CONFIDENTIAL
FM CANBERRA
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 278
OF 22070OZ MARCH 90
CONFIDENTIAL
HKD 340/1
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY
2 7 MAR 1990
DESK OFFICER INDEX
PA
Jen
1261
111567
MDHIAN 2389
INFO IMMEDIATE HONG KONG, JLG HONG KONGĮ BTC HONG KONG INFO IMMEDIATE REKING
(117)
14
MY TELNO 274 AND YOUR TELNO 605 TO HONG KONG: INTERNATIONAL SUPPORT
FOR HONG KONG.
SUMMARY
1. RECOMMENDATION FOR A FORM OF WORDS TO BE PUT TO THE AUSTRALIANS WHICH WE MIGHT USE ABOUT THEIR IMMIGRATION REGULATIONS.
DETAIL
2. WE HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO EXTRACT FROM THE IMMIGRATION DEPARTMENT AGREEMENT TO ANY REFERENCE IN PUBLIC TO THE PROVISIONS ENABLING (PARTIAL) DEFERMENT OF AUSTRALIAN RESIDENCE FOR CERTAIN CATEGORIES OF HONG KONG MIGRANTS (PARA 5 OF YOUR T.U.R.). IMMIGRATION DEPARTMENT DID, HOWEVER, UNDERTAKE TO LOOK AGAIN AT OUR REQUEST IF WE PROVIDED THEM WITH A DRAFT OF THE SORT OF LANGUAGE WE WOULD PROPOSE FOR SUCH PUBLIC REFERENCES.
WE RECOMMEND WE DO SO, AND SUGGEST A FORM OF WORDS ALONG THE LINES OF THE FOLLOWING, WHICH IS DESIGNED FOR USE IN PARLIAMENT OR WITH THE MEDIA:
BEGINS:
ALTHOUGH IT IS NOT FOR ME TO EXPLAIN DETAILED AUSTRALIAN IMMIGRATION REGULATIONS, I UNDERSTAND THAT THESE DO OFFER SCOPE FOR CERTAIN CATEGORIES OF PERSONS, SUCH AS EMPLOYEES OF AUSTRALIAN COMPANIES AND OTHER BUSINESSMEN, IN PRACTICAL TERMS TO DEFER PERMANENT RESIDENCE IN AUSTRALIA FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS AFTER HAVING BEEN GRANTED AUSTRALIAN RESIDENCY STATUS. THOSE ABLE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THESE PROVISIONS WOULD OF COURSE BE ABLE TO SPEND THE BULK OF ANY PERIOD BEFORE MOVING TO AUSTRALIA IN HONG KONG. SUCH ARRANGEMENTS ARE A HELP, BUT ARE NOT WITHOUT INCONVENIENCE TO THE INDIVIDUALS CONCERNED. WE SHALL CONTINUE TO URGE OUR AND HONG KONG'S FRIENDS TO ADOPT SCHEMES SUCH AS THE ONE WE OPEN SQUARE BRACKETS IE HMG CLOSE SQUARE BRACKETS HAVE PROPOSED, WHEREBY INDIVIDUALS ARE ABLE TO ACQUIRE AND RETAIN RIGHT OF ABODE WITHOUT NEEDING TO LEAVE HONG KONG.
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PAGE CONFIDENTIAL
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