Labor donor pushed for migration rule changes

Andrew Giles presented with list of visa concerns while attending a multicultural Labor election fundraiser – but the Multicultural Affairs Minister says it’s all above board

Multicultural Affairs Minister Andrew Giles, centre, with Tamil community leaders, including Raj Saini, second left

Immigration, Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs Minister ­Andrew Giles was lobbied by a Tamil community leader pushing for changes to Australia’s visa rules while attending a state election campaign fundraiser for the Victorian ALP.

Influential Tamil figure Raj Saini met Mr Giles at the October 16 event and has claimed in a ­social media post the federal minister was “keen to address these ­issues” raised at the Indian restaurant lunch.

In the Facebook post, Mr Saini listed a series of visa policy concerns he says he raised with Mr Giles. “Met Hon Andrew Giles MP Minister for Immigration, Citizenship and Multicultural ­Affairs,” he wrote. “Had an opportunity to thank Albanese Labor government for addressing immigration issues. Also presented a representation raising community concerns regarding religious priest visas, unreasonable visitor visa refusals from overseas posts and points tested skilled migrant concerns.

Raj Saini, left, with Andrew Giles at the Labor election campaign fundraiser on October 16.

“Thank You Hon Giles, who is very keen to address these issues. Labor VicLabor.”

Mr Giles has defended his ­appearance at the Tamil fundraiser. “The minister’s attendance at this fundraiser was outside of work hours and without the use of any ministerial resources,” a government spokesman said. “The minister has at all times adhered to the code of conduct for ministers. As is standard practice, both in a public and private ­capacity, the minister does not and cannot comment nor provide migration advice on individual cases.”

Mr Saini, who describes himself as a volunteer Tamil community migration adviser, said his primary purpose for attending was to support the ALP, and the chance to meet Mr Giles was a bonus. “He (Mr Giles) said his ­department was dealing with the visa issues and after coming into parliament they are speeding it up,” he told The Australian, before stating he had not raised any individual cases with the minister.

“It was basically the concerns people raise online and over the phone as they are not getting visa approvals … I was just raising community concerns.”

Coalition immigration spokesman Dan Tehan called on Mr Giles to release details of the discussions with Mr Saini. “He needs to present these details to the public and clearly demonstrate that no individual cases were advanced because people were going to a Labor Party fundraiser,” he said.

A Facebook post from Raj Saini after meeting with Andrew Giles.

Mr Giles’ ministerial status was promoted as the main attraction for the October 16 lunch to raise donations for the re-election of Victorian Multicultural Affairs Minister Ros Spence.

Tickets sold for $100, with the guests being able to pay an inflated “solidarity price” of $150 for the three-course Indian buffet with Mr Giles and Ms Spence.

The extent of the Andrews government’s courting of the ­Indian and Tamil communities in the lead up to the November 26 state election has been exposed in a series of reports this week by The Australian.

In addition to the October 16 fundraiser, Mr Giles is also billed as the star of a second Tamil political fundraiser at the Maharaja Palace restaurant this Sunday. That event is to raise campaign cash for Victorian Energy Minister Lily D’Ambrosio.

On Wednesday, The Australian reported that at least 15 ­Andrews government MPs and ALP election candidates were i­nvited to the taxpayer-funded Diwali state reception.

Victoria’s only MP of Indian descent, former Labor upper house MP and current independent member Kaushaliya Vaghela was snubbed.

Premier Daniel Andrews ­repeatedly deflected when asked why Ms Vaghela was not invited. “Well there were hundreds of ­people there, and I’m not sure why there were hundreds rather than thousands, but there were hundreds, and it was a fantastic night,” he said.

Asked to respond to the view that he had hijacked the event for Labor campaign purposes, Mr ­Andrews said: “That’s simply wrong. No one raised that issue with me, and I must have had about 400 photographs take.

“I literally said hello to everyone that was there, all 650 of them. No one raised that concern with me. It was a wonderful night, a great celebration of our multiculturalism, of the multi-faith nature of our state.

“Diwali is all about that ­triumph of light over darkness, knowledge over ignorance, hope over fear. (It was) a fantastic, ­fantastic evening, and I was ­delighted to be there and proud to be there. No one raised any such concerns with me.”