Federal Member for Hume, Alby Schultz, said today that he has written to the Minister for Immigration and Citizenship requesting that he intervene and personally review the case of local world renowned apiarist Mr Jing Bang Zou.

“Mayor of Young Shire Council, Councillor Stuart Freudenstein and numerous community and industry representatives recently brought to my attention the case of Mr Jing Bang Zou and the problems he was experiencing in obtaining the appropriate visa to remain in Australia to continue in his business as a commercial apiarist.” Alby said.

“Mr Zou and his wife, Mrs Litang Fan, were required to appeal to the Migration Review Tribunal to have their temporary visas changed to permanent resident visas. The appeal came about because a migration agent applied for the wrong visa in their original application to come to Australia.”

“After losing their appeal to the Migration Review Tribunal, I made enquiries with the Department of Immigration and Citizenship as to the reason why the appeal was refused and what other alternatives were available to Mr Zou to remain in Australia. I was told that people like Mr Zou ‘fall between a rock and a hard place, as they have all the necessary experience but not the required professionally recognised qualifications to meet the legislated requirements’ of permanent residency”. Alby added.

“Mr Zou is an extremely skilled apiarist of world renown and given the significant contribution that he has made in developing unique natural antibiotic and immune system boosters from bee products, I have written to Senator the Hon Chris Evans, Minister for Immigration and Citizenship, requesting that he exercise his Ministerial Discretion and review Mr Zou’s and Mrs Tan’s case.”

“I have also requested that the Minister give urgent consideration to making the appropriate changes to the visa requirements to cover agricultural positions so as to recognise those visa applicants who already possess the necessary agricultural/horticultural skill levels to be eligible for permanent resident visas.”

“It is imperative, in the interest of Australian agriculture maintaining not only the significant advantages it already possesses in this industry, but also to give encouragement to those people breaking ground in the agricultural field on exciting initiatives such as has been developed by Mr Zou since he has been resident in the electorate of Hume.” Alby concluded.