An Advisory Board has been appointed for the newly established Office of Migration Agents Registration Authority.

Minister for Immigration and Citizenship, Senator Chris Evans said the Board would guide the Office of the MARA, which commenced operations as the regulator of the migration advice profession on 1 July this year.

Senator Evans said the Advisory Board and the Office of the MARA were established following recommendations in the 2007–08 Review of Statutory Self-Regulation of the Migration Advice Profession, which found dissatisfaction amongst consumers and potential conflicts of interest in previous arrangements.

“Unprofessional or unethical behaviour by migration agents can seriously impact on the lives of people using their services and bring the profession into disrepute,” he said.

“The new office will implement the relevant recommendations of the review, remove concerns about potential conflicts of interest and provide confidence in the regulation of the migration agent industry.”

Senator Evans said the Board would be chaired by former lawyer and Secretary of the Attorney-General’s Department, Robert Cornall.

“I believe that Mr Cornall’s expertise and experience in both the public and legal sectors will be fundamental to the success of the Board, which in turn will play a key role in the success of the new regulatory arrangements,” he said.

Mr Cornall will be joined by members who are representative of the Migration Institute of Australia (MIA), the Law Council of Australia, community and consumer advocates.

They include: Jenni Mack from Choice Australia (deputy chair); Sonia Caton, Refugee and Immigration Legal Service; Glenn Ferguson, Ferguson Cannon Lawyers; Robert Stirling Henry; Andrew Holloway, Victoria University; and Jim McKiernan, former senator.

Chief Executive Officer of the Office of the MARA, Christine Sykes, and a representative from the Department of Immigration and Citizenship will also serve on the Board.

- PSnews