Australian immigration legislation to combat people smuggling

The Anti-People Smuggling and Other Measures Bill 2010, will be introduced into Parliament today as part of Australian immigration measures to target criminal groups who organise, participate and benefit from people smuggling activities.

The Bill will enable the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) to specifically investigate people smuggling and other Australian immigration and border security threats.

Also introduced in the Bill are additional offences and strong penalties for people smugglers including:

• A new offence of providing material support for people smuggling with a maximum penalty of ten years imprisonment and/or a fine of $110,000;
• A new offence of people smuggling involving exploitation or danger of death or serious harm, applying to ventures entering Australia, with a maximum penalty of twenty years imprisonment and/or a fine of $220,000;
• Ensuring that where a person is convicted of multiple people smuggling offences, mandatory minimum penalties set out in the Migration Act are applied; AND
• Providing greater clarity and consistency by harmonising people smuggling offences in the Migration Act and the Criminal Code.

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The Australian Visa Bureau is an independent consulting company specialising in helping people lodge their Australian visa with the Australian Embassy.