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Immigration

The Commonwealth Ombudsman can investigate complaints about the administrative decisions of the Department of Immigration and Citizenship in the same way as any other Australian Government department or agency.

The Ombudsman's role in relation to immigration matters was extended by amendment to the Migration Act 1958 on 29 June 2005 conferring a new role on the Commonwealth Ombudsman to review the cases of people who have been in immigration detention for more than two years.

On 14 July 2005 the Minister for Immigration identified a number of cases of possible unlawful/wrongful detention to be transferred to the Commonwealth Ombudsman.

Changes to the Ombudsman Act in December 2005 enhance the role of the office in immigration matters by designating the Commonwealth Ombudsman as the Immigration Ombudsman. That legislation also gives the Ombudsman jurisdiction in relation to many Australian Government contractors and makes it easier for agencies to provide information to the Ombudsman.

Immigration bulletins

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