CONFIDENTIAL
FM CANBERRA
CONFIDENTIAL
(212)
005777
MDLIAN 4461
TO ROUTINE FCO
TELNO 376
OF 17020OZ APRIL 90
HRD 340/1 нко
RECEIVED IN REGISTRY
INFO ROUTINE HONG KONG, BTC HONG KONG, JLG MAY PEKING
OR 1990
DESK OFFICER
REGRY
(199)
INDEX
PA
YOUR TELNO 621 TO WASHINGTON:
HONG KONG:
SUMMARY
AUSTRALIA
INTERNATIONAL SUPPORT FOR
1. LITTLE PRESS COVERAGE IN AUSTRALIA OF MR MAUDE'S STATEMENT.
2. EARLY CABINET CONSIDERATION OF HONG KONG UNLIKELY.
DETAIL
3. THE ONLY MAJOR NEWSPAPER TO REPORT MR MAUDE'S STATEMENT WAS
THE SYDNEY MORNING HERALD WITH A FACTUAL INSIDE PAGE ARTICLE.
THE SMH DID NOT (NOT) REPORT PARAGRAPH 8 OF TUR CONCERNING
AUSTRALIAN ARRANGEMENTS BUT DID REPORT THE SUGGESTION OF THE AUSTRALIAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE FOR A LIMITED SCHEME TO PROVIDE RESIDENCY TO EMPLOYEES OF SOME 250 AUSTRALIAN COMPANIES IN HONG
KONG. THE SMH ARTICLE ARGUED THAT AS SUCH PERSONNEL WOULD ALREADY QUALIFY FOR IMMIGRATION UNDER THE AUSTRALIAN POINTS SYSTEM, THEY WOULD MERELY BE ALLOWED SOME FLEXIBILITY, AND THAT THE CHAMBER WAS CURRENTLY SURVEYING HOW MANY INDIVIDUALS WOULD QUALIFY FOR
SUCH A SCHEME. THE SMH COMMENTED THAT AS MORE COUNTRIES OFFER EMPLOYEES ''SPECIAL PASSPORT SCHEMES'', AUSTRALIAN COMPANIES WOULD BE LEFT AT A DISADVANTAGE.
4. THE SMH ARTICLE ALSO REPORTED THAT THE UK HAD BEEN EXERTING
PRESSURE ON THE AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT TO DEVISE A RIGHT OF ABODE
PACKAGE BUT THAT THE AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT WAS ANXIOUS NOT TO
BE SEEN TO BE SETTING UP A SPECIAL IMMIGRATION DEAL FOR HONG KONG.
5. WE HAVE ASKED MS WENSLEY (DFAT) ABOUT THE LIKELY TIMETABLE FOR
CABINET CONSIDERATION OF HONG KONG POLICY (MY TELNOS 216 AND 256).
SHE SAID THAT THE DEPARTMENT WERE PREPARING A PAPER FOR FOREIGN
MINISTER EVANS. A FURTHER PAPER FOR CABINET WOULD BE PREPARED IN
THE LIGHT OF HIS COMMENTS AND THOSE OF OTHER INTERESTED DEPARTMENTS.
THERE WAS NO CHANCE THAT THIS WOULD GET TO CABINET BEFORE THE END
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