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News Re lease 42/68

FROM THE MINISTER FOR IMMIGRATION

PRESS STATEM -AiT BY THE MINIST R FOR IllÂ°MIGRATION, T'I  HON. B.i, . SNXDDEN Q.C. M.P.

A drive for special recog nition of the professional qualifications of a mounting number of Czech doctors, scientists

and other specialists eager to migrate to Australia was made today

by the Minister for Immigrauion, Mr. Snedden.

In an urgent telegram to all State Ministers responsible

for immigration, Mr . Snedden said:

"Among the Czechoslovak refugees now inquiring about

resettlement in Australia are a namber with qualifications for

which recognition is governed by State laws. Some of -these appear

to be outstanding men in their professions, of a calibre that is

not found in ordinary circumstances among prospective settlers.

Several professions are included, but the majority are in the

medical area.

"If the existing procedures for recognition of their

qualifications are applied, many might have to be discouraged from

resettlement in Australia because they would be precluded from following their professions and would decide to go elsewhere. This

would be not only a loss to Australia but also a failure on our part to respond to a humanitarian appeal for help in a situation of international significance.

"I am arranging for details of cases so far received to be forwarded to your office today, and would appreciate your government's co—operation, if necessary by the application of extraordinary measures, towards the professional recognition and employment of these people — as a matter of urgency, " the telegram concluded.

"Cables from my Department's Vienna Office add hourly to the lists of highly—qualified Czech refugees who could :_lake an

immeasurable contribution to Australia's progress if only they could be allowed to practise their professions here, Mr. Snedden said.

"I have given details of `heir qualifications, based on cables from my Department's professional adviser, Mr. J.P. Pomeroy,

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who was flown from London to interview them in Vienna, to Federal

and State authorities.

"My Department in Canberra and in the States also is

supplying the det ls as they come forward to appropriate Departments and instrumentalities, such as the Departments of

Supply, Civil Aviation, Health, Education and Science, Labour and

National Service, Works, the Atomic Energy Commission, 0.S.I.R..O.

and the Public Service Board. They also have gone to the Vice-Chancellors of all Universities in Australia.

"The people Mr. Pomeroy has interviewed in Vienna are

graduates of the Universities of Prague (Charles), Bratislava and

Brno, all of which have six-year medical courses.

"They are reported to be excellent types. All are anxious

to resume work as soon as possible and would not consider employment

outside their professional fields.

"In a report which I have made available to authorities

throughout Australia and which is rapidly being superseded with

fresh news of more distinguished professional Czechs seeking a now

life in Australia, the Chief Migration Officer in Vienna, Mr. George

Spicer, stated that Mr. Pomeroy had interviewed 30 doctors, including

21 specialists and surgeons.

"The list of those interviewed includes dentists, surveyors,

physicists, geologists, chemists, veterinary surgeons,

mathematicians, engineers in most fields, including a nuclear

engineer, pharmacists, grmphic designers, university lecturers, architects, biologists, nurses and students.

"The following are among the doctors interviewed:

Ã¢ÂÂ¢ A former chief pediatrician at a district hospital

in Prague.

Ã¢ÂÂ¢ A university lecturer in gynaecology and obstetrics, who until recently was deputy-chief surgeon at Brno Hospital, with responsibility for the operation of the radiology and histology departments. With him would

come his wife, a doctor of dentistry, who has supervised a dental cliLic in Brno since 1954, and their son, a chemical engineer who graduated from a

Ã¢ÂÂ¢ Prague technical institute after a five-year course.

Ã¢ÂÂ¢ Head of the pediatrics department of Bratislava H)spital, with additional qualifications awarded to specialists in pediatrics.

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A bacteriologist.

'The others include:

Ã¢ÂÂ¢ A nuclear engineer who is a graduate of the faculty

of technical and ruclear physics at the Technical University of Prague. He is a Master of Science and

Engineering, his thesis (cum laude) was on the study

of magnetic properties of composed systems of

Ferro-magnetic thin films.

Ã¢ÂÂ¢ A mathematician who has been a lecturer in differential

geometry, Slovak Academy of Science, Bratislava.

Ã¢ÂÂ¢ A mining engineer who has done research work in the

Slovak Academy of Science and published articles on

Ã¢ÂÂ¢ mineralogy.

Ã¢ÂÂ¢ A biologist and bio-chemist who has published several papers in his field of research, namely microbiology

and biochemistry (bio-genesis of antibiotics) .

Ã¢ÂÂ¢ An assistant professor of pharmacology, graduate of Bratislava Univoreity, who has contributed papers to

conferences and journals on autonomic nervous system and anti-coagulants.

"As the cablegrams flow in from Vienna it appears that more

and more Czechs of this calibre are turning their eyes toward Australia. We can have them - if we let them work at their

professions.

_"In this regard, I deeply appreciate the lead given by the Inattfr tion of Engineers, Australia, which has indicated its

willingness to consider all cases submitted to it for the recognition of professional qualifications.

"There also has been a most co-operative and reassuring

response from a number of universities.

"I hope this helpful attitude will be followed throughout Australia.

"As we receive it, we will continue to send detailed information to the appropriate Governmental and other authorities.

We will keep them informed of the high- quality people presenting themselves, if only we can male a special effort.

"It is a matter of the greatest urgency. These people can not wait long.

"The second charter flight of Czech migrants will arrive in Sydney from Vienna tomorrow at 5.5 p.m.

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"Included in the 164 Czechs on the flight will be eight

engineers, three doctors and one dentist."

Department of ImmigraTion, CANBERRA. A.C.T.

19 September 1968

