BY SARAH STEPHEN
"The young of Australia will not be deterred from travelling in the years ahead... We will continue to live the lives that we regard as the birthright of all Australians." Prime Minister John Howard made these comments during the national memorial service for those killed in the Bali bombings, held in Canberra on October 24.
According to Howard, Australians have the right to travel the world. But it's not a right that's reciprocated. The Australian immigration department maintains a "risk list" of people from countries to whom it regularly denies visas. It is based, not on the number, but the proportion of overstayers from each country, a calculation which disadvantages people from poor countries where fewer numbers can afford to travel.
For example, there were an estimated 104 Ecuadoreans in Australia with expired visas at the end of 2000, out of a total of 1591 visitors from Ecuador in the five years prior. In comparison, there were 4759 overstayers from the United States out of a total 2,056,030 US visitors. Because the proportion of Ecuadoreans was 28 times higher, they are considered by the government to be more of a "risk".
As of January 2001, there were 44 countries with 113 age and gender categories on the government's "risk list". People falling within these categories face extra scrutiny. They may be barred from travelling to Australia altogether, or may be required to pay a bond of thousands or tens of thousands of dollars, refundable when they leave.
They include: Afghanistan — female, 60 years or older; Bangladesh — female, 20 years or older, male 20 to 39 years inclusive, 60 years or older; Brazil — female and male, 20 to 39 years inclusive; Chile — female, 20 years or older, male 20 to 39 years inclusive, 60 years or older; China — female, 50 years or older, male 20 to 24 years inclusive, 60 years or older; Fiji — female, 20 years or older, male 20 to 39 years inclusive, 60 years or older; Greece — female, 20 to 29 years inclusive, 50 years or older, male 20 to 39 years inclusive, 60 years or older; Israel — female, 20 to 39 years inclusive, male, 20 to 39 years inclusive; South Korea — female, 20 to 39 years inclusive, male, 25 to 39 years inclusive; Vietnam — female, 20 years or older, male, 20 years or older; Yugoslavia — female, 30 years or older, male, 20 years or older.
From Â鶹´«Ã½ Weekly, November 20, 2002.
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