Dedicated unit to fast-track deportation of foreign criminals

CITIZENS of foreign countries who are given the opportunity to live and work in Australia enter a contract with the community that they will obey our laws and contribute to society.

When foreign nationals break that agreement by committing crimes or engaging in other conduct that harms Victorians or places them at risk, a Liberal Nationals Government will work closely with the Commonwealth Government to ensure that those that should be deported, are deported.

To ensure this occurs, a Liberal Nationals Government will establish a dedicated unit within the Department of Justice and Regulation devoted to this task.

The unit’s functions will include:

•          Preparing and presenting strong, consistent and fully-documented cases for deportation to the Commonwealth;
•          Compiling all information relevant to deportation decisions from across Victorian government departments and agencies;
•          Establishing guidelines for relevant Victorian government agencies on when requests for deportation are to be made to the Commonwealth;
•          Ensuring that relevant matters are put before the Commonwealth authorities in a timely manner so that deportations occur without delay;
•          Acting as a central contact point for Commonwealth agencies on all matters relating to deportation; and
•          Ensuring as far as possible policy and regulatory consistency between state and Commonwealth government agencies on matters relating to deportations.

The unit will include experts with experience in policing, corrections, counter-terrorism, migration law and other related disciplines, including personnel seconded from relevant agencies.

The establishment of this unit will not only help ensure that those who should be deported are deported, it will also free up valuable time and resources of police and other front-line agencies from the paperwork and legal and administrative burdens of preparing and processing requests for deportations.

Under a Liberal Nationals Government community safety will be our first priority, including removing non-citizens from our community who pose an unacceptable risk of violence, crime or terrorism.

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