This report is the second report arising out of a reference on protection visas and deportation referred by the Senate to this committee. This second report considers the removal, search for and discovery of Ms Vivian Solon.

The committee did not have the opportunity to examine many of the officers directly involved in the removal, search for and discovery of Ms Solon because the Commonwealth Ombudsman was conducting an investigation into this matter at the same time. Mr Neil Comrie, who is conducting the inquiry, had requested that no officers involved in the Ms Solon matter be approached in relation to their dealings with her until his investigation was finalised. The committee decided to table its preliminary findings in an interim report and to await the publication of the Ombudsman's report before tabling its final report on this matter. This interim report relies heavily on the written record made available to the committee by the Department of Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.