Department of Immigration and Multicultural Affairs, Canberra

The Department of Immigration and Multicultural Affairs is an Australian Government department. In 2004, the then Department of Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs (DIMIA) had an annual operating budget of AUD$700 million. The Department of Immigration and Multicultural Affairs is responsible for: Image File history File links DIMIA.JPG‎ Screenshot from Australian Broadcasting Corporation. ... Image File history File links DIMIA.JPG‎ Screenshot from Australian Broadcasting Corporation. ... For other articles with similar names, see Canberra (disambiguation). ...

• immigration arrangements
• border control
• citizenship
• ethnic affairs
• multicultural affairs

DIMA and its predecessors were the centre of controversy from 2001 because it was primarily these departments that implemented the Australian governments policies of mandatory detention of unauthorised arrivals and the Pacific Solution. The Department was also accused of mistreating asylum seekers at Australian immigration detention facilities. Immigration to Australia began at least 40,000 years ago, when the ancestors of Australian Aborigines arrived via the islands of the Malay Archipelago and New Guinea. ... Border control is a term that describes how a country polices its borders. ... Australian citizenship was created on 26 January 1949 by the Nationality and Citizenship Act 1948 (later renamed the Australian Citizenship Act 1948). ... An ethnic group is a human population whose members identify with each other, usually on the basis of a presumed common genealogy or ancestry (Smith, 1986). ... Look up Problem in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Multiculturalism or cultural pluralism is a policy, ideal, or reality that emphasizes the unique characteristics of different cultures in the world, especially as they relate to one another in immigrant receiving nations. ... Look up Problem in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Mandatory detention in Australia concerns the Australian federal government policy and system of mandatory detention, pursuant to which all persons entering or remaining in the country without a valid visa including children are compulsorily detained and may be subject to deportation. ... An unauthorised arrival is a person who has arrived in a country when they are not a citizen of that country, do not have a visa to enter that country, and have no possibility of entering by legal means. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Mandatory detention in Australia. ... Aerial view of the Baxter Immigration Reception and Processing Centre, showing the desert surrounds. ...

History

"Machinery of Government" changes following government reshuffles:

• 26 November 2001 the Department of Immigration and Multicultural Affairs (DIMA) and the Department of Reconciliation and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs merged to form the Department of Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs (DIMIA).
• 27 January 2006 the Indigenous Affairs responsibility moved to the now Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs.

November 26 is the 330th day (331st on leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2001: A Space Odyssey. ... January 27 is the 27th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2006 (MMVI) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Department of Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs is the Australian Government Department responsible for social policies and support affecting Australian society and the living standards of Australian families and from 27 January 2006 the Office of Indigenous Policy Coordination (OIPC). ...

See also

• Australian immigration
• Minister for Immigration and Multicultural Affairs
• List of Australian Commonwealth Government entities

Australian immigration has a checkered history. ... This is a list of Australian Commonwealth Government departments, bureaus, authorities and commissions. ...

External links

• Department of Immigration and Multicultural Affairs Website

Australian Government Departments

Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry | Attorney-General's | Communications, Information Technology and the Arts | Defence | Education, Science and Training | Employment and Workplace Relations | Environment and Heritage | Families, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs | Finance and Administration | Foreign Affairs and Trade | Health and Ageing | Human Services | Immigration and Multicultural Affairs | Industry, Tourism and Resources | Prime Minister and Cabinet | Transport and Regional Services | Treasury