Republic Day this year came earlier than usual for Carmen Testa, a Maltese-Australian who has just been bestowed with the Midalja ghall-Qadi tar-Repubblika in Melbourne.

The national award was awarded to Ms Testa on behalf of President Eddie Fenech Adami by Justice and Home Affairs Minister Tonio Borg - who is visiting Maltese communities in Australia - as a token for years spent helping Maltese migrants integrate into the community.

The ceremony was held at the Maltese Cultural Centre in Albion, Victoria, where Dr Borg also met Victoria State Prime Minister Steve Bracks, the Justice Ministry said. It reported the Maltese communities welcoming the news that the government is giving second generation Maltese the opportunity to apply for citizenship.

In meetings with Australian officials, Dr Borg thanked the authorities for allowing Maltese descendants to reapply for Australian citizenship if they had chosen to keep their native Maltese citizenship.

Dr Borg met the Klabb tal-Ghannejja Maltin and the Hobsons Bay Maltese Association and visited the Rosary Home for the Elderly, run by Dominican nuns.

In Melbourne, Dr Borg met Kevin Andrews, the federal minister responsible for immigration, at Parliament House.

Dr Borg met his Australian counterpart, Senator David Johnston, in Canberra when both agreed that the two countries can renegotiate their extradition agreement to reflect present needs.

The Justice and Home Affairs Ministry said Dr Borg and Mr Johnston discussed how the two countries could improve their collaboration when it came to justice.

The problem of illegal immigration - common to both countries - was discussed at a meeting Dr Borg had with Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer. "Even Australia detains migrants who enter the country illegally," the ministry said.

In his last meeting in Canberra, Dr Borg met Senate president Paul Calvert who is expected to lead an Australian Senate delegation to Malta next month.