Qantas Revives Jetstar Codeshare to Bali, Expanding Business Travel Options
ESOS Act Amendments Flagged in ASQA’s February Update, Tightening Compliance for Education Providers
Virgin Australia Offers Record Bonus Status Credits, Wooing Corporate Flyers
Latest News
AirAsia Launches 99 % Off Mega Sale Including New Sydney and Melbourne Routes
AirAsia’s 23 February mega sale offers up to 99 % off fares, including Kuala Lumpur services to Sydney, Melbourne and Perth—raising competition for both leisure and price-sensitive corporate travel. Ancillary fees still apply, so buyers should compare true end-to-end costs.
Dual UK-Australian citizens scramble as new passport rules bite days before rollout
From 25 February the UK will refuse entry to dual British or Irish citizens who present only an Australian passport plus an ETA. Because many travellers learned of the rule change only this weekend, passport-renewal backlogs are forcing families and business passengers to cancel or reroute trips. Companies now need an extra nationality check before sending staff to the UK.
Canberra admits it has few legal levers to stop 34 ISIS-linked women and children returning from Syria
Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke says Canberra has only one effective tool – a Temporary Exclusion Order – to slow the return of 34 Australian women and children stuck in Syria. Intelligence agencies judge most of the group do not meet the legal bar for exclusion, meaning they are likely to be allowed back if they can make it to an airport. For mobility managers, the saga highlights how quickly arrival-control determinations can change and the limits of ministerial power over Australian passport-holders.
Coalition bill would criminalise helping ISIS-linked Australians make their own way home
The federal Opposition tabled draft legislation on 22 February making it a serious crime to help Australians with Islamic-State links arrange their own trip home. Airlines, travel agents and even employers could face prosecution if they facilitate travel without ministerial approval. The move, aimed at the 34 women and children in Syria, would add a new compliance layer for global-mobility teams operating in conflict regions.
Iran-Australian community cites rising threats and calls for faster protection-visa decisions
Australian-Iranian activists say they are facing a wave of death threats and surveillance, with some scared to attend rallies or speak to media. Lawyers want a fast-track humanitarian pathway, arguing that 18-month processing times leave applicants in limbo. Businesses employing Iranian nationals on bridging visas should review work-right checks and security protocols.
Escalating Pakistan-Afghanistan conflict leaves refugees in limbo as Australian humanitarian-visa queue stalls
Pakistan’s air strikes on 22 February have intensified pressure on Afghan refugees living there on expiring permits. Many are awaiting Australian humanitarian visas but risk being deported before decisions are made. Businesses and universities that rely on Afghan talent should prepare evacuation and sponsorship contingencies.
Populist surge puts Australia’s migration debate under a harsher spotlight
An opinion piece in the Guardian links One Nation’s polling surge to rising anxieties over migration, housing and living costs. The commentary suggests Australia could follow the UK down a path of populist visa crackdowns, potentially tightening skilled-migration channels that many companies rely on.