By Casey Neill
Greater Dandenong Council is pushing to keep an Immigration and Border Protection presence in Dandenong.
The Journal revealed on 7 April that word was spreading that the Foster Street office would be closing.
Councillor Roz Blades addressed the news as a matter of urgent business at the Monday 10 April Greater Dandenong Council meeting.
She successfully moved that the council write to Immigration and Border Protection Minister Peter Dutton seeking clarification on the future of the office, and outlining the council’s “longstanding position on the importance of such services to this city and to the people of this city”.
Cr Blades’ motion also included a reiteration of the council’s priority and focus on the growth and sustainability of jobs in the city and expressing concern for any incremental job losses should that be a possible outcome.
According to the motion, the council will also engage with the Immigration and Border Protection Department to determine whether any alternative occupancy or service delivery options could be developed to help the department maintain its presence in the activity centre.
Community and Public Sector Union (CPSU) organiser Nina Taylor said closing the Department of Immigration and Border Protection’s Dandenong office would be a real blow to the local community, and “highly disruptive for staff who work so hard to provide important services”.
“Dandenong has one of the highest proportions of overseas-born residents in the country, with more than half of them coming from non-English speaking countries,” she said.
“The department wants to push these people into using second-rate online services, but this is a totally unsuitable for vulnerable customers who face language and cultural barriers.”
Ms Taylor said the CPSU was standing up for the 16 jobs and other benefits the office provided.
“If it closes, customers would be forced to make the long trip into central Melbourne, which would be cruel and unrealistic for many newly arrived migrants,” she said.
A Department of Immigration and Border Protection spokesperson said the Dandenong office lease would expire in October.
“Consultation around the future of the office is being undertaken with the affected 15 staff members, their representatives and key stakeholders,” they said.
The spokesperson said that whatever the outcome, affected staff would have the opportunity to stay with the department.
“The department is always looking for ways to deliver services more efficiently and equitably to all of our client groups,” they said.
“In recent years, we have moved many of our services on-line.
“We also provide a telephone inquiry service for clients.”
