The government says the pace has picked up

Member for Bennelong Jerome Laxale, wanted to know how student visas are being managed so he took the opportunity offered by Question Time in the House of Reps on Monday to ask Immigration Minister Andrew Giles.

Who just happened to have the figures with him – apparently 380 000 student visas have been issued, “this programme year” which is 40 per cent higher than pre-pandemic 2019-20. Visas lodged outside Australia are being processed in a 13 day average and 80 per cent of applications in the system are less than two months old.

Mr Giles must be confident indeed – this sort of statement risks rebuttal from student visa applicants unhappy with their outcome, or lack of one.