SM,

"Even when you cut and paste a comment from the description of what the ABF will be doing together with a comment from the end you still spectacularly fail to show that the ABF was proposing to stop people and ask for their visas."

I can't help it if you haven't got the nous to understand what was in the press release....even Abbott worked that one out:

"The Prime Minister said an ABF media release that stated officers would be "speaking with any individual we cross paths with" was "over the top and wrong".

"I want to make it absolutely crystal clear, as far as this Government is concerned, people will never be stopped in the street randomly and asked for their visa details," Mr Abbott told reporters in Sydney."

(Absolutely crystal clear that when you've been caught out trying something on - that you should deny it!:)

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-08-29/abbott-promises-abf-will-never-stop-people-for-visa-checks/6734910

.....and everyone else.

http://www.smh.com.au//breaking-news-national/labor-wants-dutton-to-explain-fortitude-20150830-41w1k.html

Der......

Reality that way ->

Poirot That way <-

Dumbed-down twitterarty sucked in by tabloid reporting.

As if Immigration hasn't been on hand before over the years AND UNDER DIFFERENT GOVERNMENTS when Victorian police have worked with other government agencies, State and federal, at airports, train stations and work sites.

Is it that name 'Border Force' that has upset the luvvies? Labor proposed 'Coast Guard', but Labor's amalgamation would have been horrendously expensive.

In any event, how can the PM be responsible for decisions being taken at middle management level and paperwork probably drafted at a much lower level in the hierarchy? Abbott wouldn't have even know until after the event.

Poirot, thanks for the update on the Abbott Disaster, we should no longer refer to it as a government, as that is an insult to previous governments, disaster is a far more apt description.

Business confidence down, market in free fall, unemployment up, economic growth at almost zero, the Aussie dollar not worth a drachma. The national debt has gone through the roof, as Abbott's 3 ring circus continues to lunge from crises to crises, just note this latest one under circus master Tony Baloney. Where are the 'Usual Suspects' when you need them, they were all for an election when things were relatively good, a couple of years back, where are they now? Come on Silent Minister how about it? This mob has to go, get rid of Tone and his useless sidekick Cocky Joe for starters, agree?

Posted by onthebeach, Thursday, 3 September 2015 10:35:34 AM

" ... When it comes down to it, authorities depend mainly on citizen-reporting of suspected Visa abusers and on luck through picking them up through a sweep. Only the 'L' Plate fraudsters are at risk of being caught by police. ... "

Hmmm, I think that when it comes down to it, people need to eat to survive etc

But for those who have contravened their visa conditions, the lawful opportunities for them to earn are closed. If they turn up at Human Services, they're gone for all money.

That leaves cash employment or being harboured by other members of the community. Thus, targeted sanctions against employers who do not do the lawful thing and others who would harbour them is surely part of the answer. And there are already sanctions in place such that if another permanent resident harbours a contravener, then they themselves may also end up getting deported.

However, unscrupulous employers do not appear to face anything so harsh (though I would be pleased to be corrected on that one) and that is something that needs to be rectified.

DreamOn,

Just remember that paid employment is usually small beer and backpackers picking fruit.

Make no mistake that the police and cooperating agencies are much more interested in criminals, esp gangs and other bad types.

otb,

"Dumbed-down twitterarty sucked in by tabloid reporting."

Lol!....journalists tweeted the initial press release - but from then on it was twitter driving the story.

"In any event, how can the PM be responsible for decisions being taken at middle management level and paperwork probably drafted at a much lower level in the hierarchy? Abbott wouldn't have even know until after the event."

Double Lol!....that's not what Tony "the buck stops with me" Abbott had to say when he first took govt.

Excuses, excuses....

As I mentioned, none of it was a surprise. We'd been following the the multi-million dollar splash on "B...B...Border Force" - this was the culmination of Abbott's agenda.