Department of Immigration and Citizenship (Australia)

The Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) is an Australian Government department. In 2004, the then Department of Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs (DIMIA) had an annual operating budget of AUD$700 million. The Department of Immigration and Citizenship is responsible for:

• immigration arrangements
• border control
• citizenship
• ethnic affairs
• multicultural affairs

History

After World War II, Australia launched a massive immigration program. The Minister for Immigration, Arthur Calwell promoted mass immigration with the slogan "populate or perish" and established the Federal Department of Immigration in 1945.

"Machinery of Government" changes following government reshuffles:

• 26 November 2001 the Department of Immigration and Multicultural Affairs (DIMA) and the Department of Reconciliation and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs merged to form the Department of Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs (DIMIA).
• 27 January 2006 the Indigenous Affairs responsibility moved to the now Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs.
• 23 January 2007 the Department of Immigration and Multicultural Affairs is renamed the Department of Immigration and Citizenship.

DIMA and its successors were the centre of controversy from 2001 because it was primarily these departments that implemented the Australian governments policies of mandatory detention of unauthorised arrivals and the Pacific Solution. The Department was also accused of mistreating asylum seekers at Australian immigration detention facilities.

The Rudd Labor government announced the end of Mandatory detention in Australia in July 2008, unless the asylum seeker is deemed to pose a risk to the wider community, such as those who have repeatedly breached their visa conditions or those who have security or health risks.

References

See also

• Immigration to Australia
• Minister for Immigration and Citizenship
• List of Australian Commonwealth Government entities
• Cornelia Rau
• Vivian Solon

External links

• Department of Immigration and Citizenship Website