Comments on: Economic crisis hits http://gorey.com.au/archives/3171 Random thoughts and observations Sun, 12 Feb 2012 19:37:22 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Michael http://gorey.com.au/archives/3171/comment-page-1#comment-46903 Michael Sat, 31 Jan 2009 09:15:13 +0000 http://gorey.com.au/?p=3171#comment-46903 Peter, thanks for your comment. The more I think about this the more I believe we need to help these people. A 457 visa is effectively a ticket to Australian citizenship. I don't imagine that many holders return to their home countries. The government should help find jobs and grant citizenship, in my opinion. And the 457 program should be suspended pending a review. Peter, thanks for your comment.

The more I think about this the more I believe we need to help these people.

A 457 visa is effectively a ticket to Australian citizenship. I don’t imagine that many holders return to their home countries.

The government should help find jobs and grant citizenship, in my opinion.

And the 457 program should be suspended pending a review.

]]> By: peter o'brien http://gorey.com.au/archives/3171/comment-page-1#comment-46900 peter o'brien Sat, 31 Jan 2009 08:15:07 +0000 http://gorey.com.au/?p=3171#comment-46900 Michael thanks for your article. There are a large number of 457 visa holders affected by the Ravensthorpe nickel mine closure, all with similar stories to your South African family, they come from the Philippines, Indonesia and many other south-east Asian countries. Some were employed for only months or even weeks before the mine shut down. They have their families with them and desperately want another chance to make a go of it in this country. The experience has cost them dearly financially and emotionally. Now, 11 days after the closure, NOTHING has been done by ANYONE (BHP, government etc) to offer them advise on what to do. They are depressed and hurt and very frightened. Surely the federal department of immigration that governs this scheme must have a strategy in place for people in this appalling situation. I have been trying to find out but have met with blank 'no comments'. This is heartbreaking for the 457's and the older Hopetoun population that has taken them to our hearts and now must see them suffer confusion and dismay at BHP's betrayal. If this type of behaviour is possible with 457's then maybe the wholwe system needs to be urgently reviewed. On their behalf I am writing to government agencies, immigration agents and support groups, but i am just one man (a retired social worker/journalist). Thank you for telling their story. If we cannot help them then at least we must stop this ever happening again. Regards Peter O'Brien, Hopetoun (08) 9838 3271. Michael thanks for your article. There are a large number of 457 visa holders affected by the Ravensthorpe nickel mine closure, all with similar stories to your South African family, they come from the Philippines, Indonesia and many other south-east Asian countries.

Some were employed for only months or even weeks before the mine shut down. They have their families with them and desperately want another chance to make a go of it in this country.

The experience has cost them dearly financially and emotionally. Now, 11 days after the closure, NOTHING has been done by ANYONE (BHP, government etc) to offer them advise on what to do. They are depressed and hurt and very frightened.

Surely the federal department of immigration that governs this scheme must have a strategy in place for people in this appalling situation. I have been trying to find out but have met with blank ‘no comments’.

This is heartbreaking for the 457′s and the older Hopetoun population that has taken them to our hearts and now must see them suffer confusion and dismay at BHP’s betrayal.

If this type of behaviour is possible with 457′s then maybe the wholwe system needs to be urgently reviewed.

On their behalf I am writing to government agencies, immigration agents and support groups, but i am just one man (a retired social worker/journalist). Thank you for telling their story. If we cannot help them then at least we must stop this ever happening again.

Regards Peter O’Brien, Hopetoun (08) 9838 3271.

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