MEDIA RELEASE
Media Enquiries: National Communications (02) 6264 2244
003.10
25 January 2010
Online newsroom a big hit this Australia Day
The Department of Immigration and Citizenship's (DIAC) online newsroom is gearing
up for increased traffic from the media and visitors this Australia Day.
"The online newsroom has been hugely popular with large numbers not only from
the media but also the general public coming to the website since it went live in
December 2008," a Department of Immigration and Citizenship spokesman said.
"The newsroom has recorded 711 000 hits in the past two years and this Australia
Day we are expecting hundreds of visits to the material we will have up on the
newsroom.
"In the lead-up to Australia Day we will be featuring a range of multi-media including
interviews with the eight winners of the Local Hero awards and messages from the
Minister for Immigration and Citizenship, Senator Chris Evans.
"We know from recent experience that the media will use the newsroom to download
content for broadcast and publication but we also expect many people will view the
free online newsroom.
"The advent of new media has dramatically changed the landscape of the way
government delivers news and information to the community and websites such as
our online newsroom have proved themselves to be highly popular in short space of
time."
Some of the other content that can be downloaded by registered media
representatives or viewed on the newsroom include inspirational video of
humanitarian and refugee programs, heart-warming stories from new arrivals to the
country and compliance operations conducted by the department that have
disrupted the activities of illegal workers and their employers.
"We see the online newsroom as a crucial tool in maintaining a dialogue with and
informing the community and those thinking about coming to Australia," the
spokesman said.
"There are many activities that the department is involved with that the general
public does not hear about very often, and many happy stories to tell of the
thousands who arrive and call Australia home each year, the online newsroom gives
us the means to tell their stories."
NEWS 
