Reports this week by The Independent and The Telegraph (UK) confirm that Steve Moxon, an official in the Immigration and Nationality Directorate, has been dismissed from his job “with immediate effect.”   He was initially suspended from the Sheffield offices of the Immigration Service in March after disclosing that hundreds of visas from Eastern European migrants were approved without proper checks.  An internal investigation validated Moxon’s allegations, and officials confirmed that the applications were rushed in order to alleviate backlogs. 

Moxon received a five-page dismissal letter from the Home Office saying that he did not act “reasonably” under the terms of the 1998 Public Interest Disclosure Act, the legislation introduced to protect whistleblowers.  The letter also informed Moxon that he was “in breach of his contractual obligations” and “failed to follow internal procedures” resulting in an “irretrievable breakdown in trust between you and the department.”  Moxon said last week that he would take his former employers to the employment tribunal.  He has no wish to return to his previous job, but will take legal action “on a point of principle.”

*****

According to The Age, the Immigration Department of Australia has called in federal police to investigate claims that guards and police used excessive force to deal with unrest at the Port Hedland detention centre.  It has also referred the claims of brutality by centre guards and Western Australian police officers to the WA Corruption and Crime Commission and written "letters of regret" to some of the asylum seekers involved.  The investigation was initiated from a complaint to Commonwealth Ombudsman John McMillan after tear gas and batons were used to put down protests at the centre last December when detainees, including women and children, had been beaten, kicked and punched.

Upon investigation, various incidents were discovered including one in which a female guard at the centre was suspended after she protested about the handcuffing of a detainee who was not involved in the protest and who collapsed with convulsions.  The Australian government has not yet made the reports public.

*****

According to the Australian Associated Press, Hong Kong has begun the second phase of a rollout of new identity cards that uses technology developed by smartcard company Keycorp.  This multi-function smart ID card contains the photograph, basic identity details and fingerprint biometric of each cardholder.  This chip also has the ability to include an electronic certificate for electronic transactions.  It will replace the existing laminated plastic photo ID cards. 

The first phase provided the new cards to new arrivals in Hong Kong, people who had lost their existing cards, those who desired to amend their existing details, police and other government officials.  The second phase will provide the new cards to all Hong Kong citizens.  ID cards have been used by Hong Kong since 1949 in order to deter illegal immigration.