Neither Fish nor Foul. The conundrum of the Migration Institute of Australia (MIA): When a board of migration Agents controls a Lawyers' group
Anthony Robinson
Owner & Principal Solicitor. AR LAW SERVICES: Master Migration & Litigation Lawyers. Specialist Crimmigration, Digital & Compensation Lawyers.
The President of the Sydney based migration agents lobby group (MIA) wrote an article in which he said of the ending of dual regulation that he is?"concerned that a number of lawyers who been banned by the regulatory body from practicing as registered migration agents because of fraudulent activities, will now again be able to practice without restraint in the migration law sector due to this removal of regulation over migration agent lawyers." (He clearly worries constantly about the moral rectitude of solicitors everywhere - poor man seems quiet incapacitated due to his phobia).
But more concerning for a President of a group that purports to represent lawyers, was that he dismisses the desire to free Immigration Lawyers from the yoke of a secondary layer of regularity burden as merely satisfying nothing more than the "professional pride of some in the legal profession".
https://www.mia.org.au/public-resources/related-events/rma-stress-and-mental-health
Now the President and board - last time I checked - are all migration agents and they lost that fight. The law has changed, dual regulation is no more! And Hallelujah say all good people!
But that is not what this missive is about. The issue that remains, the conundrum that dare not speak its name, of this piece is...
How can a body that now holds out to represent both Immigration Lawyers and migration agents be run by a board of migration agents that has such open contempt and animosity for lawyers?
With the change of the law, what will the MIA board do? Will it obey the law and renounce its animosity to the notion that lawyers should be seen in clear distinction to other less qualified groups - and end the disdain it so clearly harbors towards Immigration Lawyers, but by doing so will risk alienating it base i.e migration agents? (The overwhelming majority of MIA members are migration agents). Will this board of migration agents no longer speak with such derision and condescension towards lawyers nor of what lawyers value most: i.e the rule of law?
Yet if the MIA board does continue to move to "curry favor" with their small minority member cohort of lawyers, in preference to the MIA majority of migration agent base, will the migration agent base not rightly feel betrayed?
And this is exactly what is happening.
To see this, simply follow the money. The MIA has always been an avaricious beast, and without putting to fine a point on it, the MIA board believe Lawyers make more money than migration agents.
It is logical that the MIA board now seeks to promote rich lawyers over poor migration agents - look at how hard the MIA are pushing their new MIA lawyers ONLY courses.
Look how much money the MIA is spending on advertising in "Lawyer Only" professional forums (some may recall how my committee last year had the MIA barred from advertising on various the Law Institute of Victoria social media platforms.)
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So, it is clear the MIA board, despite its open animosity that it harbors toward lawyers will - because the MIA board believe lawyers are richer than migration agents and it follows that lawyers make more money than migration agents, the MIA board is happy to turn its back on its poorer migration agent base for profit.
But don't think the "poor cousin" migration agent base has not noticed. This abandonment by the MIA board of its traditional base of migration agents in favor of wealthy Immigration Lawyers and profit can be viewed on the many migration agent web sites. These migration agent's "echo chambers", these "silos of hate" have become the incubators of creatures that spew an almost murderous bile, not only towards lawyers but also to the avaricious MIA board. (Many of these websites are locked members only - very Qanon and Trump-like in ferocity - the anonymous authors of these rants are often strangers to reality)
It is against this backdrop that the MIA board now endeavors to promote a facade of harmony with lawyers. In fact it now seems to suggest it is a lawyers group. Why? Well the MIA board want the cash that lawyers can bring and is willing to throw its lowly impecunious foot soldiers: migration agents, under the bus if it must.
As a lawyer, who first joined the MIA in 2003 - far earlier than most members of the current board - I believe the MIA has truly lost its way. As Lincoln rightly pointed out; "A house divided?against itself?cannot stand." This uncivil war that is raging in the MIA augurs poorly for its viable future.
So for all those seeking a sense of community - free of the toxic culture of a group that has long ago lost its way - for those who wish to promote the rule of law & the rights of others and for those who wish to get more bang for their CPD buck; join VISA.
And for those with an eye for a bargain: Join both the Victorian Immigration Solicitors' Alliance: VISA and the Migration Alliance: MA. (Remember join MA & VISA - for the complete cost effective professional membership package)
https://visaimmigrationlawyer.com.au/
Cheers
And remember VISA is a broad church and some of my best friends are migration agents!
VISA's dispute with the Sydney migration agents lobby group is not personal - it is only business!