Another Change of Direction

Direction 99 was a directive from Immigration Minister Andrew Giles that asked courts and tribunals to consider someone’s ties to Australia as a primary consideration when reviewing their visa. The directive was initially a response to the New Zealand Government’s attempts to end the deportation of New Zealanders who had spent most of their lives in Australia. It made news when several foreign nationals convicted of serious crimes were allowed to remain in the country, prompting Giles to draft a new directive intended to make community safety the primary consideration in future decisions.