[LINK] You have got to be kidding...

[Richard Chirgwin]

Stilgherrian wrote:
> On 14/01/2009, at 6:53 AM, grant at apc.org.au wrote:
>   
>> Did they submit too late? Were all the T's dotted and the I's  
>> crossed? Was
>> some supporting information missing or not supplied when requested?  
>> It's
>> possible that they expected Australia to be as quick and efficient  
>> as many
>> other countries at allocating short term biz visas (eg: on arrival :)
>>     
>
> Fair point. However the travellers were all employees of Sun  
> Microsystems, who as a global organisation are quite familiar with  
> organising travel to many, many countries -- including Australia.
>   
I recall my days working for a 'global organisation'. Travel was,
nonetheless, booked by someone's secretary (thanks for the hotel room in
a Vegas strip joint), and visas were your own problem. Luckily, as a
journalist travelling to America, I had an American boss who made sure I
got an "i-visa" and didn't get turned back at the border.

I'd go so far as to say that "global company syndrome" could easily have
contributed to the problem - an assumption that because the staff were
travelling under the auspices of Sun, there would be no problem with
visas and no need to check anything.

RC
>
>   
>> Good luck getting the official word out of them. There are some good
>> people in there but the "mandarin's" & management layer aren't  
>> helping.
>> Applying leverage through your favourite MPs will probably be the
>> effective way to get reviews performed, information out and possible
>> change to happen.
>>     
>
> While fighting for the visas is not my role here, it'll be interesting  
> to see whether any information will emerge at all. This is my task  
> today.
>
> Stil
>
>
>