Response to the Market Consultation Paper on Engaging Technology and Innovation within Visa Processes In response to the invitation from the Department for business specialising in artificial intelligence amongst others to propose the use of technology and innovation in the visa system, we ask the Department to consider the following. A growing body of research has argued that processes embedded in the development of artificial intelligence can reproduce gender and race biases. It has been shown in examples associating images of households with females only, linking race to negative connotations or targeting higher remunerated jobs to males only. Researches have also widely agreed that the initial assumption that the technology was able to quickly solve complex problems needed to be reviewed. For artificial intelligence to overcome gender or race biases, it needs to be by appropriately qualified personnel. ‘trained’ Committing to reduce violence against women and their children, the Australian government has recognised that violence against women is a manifestation of gender inequality and is directly connected to the unequal power dynamics between women and men and the widespread to rigidly defined gender roles.” Gender inequality is prevalent and within Australia it “adherence can be demonstrated by a range of factors, including entrenched gender stereotypes and sexism. Thus, it is that the Department in modernising the technological side of the visa process considers the impact of the gender and race biases that may be embedded in the systems of the artificial intelligence and their impacts on the rates of violence against women. We strongly believe that chosen companies must demonstrate sufficient knowledge and capacity to develop the system that will treat all applicants equally and with fairness regarding their gender and race. 10. Closing Remarks We strongly believe that the immigration policy should not be driven solely by fiscal considerations. The relative merits of any policy to be assessed against a broader context that takes into account all the relevant dimensions of societal wellbeing. It is imperative that changes to the visa system undergo a gender analysis in order to measure the potential impact of policies on women in particular. Family violence and gender-based oppression of women from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds coexist alongside the constructions of other forms of oppression caused by social and economic inequality. Engaging intersectional feminist frameworks within policy design assists in creating fair and just regulations, honours the government’s commitment to reduce violence against women and advances gender equality. The future visa system in Australian must ensure that women who had violence inflicted on them have equal access to services, support and justice irrespective of their visa status.
Response to the Market Consultation Paper on Engaging Technology and Innovation within Visa Processes In response to the invitation from the Department for business specialising in artificial intelligence amongst others to propose the use of technology and innovation in the visa system, we ask the Department to consider the following. A growing body of research has argued that processes embedded in the development of artificial intelligence can reproduce gender and race biases. It has been shown in examples associating images of households with females only, linking race to negative connotations or targeting higher remunerated jobs to males only. Researches have also widely agreed that the initial assumption that the technology was able to quickly solve complex problems needed to be reviewed. For artificial intelligence to overcome gender or race biases, it needs to be ‘trained’ by appropriately qualified personnel. Committing to reduce violence against women and their children, the Australian government has recognised that violence against women is a manifestation of gender inequality and is directly connected to the unequal power dynamics between women and men and the widespread “adherence to rigidly defined gender roles.” Gender inequality is prevalent and within Australia it can be demonstrated by a range of factors, including entrenched gender stereotypes and sexism. Thus, it is that the Department in modernising the technological side of the visa process considers the impact of the gender and race biases that may be embedded in the systems of the artificial intelligence and their impacts on the rates of violence against women. We strongly believe that chosen companies must demonstrate sufficient knowledge and capacity to develop the system that will treat all applicants equally and with fairness regarding their gender and race. 10. Closing Remarks We strongly believe that the immigration policy should not be driven solely by fiscal considerations. The relative merits of any policy to be assessed against a broader context that takes into account all the relevant dimensions of societal wellbeing. It is imperative that changes to the visa system undergo a gender analysis in order to measure the potential impact of policies on women in particular. Family violence and gender-based oppression of women from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds coexist alongside the constructions of other forms of oppression caused by social and economic inequality. Engaging intersectional feminist frameworks within policy design assists in creating fair and just regulations, honours the government’s commitment to reduce violence against women and advances gender equality. The future visa system in Australian must ensure that women who had violence inflicted on them have equal access to services, support and justice irrespective of their visa status.
AWAVA-Submission-to-the-Visa-Simplification-Consultation.docx