TNAG-2179-FCO40-3116-Hong-Kong-nationality-international-support-1990 — Page 65

CONFIDENTIAL

E

105431 MDADAN 0738

CONFIDENTIAL

· FM CANBERRA

TO DESKBY 21083OZ FCO

TELNO 274

OF 210730Z MARCH 90

ADVANCE CO-

INFO ROUTINE BTC HONG KONG, JLG HONG KONG, WASHINGTON, OTTAWA INFO ROUTINE WELLINGTON, SINGAPORE, PEKING, TOKYO

INFO SAVING PARIS, BONN, THE HAGUE, COPENHAGEN, LUXEMBOURG INFO SAVING ROME, BRUSSELS, OSLO, STOCKHOLM, GIBRALTAR, LISBON

YOUR TELNO 605 TO HONG KONG AND MY TELNO 256 (NOT TO ALL): INTERNATIONAL SUPPORT FOR HONG KONG

SUMMARY

1. AUSTRALIANS DO NOT KNOW HOW MANY HONG KONG PEOPLE HAVE AVAILED THEMSELVES OF EXISTING ARRANGEMENTS. OFFICIALS ARE AWARE THAT LOOPHOLES ARE BEING EXPLOITED. RECOMMENDATION THAT LORD BRABAZON RAISES ''SECONDMENT SCHEME'' ON 23 MARCH.

DETAIL

>

2. PARA 5 OF TUR, FIRST SENTENCE: UNFORTUNATELY, IMMIGRATION DEPARTMENT STATISTICS ARE NOT SOPHISTICATED ENOUGH TO INDICATE THE NUMBER OF HONG KONG PEOPLE WHO MAY HAVE TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF THE OPPORTUNITIES UNDER EXISTING AUSTRALIAN ARRANGEMENTS TO POSTPONE SETTLEMENT.

3. SECOND SENTENCE OF YOUR PARA 5 RATHER OVER-SIMPLIFIES COMPLICATED AUSTRALIAN REGULATIONS. IN FACT, THE REGULATIONS GOVERNING REST AND RETURN FACILITIES ALLOW FOR POSTPONEMENT OF SETTLEMENT FOR UP TO EIGHT YEARS ONLY TO THE EXTENT THAT THE FIVE YEAR REST AND RETURN FACILITY (GRANTED AFTER THE INITIAL SIMILAR THREE YEAR FACILITY) IS CONDITIONAL UPON TWO OF THOSE INITIAL THREE YEARS HAVING BEEN SPENT AS A RESIDENT IN AUSTRALIA (PARA 1 OF MY TUR). HOWEVER, IMMIGRATION DEPARTMENT HAVE TOLD US THAT THEY KNOW A NUMBER OF HONG KONG PEOPLE ARE IN PRACTICE CIRCUMVENTING THIS REQUIREMENT BY LEAVING THEIR FAMILIES IN AUSTRALIA FOR THOSE CRUCIAL TWO YEARS, DURING WHICH TIME ONE OF THE PARENTS MAINTAINS HIS/HER JOB IN HONG KONG BUT MAKES REGULAR VISITS TO AUSTRALIA, ALTHOUGH TRACKING OFFENDERS DOWN IS NOT EASY, BECAUSE THEY HOLD MULTIPLE ENTRY/EXIT VISAS. SUCH PRACTICE IS OF COURSE CONTRARY TO THE LETTER OF THE IMMIGRATION

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