Well, last week i went to the Dept of Immigration, about applying for Citizenship etc. I work in the IT industry, and dont have citizenship (although i do have PR) and i see stacks of jobs i could do, and the last question i always get asked is
"Are you an Australian citizen"
to which i reply "no"
and i get "Oh thats a shame, you must be a citizen to apply so you can get security clearance". Part of my coming here (apart from endless medicals) was a full history, and character check up, for the last 12 years, including a written statement from New Scotland Yard in London reporting my criminal record (which turned out to be a blank piece of headed paper!) and a full background check on me for security (my last job in the UK was in the IT dept of the South West Police Headquarters, in Portishead Somerset, where i had to have rigerous background checks anyway for security reasons) since coming to Australia, i have had to submit the relevant information twice to the AFP again, as part of me going from Temp to PR.
I know citizenship is a priviledge, not a right ... and then this kinda thnig comes along, and just makes me so mad, as last week i was told by an immigration officer that "the rules apply to EVERYONE and cant be bent or modified to suit", well, it seems like all the blurb you get over the phone while on hold to speak to someone at immigration (and i have never been on hold for less than an hour) about "Welcome to Australia, where everyone is equal" and treated "fairly" is a load of old tosh, as it would appear some are more equal than others.
http://au.sports.yahoo.com/news/arti...s-hopes-skater
i dont know what sort of response i will get, posting this on here, with a forum full of Aussies
I just think regardless of nationality, its pretty sickening.
that is all
