Visas for Diggers’ off-siders
Mark Dodd; 9/4/08
Iraqis who have worked alongside Diggers in the war-battered country will be offered resettlement visas to live in Australia. The offer to so-called locally engaged employees was made yesterday by Defence Minister Joel Fitzgibbon and Immigration and Citizenship Minister Chris Evans out of concern for the safety of the Iraqis, many of whom worked as interpreters. It follows the announcement of the withdrawal by mid-year of the 515-strong Overwatch Battle Group from al-Muthanna and Dhi Qar provinces - a key policy pledge of the Rudd Government. “Anti-coalition forces have deliberately targeted individuals working with Australian troops and their partners in southern Iraq,” Mr Fitzgibbon said last night.
See: http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,23509733-5013404,00.html