under the Temporary Work (International Relations) (Subclass 403) category, will allow 3,000 Indian nationals annually to work and gain valuable experience in Australia.

Unlike many other visa programs, there will be no requirement for employer sponsorship under the MATES scheme, making the process more accessible for young professionals. Additionally, participants can apply to bring dependents, who will also be granted work rights in Australia.

The MATES scheme serves as a significant component of the bilateral framework, which aims to address issues related to illegal and irregular migration while enhancing the ease of movement between India and Australia.

Streamlined Application Process

Applications for the MATES visa will be managed through a visa pre-application ballot process, which will ensure a fair and transparent selection method for the 3,000 available spots each year. The ballot will serve as an initial step before formal applications are made, providing a more efficient pathway for eligible applicants.

Successful applicants will be granted 12 months to make their first entry into Australia, followed by a 24-month stay, allowing for multiple entries. Those wishing to extend their stay beyond two years may apply for other temporary or permanent visas, provided they meet the eligibility requirements.

The launch of the MATES scheme is expected to further bolster the Australia-India Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, providing a new avenue for collaboration in education, industry, and innovation. It also supports India’s aspirations for expanding global career opportunities for its youth and addresses Australia’s demand for skilled professionals across key sectors.

The scheme will be open for applications starting in late 2024, and further details regarding the visa subclass, costs, and application processes will be released in the coming months.

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According to NZ Herald, this directive was allegedly communicated by MidCentral Health’s head of human resources, Keyur Anjaria, in a WhatsApp message to the local Malayali community, raising concerns about workplace discrimination. Anjaria’s message, shared with around 1000 people, emphasised that nurses in public hospital areas should only communicate in English.

“Just remind them that they should only talk in English, preferably, unless they know how to speak sign language or Māori. They should talk only in English when they’re in a public setting. This matter has started picking up some speed.”

This comes after a similar incident, reported by 1 News, at Waikato Hospital last week and another in April at Christchurch Hospital, where staff were also told not to speak in any language other than English in clinical settings.

It is reported by local media that the clampdown at Palmerston North was prompted by two investigations at MidCentral Health last year.

The first followed a patient’s complaint about feeling “disrespected and excluded” when two nurses conversed in Malayalam. The second investigation, initiated by a charge nurse, revealed that a majority of the communication between Indian staff on one ward was conducted in their local dialect.

Anjaria’s message caused significant anxiety within the Indian nursing community. One member of the Malayali community told RNZ that many overseas nurses felt “undervalued and threatened” by the directive. They described the restriction on using their mother tongue as unreasonable, especially during break times, and criticised the method of communication via a public WhatsApp group.

Saju Cherian, a nurse and member of the Kerala Association, voiced concern over the directive, arguing that all cultures and languages should be respected. He warned that this incident might not be isolated, raising broader concerns about how such issues are being addressed within hospital management.

“It’s very concerning that they decided to deal with it in this way, I don’t know how in other issues – if this is the style of dealing with issues like this – what else could have happened… this person or other managers could have done?”

Te Whatu Ora, the national health agency, stated that the situation is under internal review. Meanwhile, Health Minister Shane Reti affirmed that while English is the base language in clinical settings, nurses should use their professional judgement when speaking other languages, particularly when engaging with patients who share the same native language.

While some experts support the focus on English in clinical settings, citing patient safety and reducing the risk of miscommunication. However, others see it as an unfair burden on international nurses, who are often hailed as heroes for their vital contributions to the healthcare system.

This issue has sparked wider debate across New Zealand, where international nurses now make up nearly 45% of the workforce. Aotearoa Lived Experience Network posted on Facebook that this issue issue highlights deep-rooted systemic racism within the healthcare system that impacts both healthcare professionals and patient care.

“Racism and discrimination not only harm the wellbeing of our healthcare professionals, but they also undermine the quality of care provided to patients.”

Meanwhile, Health Minister Shane Reti said that English was the base language at Health NZ, but there had been no directive from the Government.

“Nurses who want to speak their first language to each other and/or to patients where they feel it’s clinically safe and apply their clinical judgment, so they should be able to.”

As tensions rise, the controversy highlights the challenges of balancing linguistic diversity in New Zealand’s increasingly multicultural healthcare workforce. To create a more inclusive and effective health system, it’s crucial to address these patterns of discrimination and advocate for better support structures for all healthcare workers.

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The federal government’s controversial plan to limit international student numbers is now almost certain to win parliamentary approval. But it looks like there will be some changes to the original bill introduced in May.

A Senate committee, which has a Labor majority, has recommended the bill be passed with amendments. The government is expected to accept the committee’s suggestions.

What did the committee find and what does this mean for caps on international student numbers?

Clashing views in parliament

In the inquiry report, Coalition senators criticised the government’s handling of international education. But they continued to support the idea of putting a limit on international students.

The Greens’ dissenting report completely rejected the idea of caps. The Greens don’t have the Senate numbers to block them, but they may find common ground with the Coalition on some amendments to influence the final outcome.

Changes to caps on courses

The government’s original legislation would let the minister set international student caps by education provider, location and course.

Caps by provider and location are meant to reduce pressure on accommodation and other services, especially in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane. This is a key goal of the bill and other recent changes to international student policy.

But course-level enrolment caps are not necessary to achieve this.

As the inquiry report notes, most international students do not stay in Australia permanently. So they should be allowed to choose courses based on their own interests and job opportunities in their home countries.

The report also notes significant administrative issues involved with setting and monitoring caps for the more than 25,000 courses on offer to international students.

But the report does not take these points to the logical conclusion of recommending no caps on courses. Instead, it proposes no course caps for universities or TAFEs. Non-university higher education providers and non-TAFE vocational education providers could still be subject to course-level caps.

After the report was released, Education Minister Jason Clare cited advice about some vocational providers offering courses that “don’t give [students] a real qualification”.

Coalition senators may seek the full removal of course caps from the bill – in the Senate report, they criticise what they call the “appalling treatment of many private higher education and [vocational education and training] providers”. With support from the Greens, course caps could be stopped.

A new power to exempt some categories of students

The government has flagged it wants to exempt students from the Pacific or Timor-Leste and some students on government scholarships from the new cap regime.

That would require amendments to the original bill, which the Senate inquiry also recommends. This change is unlikely to face any Senate obstacles.

An earlier date for announcing caps

The bill requires caps to be announced by September 1 in the year before the caps apply, except for this year when the deadline is December 31.

This date was criticised because international students receive offers before September. Education providers need to know their caps before they start making offers.

The Senate report recommends a July 1 announcement instead.

Huge powers for the minister

As drafted, the bill gives the minister extraordinary personal power to set international student caps. It sets no limit on the reasons for setting caps. It requires no consultation prior to setting caps, other than the minister for education consulting the minister for skills.

The Senate report suggests improvements to this process. The education minister would also need to consult the immigration minister and the regulators for vocational education and higher education.

The report also says education providers should be consulted on the initial setting of enrolment limits each year. With around 1,500 providers registered to offer courses to international students, this consultation may need to be with their representative groups.

More scrutiny for the caps?

The bill has a dual system for setting caps. One of these is via a “legislative instrument”, which the minister makes. This can be disallowed by either house of parliament and is the only limit on the minister’s power.

But the bill also allows the minister to bypass the parliament with a “notice” to education providers. This has the same practical effect as the legislative instrument.

The bill’s explanatory memorandum (the document to help readers understand legislation), offers a benign explanation for this. It says the minister will only exercise the power of using a notice in limited circumstances. Its examples include when the education provider has supplied additional student accommodation, or needs to expand to take students from other providers that have gone out of business.

Nothing in the bill, however, limits the use of capping by notice.

In a submission to the inquiry, I recommended requiring parliamentary scrutiny of the way caps are set. The legislative instrument would set out rules and formulas for calculating the cap. The notice to education providers would have to apply these rules and formulas to their specific circumstances.

The Senate committee majority, however, recommended a much weaker form of scrutiny. It suggested replacing the notice with a “notifiable instrument”. This would ensure the provider’s cap was publicly available. The notices, by contrast, only go to to the affected education provider, the Department of Education, and the relevant regulator.

A notifiable instrument would allow more public scrutiny of the minister’s decisions, for people who keep an eye on the government’s legislation website. But it falls well short of a system in which parliament is always directly notified of caps and given the power to intervene.

A turning point

The Senate inquiry partly answers some criticisms or weaknesses of the bill. It’s likely the bill will next be debated when parliament sits in November.

But whatever views people hold on capping international students – and with the student visa holder population nearing 700,000 there is a case for moderation – we are witnessing a major turning point in higher education.

This bill, in combination with planned controls on domestic student enrolments, signals the demise of student choice and university autonomy. A new era of bureaucratic control from Canberra is arriving.

Andrew Norton, Professor in the Practice of Higher Education Policy, Australian National University

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

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Anita Dongre, known for her elegant designs and commitment to traditional Indian craftsmanship, took inspiration from her home city of Jaipur to create the Diwali doll’s attire. The doll is dressed in a “Moonlight Bloom” ensemble, which includes a choli top, a floral Koti vest, and a lehenga skirt adorned with symbolic Indian flowers, reflecting both the beauty of Indian fashion and the spirit of Diwali.

According to critics, the best part is that Ms Dongre’s Barbie wears its Hindu culture with pride including a beautiful “Bindi” on her forehead.

“She’s this quintessentially modern Indian girl. I wanted the doll to represent what India is today, because I think the world sometimes has a very different idea of what India is. And today the young Indian woman is intelligent, empowered, and modern.”

“She wears India with pride,”

Dongre explained during an interview with GMA.

The Barbie Diwali Doll reflects the modern identity of Indian women, a theme Dongre emphasised throughout her design process. It also highlights the growing recognition of Indian culture globally and provides young girls worldwide with a doll that celebrates cultural diversity and tradition.

The Diwali Barbie is available through Mattel and major retailers, offering families an opportunity to celebrate the Festival of Lights with a special touch of cultural representation.

Barbie’s collaboration with Dongre is part of the brand’s ongoing efforts to highlight diversity and inclusion, making this Diwali release a significant step in honouring global traditions.

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Attended by prominent dignitaries, including the High Commissioner of India, Gopal Baglay, the event was a testament to the growing cultural and political influence of the Indian diaspora in Australia, especially the Hindu community.

The event saw participation from Speaker of the House Milton Dick MP, Minister for Finance, Women & the Public Service Senator Katy Gallagher, and Deputy Leader of the Opposition Sussan Ley, alongside several other Members of Parliament and Senators.

The presence of these dignatories underscored the increasing recognition of Diwali as a significant cultural festival in Australia’s multicultural fabric.

High Commissioner Baglay greeted the Indian community and friends of India in Canberra, noting that the event celebrates Deepawali, Democracy, Diversity, and Dosti (friendship) between India and Australia.

He highlighted the festival’s message of triumph of light over darkness and good over evil, resonating with the values of inclusivity and harmony cherished by both nations.

Milton Dick MP, Speaker of the Australian House of Representatives, observed: “Deepavali is one of the biggest Hindu festivals celebrated around the world. The Festival of Lights signifies the triumph of light over darkness and good over evil and it was so special to be part of this celebration.”

With the Indian diaspora being one of Australia’s fastest-growing communities, particularly Hindus, Diwali has gained significant recognition across the country.

According to ABS, Hinduism has emerged as the third largest religion in the nation, after various denominations of Christianity and Islam, with 2.7 per cent of the Australian population belonging to the Hindu faith.

The celebration in Parliament not only marked the spiritual significance of the festival but also reflected the deepening ties between India and Australia, culturally, socially, and politically.

As the number of Indian Australians continues to grow, their contributions to Australia’s social, economic, and political landscape are increasingly acknowledged. Diwali celebrations like these showcase the thriving multiculturalism in Australia and the essential role the Indian community plays in it.

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The EAG, chaired by Minister Watts, will co-design the next phase of the New Colombo Plan, which will focus on expanding longer deployments for students, enhancing Asian language learning, and strengthening institutional partnerships in the Indo-Pacific.

Watts emphasised the critical role the group will play in shaping the program’s future to ensure it continues to deliver tangible benefits and foster a greater understanding of Australia’s regional neighbours.

“We are committed to ensuring the New Colombo Plan continues to create deeper connections with the Indo-Pacific,” Watts said.

“I look forward to working closely with the EAG to provide an even stronger platform for future generations of Australians to engage with our region.”

The appointed members, drawn from diverse backgrounds across higher education, industry, and NCP alumni, will help shape the program’s future direction, ensuring it continues to foster regional ties and build Australians’ capability to operate in the Indo-Pacific.

The newly appointed members of the External Advisory Group include:

•   Ms Grace Corcoran, Diplomacy Program Lead, Asialink
•   Prof Nicholas Farrelly, Pro Vice-Chancellor, University of Tasmania
•   Prof Jessica Gallagher, Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Adelaide University
•   The Hon Phil Honeywood, CEO, International Education Association of Australia
•   Ms Renae Lattey, Chief Executive Partner, King and Wood Mallesons
•   Mr Ashok Mysore, Member, Victoria Trade and Investment Advisory Board
•   Mr Luke Sheehy, CEO, Universities Australia
•   Mr Peter Varghese AO, Chancellor, University of Queensland
•   Ms Elena Williams, ANU Indonesia Institute
•   Ms Hayley Winchcombe, Engagement Manager, Mandala Partners

In the ten years since its inception, the New Colombo Plan has supported over 50,000 Australian students and connected 41 universities with more than 2,500 institutions across the Indo-Pacific. The program has provided participants with opportunities to study, undertake language training, and engage in internships and research placements across 40 host locations, helping to deepen Australia’s ties to the region.

With experts spanning diplomacy, education, international law, and industry, the advisory group will help steer the program towards new opportunities for collaboration and growth, ensuring Australia remains at the forefront of regional engagement and development.

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Preetham is an Aerospace Engineering student at RMIT University and has emerged as a dynamic entrepreneur and leader, making remarkable strides in both the food and beverage industry and space technology.

His entrepreneurial journey began with the founding of Dropout Chaiwala, a food and beverage startup that quickly expanded across multiple locations in Melbourne, achieving impressive financial success.

Building on this, Preetham leveraged his engineering expertise to establish Akula Tech, a cutting-edge space technology company. Within a short span, Akula Tech secured $1 million in pre-seed funding and is preparing for its first satellite launch.

The company has also partnered with Australian telecommunications giant VOCUS to tap into government and enterprise markets. Through Akula Tech, Preetham continues to foster mentorship, talent development, and collaboration within Victoria’s thriving startup ecosystem.

Fazil is a prominent advocate for international students and has earlier received the Emerging Leader Award from Swinburne University. He works as a Cloud Operations Engineer at PwC Australia.

Fazil’s YouTube channel, which promotes the international student experience in Melbourne, has amassed over one million views. Fazil’s commitment to community engagement and industry collaboration makes him a recognised figure in Victoria’s international student community.

This year, five Indian students have been recognised as finalists across multiple categories for their outstanding contributions to higher education, entrepreneurship, and leadership.

In addition to Preetham Akula and Fazil Mohammed, three other Indian students were also finalists in the 2024 awards:

• Angela Sojan, a finalist for the International Student of the Year – Higher Education, is a passionate advocate for diversity in STEM. She has inspired thousands of students through her work at the Victorian Space Science Education Centre and her role as the diversity and inclusion officer for the Mathematics and Statistics Society at the University of Melbourne.
• Ayushi Daga, also a finalist for the International Student of the Year – Higher Education, has made significant contributions through her volunteer work, notably during the February 2024 Grampians wildfires. Ayushi’s leadership in mental health advocacy and inclusivity through organisations like the Australian Kookaburra Kids Foundation is widely recognised.
• Muhsin Kizhisseri, a finalist in the International Student/Graduate Entrepreneur of the Year category, leads Healovate, a startup that focuses on stroke prediction technology. His groundbreaking research has the potential to revolutionise stroke patient care and has earned him the Study Melbourne Future Founders Venture Scholarship.

Additionally, Nishadeep Kaur was highly commended by the International Student of the Year – Vocational Education and Training judging panel.

Last year, Sarbjeet Singh from Deakin University (Geelong campus) won the coveted Premier’s Award – International Student of the Year.

The Victorian International Education Awards, organised by Study Melbourne, shine a spotlight on the state’s most outstanding international students and recent graduates.

These students represent the vibrant and innovative contributions of the Indian international student community in Victoria, showcasing leadership, creativity, and commitment to positive social impact.

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The Kiribati government’s decision not to join the inaugural ballot for Australia’s permanent migration pathway, the Pacific Engagement Visa (PEV), came as a surprise to many.

As an I-Kiribati mobility and climate change scholar who has had the privilege of working under two Kiribati government administrations with divergent views on migration, I am writing this article to show why rejecting the PEV is a missed opportunity.

Three out of the 12 Pacific island countries eligible for the PEV opted out of the visa. Samoa, it appears, declined due to concerns over the high level of outmigration of its people. The Republic of Marshall Islands has an existing pathway to the United States under its Compact of Free Association, and likely did not see the need for another scheme. Then there is Kiribati, a country with a fast-growing young population, high unemployment, limited economic opportunities, and few migration opportunities. No reason has been put forward by the Kiribati government for opting out. Was it an inclusive decision? Was it fair for the government to decide on behalf of everyone?

Kiribati sits at the centre of the world, at the intersection of the international dateline and the equator. It straddles all four hemispheres, making it a location of strategic importance in geopolitics today. Halfway between Australia and Hawaii, the country’s total land area is 811 square kilometres, about the size of Canberra. Kiribati’s 33 islands are dispersed over 3.5 million square kilometres of ocean territory, roughly the size of the states of Western Australia and South Australia combined. Labelled a small island state, Kiribati is essentially a big ocean state. It stands not more than three metres above sea level and its fragile geography is an impediment to its development and efforts to mitigate threats of climate change.

The economy of Kiribati is small, and its prospects for growth are limited due to its remoteness and internal dispersion. Its GDP per capita is below US$2,000 and its population of nearly 120,000 people is growing rapidly. This explains why access to international labour markets has remained a priority for every government that comes to office.

Labour migration is not new to I-Kiribati. The country prides itself on nearly 60 years of seafaring and associated work in the maritime and fisheries sector. More recently, New Zealand’s Recognised Seasonal Employer (RSE) scheme and the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) scheme employ more than 3,000 I-Kiribati workers every year. Remittances have already become a key source of income for households and accounted for 8.4% of GDP in 2020.

While PALM and RSE participation is a good start, there are plenty of reasons why Kiribati should be seeking more migration opportunities and embracing the PEV.

First, Kiribati suffers from the tyranny of distance, resulting in high living costs and low living standards. For many economically vulnerable communities, migration to a first-world country like Australia, whether short-term or permanent, provides an escape from economic hardship. My own PhD fieldwork in Kiribati found remarkable growth in the popularity of labour migration schemes. In particular, I-Kiribati workers in Australia spoke highly of the PALM scheme and compared it favorably to the situation of being unemployed in Kiribati.

Second, Kiribati is one of the most densely populated places on earth. More than half its population is concentrated on the small strip of land that serves as the capital – South Tarawa. Attempts to control rural-urban migration have been trialled and failed to stem the flow. Migration under the PEV would be one practical way to reduce population pressures.

Third, Kiribati is highly vulnerable to climate change. Migration is not the solution to climate change, but having migration options is one effective adaption response in a global system that lacks governance mechanisms to protect climate-threatened communities. While rejecting apocalyptic climate vulnerability narratives is crucial to maintaining agency, the reality is that certain aspects of Kiribati’s geography render the country susceptible to climate change impacts.

Fourth, while PALM and RSE have been popular in Kiribati, the country is still a minor player in these schemes — for example, providing only an average of 5% of all PALM workers entering Australia in recent years. Indeed, the country’s isolation and other factors make it difficult for Kiribati to compete against other countries for temporary migration places (high transport costs being one factor), so it might be better suited to permanent migration schemes such as the PEV. The PEV will also be valuable in growing the Kiribati diaspora in Australia, which is tiny (just 1,263 in 2021). And the PEV is better than PALM in that it allows family accompaniment, does not tie the worker to a single employer, and allows access to many government benefits. These measures promote migrant safety and wellbeing and reduce the risk of exploitation.

A fifth point is that rejecting the PEV risks increasing the dependency of the I-Kiribati population on government handouts such as the social protection program – te mwane n aki mwakuri  or unemployment allowance – and the copra subsidy. The former pays A$50 monthly to all I-Kiribati aged 18-59 years, while the cost of the latter increased dramatically from A$1 to A$4 per kilogram in the last four years, despite challenges for coconut producers with irregular shipments and competition in the international market. Both schemes, while designed to alleviate poverty, defeat the government’s purpose of building social resilience, and are fiscally unsustainable. By building sustainable economic opportunities for growth, including through migration, the government could treat the country’s dependency syndrome.

Finally, there is no doubt that the PEV would be very popular. The government needs to explain why it has rejected the PEV in 2024 given that Kiribati participates in New Zealand’s PEV-equivalent, the Pacific Access Category (PAC) visa scheme. In 2019, the most recent year for which we have data, 58 I-Kiribati applied for each one of the 75 PAC visas available. A fair process would be a nation-wide consultation before the next PEV ballot in 2025.

Kiribati is at a fundamental point in its history where it strives to challenge colonial constructs, exercise sovereignty amid geopolitical tensions, reinforce national and cultural identity, and chart its own future. However, as vital as this is, the government must not throw the baby out with the bathwater. Transforming Kiribati into the Dubai and Singapore of the Pacific is not impossible but it will not happen overnight, unless the government capitalises on the PEV to achieve its goal of increasing overseas employment by 100% by 2036. Until then, the rights of I-Kiribati to employment, migration, and culture, regardless of where they are in the world, must be fully recognised and not compromised in the name of decolonisation, nationalism or geopolitics.

This article was first published in the Australian National University’s DevpolicyBlog and has been republished here with the kind permission of the editor(s). The Blog is run out of the Development Policy Centre housed in the Crawford School of Public Policy in the ANU College of Asia and the Pacific at The Australian National University.

Contributing Author: Akka Rimon is a PhD candidate with the School of Regulation and Global Governance (RegNet), Australian National University. She is one of four inaugural recipients of the Australia-Pacific Security College PhD Scholarship Awards.

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With a registration fee of AUD 25, eligible individuals from these countries can now register for the ballot, which began today.

This initiative, which is part of the 2024-2025 program year, aims to ensure an equitable and transparent selection process for applicants from countries where demand exceeds the available visa spots.

Eligibility Criteria

The Work and Holiday visa ballots for India, Vietnam and China will be held annually, with each country having a specific registration period. This year’s registration period opened on October 1, 2024, and participants must complete the process within the specified timeframe to be eligible for selection.

To register for the ballot, Indian applicants must:

• Age: Be between 18 and 30 years old (inclusive).
• Nationality: Hold a valid Indian passport.
• National ID: Have a valid PAN card.
• Account: Create an ImmiAccount and verify their email address.
• Fee: Pay the AUD 25 registration fee.

The Work and Holiday Maker arrangement is a key commitment under the Australia-India Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement (ECTA), which aims to enhance people-to-people ties between the two nations. Eligible Indian passport holders now have the opportunity to apply for a working holiday in Australia via the pre-application ballot process.

Indian Trade Minister Piyush Goyal highlighted this development in a recent post on X: “Concluded a very productive visit to Australia which will further strengthen our bilateral trade and investment ties in several priority sectors and open new areas of cooperation.

“During the visit, happy to learn that Work & Holiday visa, a key commitment under India-Australia Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement will be operational from 1st October 2024 which will facilitate mobility and deepen people-to-people connect .”

Ballot Process

The ballot registration is completed via ImmiAccount, under ‘New application’. Once the form is filled and the registration fee is paid, the status changes from ‘draft’ to ‘received’, and the applicant is added to the ballot for random selection.

The ballot process aims to provide a fair and efficient way of managing the high demand for Work and Holiday visas. The selection is conducted through a random automated process, ensuring that every eligible applicant has an equal chance of being selected. Those selected will receive a ‘Notification of selection’ letter via email, inviting them to apply for the Work and Holiday visa.

However, it is important to note that receiving a selection letter does not guarantee the visa. Applicants must still meet all eligibility requirements to be granted a Work and Holiday (subclass 462) visa.

Once selected, participants will have their registration status updated to ‘selected’ in their ImmiAccount and will be invited to apply for the visa. The notification letter will provide further instructions, and some details will be pre-filled in the application form for convenience.

With registrations now open, eligible Indian applicants are encouraged to take advantage of this opportunity to participate in the Work and Holiday visa program and experience the culture and lifestyle that Australia has to offer.

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These documents, which are currently stored in physical form, chronicle the experiences of Indian indentured labourers, known as Girmitiyas, who were brought to Fiji between 1879 and 1916 to work on plantations.

The Ministry aims to create a digital platform to provide public access to these vital records, ensuring their preservation for future generations.

The project focuses on four key record clusters: Immigration Passes, Ship Records, Plantation Records, and Repatriation Records. Once digitised, these documents will be made available online, making Fiji the first among the 19 Girmitiya nations to provide such public access.

Minister for Multi-Ethnic Affairs and Sugar Industry, Charan Jeath Singh, emphasised the importance of preserving these historical ties. “It is vital to digitise these documents and make them accessible to the public to honour our shared history,” Singh said.

He further explained that once the digitisation process is completed, the Girmit database will be handed over to the National Archives of Fiji to ensure its long-term preservation and public accessibility. Singh also called on the public to support this effort, highlighting the Ministry’s commitment to using modern technology to enhance access to historical data.

This initiative aligns with Fiji’s National Development Goals, which prioritise the preservation of cultural heritage and traditional knowledge. By digitising these records, the Ministry seeks to support historians, researchers, and the general public, promoting wider collaboration and easier access to this essential data.

Between 1879 and 1916, 87 voyages were made by 42 ships, carrying indentured labourers first from Calcutta, and later from Madras. A total of 60,965 passengers embarked from India, with 60,553 (including births at sea) arriving in Fiji.

These labourers played a crucial role in Fiji’s sugarcane industry and contributed significantly to the nation’s multicultural identity.

Prominent Indo-Fijian academic, Prof. Ganesh Chand, who is also on the board of Global Girmit Institute, praised the initiative, stating on social media: “This is the best news I have heard coming from any Fiji Government or Minister on Girmit records since 2004.”

In an earlier interview, Prof. Chand had pointed out that many Fijians were unaware of their country’s history and the way of life under British rule in Fiji, noting that Fijian-Indians were even unaware of their origins – the Girmitiyas.

“For Girmitiyas, there has been a total silence of material in our curriculum all the way up to now. There is nothing in the text, and students don’t learn their history,” Prof. Chand observed.

The Ministry’s digitisation effort marks a significant step towards building a more inclusive and culturally rich future for Fiji, ensuring that the legacy of the Girmitiyas is preserved for generations to come.

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The New Zealand coalition government’s recent changes to Recognised Seasonal Employer (RSE) policy settings were a topic of much discussion at this year’s annual RSE conference which was well-attended by RSE employers, industry bodies, government officials, Pacific country representatives and other key stakeholders.

RSE employers were upbeat about the policy changes which will help to reduce their costs of participation, a key outcome that employers and industry groups have been lobbying for.

After 17 years of operation, the RSE scheme is still dominated by small producers – 62% of the 179 active employers in 2024 recruited fewer than 50 workers each, with half of those recruiting fewer than 20 workers. For many of the scheme’s smaller producers, rising employment costs and tightening profit margins, especially in the wake of the pandemic, have made RSE participation potentially unsustainable.

For Pacific countries, the three changes to policy settings that directly affect workers’ take-home pay– removing the requirement for employers to pay all RSE workers 10% above the minimum wage, removing the guaranteed payment for 30 hours’ work per week, and lifting the freeze on worker accommodation charges — are less welcome.

From September, the 10% loading above minimum wage is only applicable to RSE workers in their third and subsequent seasons of work. Arguably, this change has been implemented to recognise the skills and experience of returning workers – recognition that Pacific countries have sought for returning workers for some time. But there are several problems with imposing a blanket requirement to pay those in their third or subsequent season a higher wage than a new RSE recruit.

First, data on RSE worker return rates over the 17 years from 2007 to 2024 show that for many Pacific countries the average number of seasons worked is below three (Figure 1). Workers from Vanuatu – the largest RSE supply country – return on average for three seasons, while for Samoa and Tonga, it is 2.9 seasons and 2.8 seasons respectively. All other Pacific countries have lower return rates. It is only Asian countries whose workers, on average, return for more than three seasons, and will therefore repeatedly benefit from the higher wage rate.

Second, setting a wage rate based on the number of seasons worked encourages people to return more often to New Zealand to earn more money, whether they are particularly productive workers or not, and when it may not be in the best interests of their partners, children and extended family members who remain at home.

Third, basing higher wages simply on length of service doesn’t automatically recognise skills and productivity. There could well be workers in their second season who are more skilled and productive than those who continue returning. Moreover, there could be workers who have spent their first two seasons working with a particular crop (perhaps picking mandarins) who are shifted to a new crop in their third season (say, pruning grapevines) and who are automatically being paid more for performing a task in which they are not yet skilled.

An alternative is to leave decisions about rewarding skills and experience to the discretion of the employer. This has historically been the approach, and employers already have a range of ways in which they choose to reward workers, whether in the form of higher wages, or via other incentives such as payment of the workers’ full return airfare costs or subsidies for weekly accommodation charges.

The requirement for RSE employers to guarantee payment for at least 30 hours’ work per week was introduced during the pandemic as a protective mechanism to ensure workers stranded in New Zealand could cover their weekly living expenses. Under the new policy settings, RSE employers must guarantee payment for 30 hours per week averaged over four weeks (that is, they must now guarantee payment for at least 120 hours’ work over four weeks).

According to National MP Catherine Wedd who spoke at the conference, this shift to an averaging approach has been made so that we can “better compete with Australia”. This makes little sense; it is unclear how diluting worker protections in the form of guaranteed pay, as well as paying them less, makes New Zealand more competitive in the eyes of the Pacific.

One of the ways in which New Zealand has historically tried to differentiate the RSE scheme from Australia’s Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) scheme is by arguing that, while Australia pays higher wages, we have a scheme that is built on strong employer-employee relationships, a high standard of pastoral care and strong worker protections.

Now it seems Australia offers both higher wages and better worker protections. While PALM Approved Employers are also required to guarantee 30 hours’ pay averaged over four weeks, they have a guaranteed minimum pay threshold of A$200 per week to ensure workers’ pay does not drop below this level after deductions. Moreover, if a PALM employer cannot offer 20 hours of work in any given week, then the employer must cover the cost of the worker’s accommodation and transport – and these costs are not recoverable from the worker.

There are no similar protections under the RSE scheme. Now, workers have their wages averaged over a four-week period but will, in all probability, still be paying weekly deductions, with no minimum pay threshold in place. Furthermore, with the removal of the freeze on weekly accommodation charges, workers will likely be paying more each week in rent.

Notwithstanding the problems above, some changes to RSE settings are warranted. Employers have valid concerns about rising costs, especially for many of the scheme’s small producers. Fundamentally, the RSE scheme is employer-driven, so it needs to remain financially viable for employers to recruit from the Pacific if the scheme is to survive.

The main concern here is about the lack of consultation with the countries that supply the people who will be most affected by the changes.

Pacific stakeholders are still waiting for anything meaningful to come out of the RSE policy review which started pre-pandemic, was completed in 2023, and has been languishing since then. The current round of policy changes was, on the other hand, pushed through in a matter of weeks.

Given arguments can be made both for and against the recent changes, proper consultation with Pacific stakeholders would have been prudent. As Vanuatu’s High Commissioner to New Zealand, Jimmy Nipo, noted in his presentation, realising the benefits of the RSE scheme is a balancing act. Balancing the benefits for New Zealand and for Pacific countries – and maintaining important bilateral and regional relationships – requires regular, open dialogue.

Disclosure: This research was supported by the Pacific Research Program, with funding from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. The views are those of the author only.

This article was first published in the Australian National University’s DevpolicyBlog and has been republished here with the kind permission of the editor(s). The Blog is run out of the Development Policy Centre housed in the Crawford School of Public Policy in the ANU College of Asia and the Pacific at The Australian National University.

Contributing Author: Charlotte Bedford is a research fellow with the Development Policy Centre and is based in New Zealand.

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Jatin A. Kotecha an Indian-Australian entrepreneur, is pushing the boundaries of personal achievement through thrilling adventures that challenge the norms and stereotypes of his community. Known for his passion for travel, motorcycling, and mountain climbing, Kotecha has embarked on extraordinary expeditions, inspiring people both in Australia and India.

Key Takeaways from Jatin’s Adventures:

• Perseverance: Whether travelling solo across Australia or summiting the world’s highest mountains, Kotecha’s mantra is simple: “One step at a time.”
• Cultural Impact: Kotecha’s adventures are not just personal achievements; they also aim to break stereotypes about the Indian and Gujarati communities.
• Humility and Gratitude: Despite his many achievements, Kotecha remains humbled by his experiences, grateful for the opportunities to explore the world and share his journey with others.

From Business to Adventure: A Journey Like No Other

Kotecha, who co-owns two successful businesses—Aavas Consultants (a town planning consultancy) and Ravi Blinds—with his wife Devangi, has ventured far beyond his professional life. Driven by an insatiable thirst for adventure, Kotecha has turned his love for travel and exploration into life-changing experiences. His journey is one of self-discovery and breaking the societal mould often associated with the Indian diaspora.

“Adventure was something that called to me, and I knew I had to answer. Every challenge I’ve taken on has pushed me beyond my comfort zone, and that’s where growth happens,”

Kotecha said.

The Grand Australian Ride: A Solo Motorcycling Feat

In 2022, Kotecha embarked on the Grand Australian Ride, a remarkable solo motorcycle adventure that saw him travel over 16,500 kilometres around Australia in just 50 days.

Starting from his home in Melbourne, Kotecha followed the full length of Highway 1—the world’s longest national highway. He navigated extreme weather conditions, from scorching heat and sub-zero temperatures to fog and rain, all while riding through some of the country’s most remote areas.

“I ran out of fuel multiple times, stayed in towns with only eight residents, and covered over 600 kilometres in a single day. But through it all, I learned that anything is possible, one step—or one kilometre—at a time,”

Kotecha reflected on his unforgettable journey.

Conquering Mountains: Everest Base Camp, Kilimanjaro, and Elbrus

Following the success of his motorcycle expedition, Kotecha turned his attention to the mountains. In May 2023, he and his wife Devangi trekked to the Everest Base Camp in Nepal, a physically demanding climb that required months of preparation. Standing at 17,598 feet, the experience left Kotecha in awe of the natural beauty and human resilience it takes to conquer such heights.

In September 2023, he went even higher, summiting Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania. At 19,341 feet, Kilimanjaro is the world’s tallest free-standing mountain. Kotecha describes the experience as “walking above the clouds” for seven days, battling the mountain’s unpredictable elements.

In 2024, Kotecha scaled Mount Elbrus, the highest mountain in Europe at 18,510 feet. Transitioning from hiking to full-fledged mountaineering, he braved knee-deep snow, ice, and relentless altitude.

“Standing at the summit, I felt humbled by the mountain’s majesty. It’s a reminder that the natural world is powerful and generous enough to let us reach its peaks,”

Kotecha said.

Breaking Stereotypes and Inspiring the Community

While Kotecha’s adventures are impressive feats in themselves, his broader goal is to shatter stereotypes associated with the Indian and Gujarati communities. Often seen as risk-averse or conservative, Kotecha’s bold expeditions challenge these perceptions.

“Every adventure I take is a message that no dream is too big and no background too limiting. It’s important to break the mould and show that anyone—regardless of where they come from—can pursue extraordinary challenges,”

he shared.

The Road Ahead

Kotecha’s spirit of adventure shows no signs of slowing down. With future plans already in place, he continues to inspire others to chase their dreams and defy the odds.

“Every mountain I climb, every road I travel, it’s about proving to myself and others that we are capable of so much more than we think. If you believe in yourself, no mountain is too high.”

Jatin Kotecha continues to blaze new trails, proving that even ordinary individuals can take on extraordinary challenges—and break barriers along the way.

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Beidar Cho, head of demography at the ABS, highlighted that net overseas migration was the primary driver of the increase, accounting for 83 per cent of the population growth. “Our population grew by 615,300 people over the year, with births and deaths, known as natural increase, making up the remaining 17 per cent,” Ms Cho said.

Net overseas migration contributed 509,800 people to Australia’s population in the year to March 2024, a slight decrease from the peak of 559,900 in September 2023. The natural increase was 105,500, with 289,700 births and 184,200 deaths recorded during the period.

Western Australia led the states with the fastest growth, seeing a 3.1 per cent rise in population, while Tasmania experienced the slowest growth at 0.4 per cent. Victoria’s population grew by 2.7 per cent, followed by Queensland at 2.5 per cent. New South Wales grew by 2 per cent, South Australia by 1.5 per cent, and the ACT by 1.8 per cent, while the Northern Territory increased by 0.8 per cent.

Australia’s population growth aligns with projections from the Centre for Population, which expects the population to exceed 28 million by 2026-27, and 30 million by 2031. The country’s population has effectively doubled since the mid-1970s.

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The Brisbane Maratha Warriors (BMW) hosted their annual Ganesh Festival and Award Night at the Coorparoo State School Auditorium, bringing together the community for a vibrant celebration of culture, sports, and unity.

The event, which featured an impressive mix of cultural performances and sporting recognitions, encapsulated the spirit of the Maratha community in Brisbane.

A major highlight of the evening was the recognition of 26 young cricket enthusiasts, aged between 4 and 12, who took part in the Cricket Blast program, supported by Queensland Cricket.

These budding athletes received medals for their participation, becoming the focal point of the night. The excitement in the room was undeniable as the young cricketers took to the stage, cheered on by an enthusiastic audience and proud parents. This initiative reflected BMW’s ongoing commitment to fostering the next generation of cricketing talent.

In addition to the Cricket Blast honours, medals were awarded to winners of the BMW Badminton Tournament and the highly anticipated BMW Super 6 Cricket Tournament. These athletes were recognised for their exceptional skill, sportsmanship, and dedication, underscoring BMW’s broader mission of promoting sporting excellence across a range of disciplines.

The event also featured a series of cultural performances that captivated the audience. Six performances, including an energetic Bhangra routine, the graceful movements of classical Kathak, and an array of dynamic Bollywood dance performances, highlighted the rich cultural heritage of the Maratha community. The vibrancy and energy of the performances were met with applause and admiration from attendees.

Distinguished guests, including Councillor Emily Kim, Ashutosh Mishra from Queensland Cricket, and Prerana Phawa from Simply Human, added a special touch to the evening. Their speeches reflected a shared appreciation for the community’s efforts in preserving cultural traditions and nurturing youth through sports.

Mishra underscored the value of initiatives like Cricket Blast in developing young talent, while Phawa praised community-driven efforts that create a positive, inclusive environment. Councillor Kim commended BMW’s role in enriching Brisbane’s multicultural landscape.

As the event concluded, it was clear that the Brisbane Maratha Warriors had successfully crafted a night that honoured tradition while strengthening the bonds of community through sport and culture. BMW continues to play a pivotal role in promoting cultural and athletic engagement in Brisbane, inspiring future generations.

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