Andrew Leigh

BELCONNEN COMMUNITY WELL ACQUAINTED WITH ABBOTT GOVERNMENT & FARCE

Last Friday, all of Australia looked on with open-mouthed astonishment at the Abbott Government’s ‘border farce’ debacle.

For Canberrans however, another farce has been unfolding for almost a year now as the Government has continually put off making a decision about where to base the merged Department of Immigration and Border Protection.

Since September last year, the Government has been considering ripping the department out of the Belconnen Town Centre, where Immigration has been based for more than 40 years. 

Despite entreaties from the local community, businesses and workers to keep it where it is, the Abbott Government has consistently refused to rule out moving the department.

If the Government can’t even get something as simple as office space right, should we really be surprised that an initiative like Operation Fortitude was so badly handled?

The Government needs to crawl before it can walk with this department. It should get the basics right by giving Immigration a permanent home after almost a year of uncertainty.

FRIDAY, 4 SEPTEMBER 2015

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