Migration, integrity and ethics across cultures

Geoff Heath

BA Asian Studies, Grad Cert Migration Law, Diploma in Fraud Control, Diploma in Government Investigations

Until 2017, Geoff served twenty-six years with the Australian government’s immigration and border protection portfolio (now Department of Home Affairs). He has represented Australia on diplomatic postings in Manila, Beijing, Guangzhou, Dubai and Singapore, with extensive operational leadership and stakeholder engagement successes. He has also undertaken complex and often sensitive integrity-related projects in Australia and in Indonesia, Zimbabwe, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea and Fiji.

Geoff has been noted for his ability to develop ethical and productive multicultural workplaces and to cultivate productive stakeholder relationships in challenging international environments characterised by competing values and ethics. He has investigated immigration scams and irregular people movement networks, and researched and contributed to strategic action plans and fraud risk mitigation strategies in cross-cultural settings. Geoff's particular passion is de-mystifying cultural attitudes to acceptable behaviour, developing a model to aid in understanding this complex topic that can result in cross-cultural misunderstanding and conflict if not understood.

Geoff is currently engaged by the Cairns Chamber of Commerce to manage their very successful Designated Area Migration Agreement (FNQ DAMA), embedding robust integrity measures to guard against worker exploitation and scams. He also provides advice and guidance to regions in Australia on establishing and operating DAMAs, and has become the 'go to' person to demystify the complexities of managing a DAMA. Geoff was recently engaged to co-develop a code of ethics for a group of developing nations' immigration portfolios, including design of an associated training program.

As well as his own consultancy, Geoff has spent over seven years engaged as a senior consultant to Beasley Intercultural designing and facilitating cultural capability programs for clients mainly in the defence, capacity development, stakeholder engagement, law enforcement, immigration and compliance fields.

Geoff is an engaging trainer and mentor in the migration (DAMA) space, and in the cross-cultural integrity, fraud, compliance, stakeholder engagement and team cohesiveness contexts. He speaks conversational Mandarin Chinese and Bahasa Indonesia.

Adjani Zhang

BA Mass Media, Masters in Comparative Literature

Adjani is a China expert, having grown up and studied in different provinces. Aside from creative writing for the tourism industry, since migrating to Australia, she has collaborated with Geoff in delving into the cultural drivers of Chinese behaviour and attitudes in circumstances where they vary from Australian culture and expectations. They have shattered and re-thought many stereotypes in the process, serving to help bridge the gap between the two cultures, especially in the tourism sector.

Adjani assists with research and administration for Heath & Zhang.

Adjani's creative writing expertise is accessible via www.adjanizhang.com.au She is fluent in Mandarin Chinese and English.

Testimonials

Don't just take our word for it. Read what some of our clients have to say about their experience with us. We are proud to have helped organisations to achieve their goals and we look forward to helping you too.

RDA Orana (NSW)

Geoff Heath serves as a trusted advisor to our organisation in our capacity as the Designated Area Representative (DAR) for the only Designated Area Migration Agreement (DAMA) in New South Wales. His extensive knowledge of the migration framework, combined with his deep understanding of the operational and compliance requirements of a DAMA, has proven to be an invaluable asset to our work.

Over the past several years, Geoff has consistently provided us with expert training, clear and practical guidance, and strategic advice, always tailoring his approach to meet the unique needs and challenges we face. His problem-solving skills, proactive support, and ability to navigate complex situations have helped us achieve successful outcomes for our employers, stakeholders, and community.

Beyond his technical expertise, Geoff brings a collaborative spirit, a solution-focused mindset, and a genuine commitment to supporting regional workforce needs. His professionalism, accessibility, and wealth of experience make him more than just an advisor — he is a trusted partner in the important work we do.

We have greatly valued our ongoing relationship with Geoff and cannot recommend him highly enough to any organisation seeking a highly skilled, knowledgeable, and dependable advisor in the migration and workforce planning space.

Justine Campbell, CEO

East Kimberley Chamber of Commerce and Industry

Geoff was pivotal in helping us develop the business case for the Kimberley DAMA.

He also provided ongoing support throughout the implementation phase and the crucial early years of operation, which included our first variation to extend the boundary of the DAMA. His expertise and steady, thoughtful approach were invaluable as we navigated how to effectively manage the Kimberley DAMA.

Geoff is absolutely the go-to DAMA expert. He is calm, incredibly knowledgeable, and always generous with his guidance.

Clare Smith, DAMA Manager, Kimberley DAMA