"An overzealous scrutiny by the Australian Immigration Department is delaying the decision making process and forcing applicants to take medical tests for example, which appear to be unreasonable in some cases for the granting of straight forward tourist visas. This alone in many legal jurisdictions would be enough grounds to warrant corruption investigations, due to potential over and unnecessary use of service providers.

A disguised statistical discrimination system used by Australian Immigration justifies selective scrutiny of certain national, ethnic, and demographic groups on the basis of historical risk. This discrimination is irritating and even humiliating many potential bone-fide tourists in the department's overzealous pursuit of screening applicants for a small percentage of potential over-stayers."

Working in international education and same has occurred with visa processing, i.e. visa officers must conduct subjective tests on study visa applicants i.e. Genuine Student and Genuine Temporary Entrant, while assessment levels are actually higher (tougher) than required by law for many nationalities.

Where does this come from? The present Labor government, immense opposition pressure and media, including xenophobia, dog whistling, misinformation, claims of "runaway" population growth, conflating temporaries with permanent residents etc..

When discussing this with a Visa Migration Manager at an offshore mission, the look on their face was exasperation, frustration and embarrassment at what they are required to do in the name of Australia (and constant changes forced down the chain by pollies and media).

Australia's governance, media, social narrative, self confidence and xenophobia has all the hallmarks of a less developed basket case country, and is no help to our future in the region and the world.