The Prime Minister has announced a significant cabinet reshuffle, with Clare O’Neil moved out of the Department of Home Affairs and The Hon. Tony Burke MP taking her place. While the government aims to continue to reduce net overseas migration, the international education sector is hoping the new appointment will provide an opportunity to rethink current policies.
We take you through who Tony Burke is, what the Minister for Home Affairs does, and whether this cabinet reshuffle could impact international students.
Who is Tony Burke?
Tony Burke is the new Minister for Home Affairs, which means he’s in charge of student visas, immigration, and multicultural affairs – all very important things for international students coming to Australia. He is also the Minister for Immigration and Multicultural Affairs, and Minister for Cyber Security, as well as continuing to be Minister for the Arts and Leader of the House.
Beyond his current role, Burke has a history of achievements in government, such as protecting Australia’s environment and leading initiatives against racial hate speech. Prime Minister Albanese praised him for his effective leadership across a number of portfolios. Burke’s work and policies will be important for your experience and stay in Australia.
What does the Minister for Home Affairs do?
The Minister for Home Affairs plays an important role in areas that directly impact international students. This includes managing student visas and enrolment policies, ensuring you can come to Australia smoothly and without hassle. The Minister also promotes social harmony by running multicultural programs and helping new arrivals settle in and become citizens.
Another key responsibility is keeping Australia safe by securing its borders, both online and physically, protecting everyone from cyber threats and terrorism.
Overall, the Department of Home Affairs aims to make Australia a safe, welcoming place. By handling immigration and refugee programs and quickly responding to any threats, the Minister helps create a supportive environment for international students like you.
What changes could this bring to international education policies?
In her role as Minister for Home Affairs, Clare O’Neil has faced criticism for shifts in student visa processing, increased rejections, a higher student living cost threshold, a 125 per cent visa fee increase and proposed enrolment caps. Universities argue these policies have harmed the international education sector and Australia’s reputation.
Group of Eight (Go8) Chief Executive Vicki Thomson hopes the reshuffle will lead to a policy review, particularly concerning enrolment caps, which she believes could damage the economy and the ability to attract top students. She stated, “The reshuffle provided an opportunity for the government to review and refine its migration strategy to address any unintended consequences for Australia’s $48 billion international education industry.”
Thomson also emphasised, “The Go8 is committed to working with the Government to provide a stable and well-managed international education sector underwritten by quality and integrity.”
In an interview with ABC RN Breakfast, Burke expressed his willingness to engage with stakeholders, but also his support for current policies.
“If there’s tweaking that they [Go8] want to talk to me about, we’ll have the conversation, but it’s not a disposition that I come with. The integrity of the student visa program really did need to be cleaned up. The decisions that were made there by Clare O’Neil, by Andrew Giles, by Jason Clare, are all decisions that were made in the national interest for the right reasons and I support them.”
Stay tuned to Insider Guides for further updates on how these changes might affect you.
