Correction: We incorrectly reported that two MySQL developers had been refused visas to enter Australia. In fact, one developer was refused a visa. The other did not attempt to enter Australia.
update Australian immigration authorities have denied a business visa to a Sun MySQL developer travelling to Australia to attend Linux.conf.au in Hobart next week.
The move was reported by Kaj Arno, vice president of community for MySQL at parent Sun Microsystems, who initially said in his blog that in "two instances" Sun developers had been unable to enter Australia due to visa problems. It emerged afterward that only one of those two was denied entry; the other did not attempt to enter Australia.
Despite speculation that the Sun employees were denied entry into Australia because they were seen to be unfairly competing with local business, Australian immigration authorities have not released any information on why the visa was rejected, saying that it would be inappropriate to discuss specific individual cases due to privacy concerns.
Linux.conf.au, an annual Australian open-source developers conference will be held next week from Monday through to Friday at the University of Tasmania.
According to that blog, all they got in response to their application was: "SHORT TERM BUSINESS ETA APPLICATION WAS NOT APPROVED NO AUTHORITY TO TRAVEL TO AUSTRALIA HELD BY PASSENGER"
This "speculation" is just this one guy's opinion. In fact, you can see he's not totally convinced of it himself as you read the comments.
Finally, only ONE person has been denied a visa. In the other case, the guy was not denied, but just decided not to go anyway. The guy who was rejected could've been rejected for MANY reasons. Maybe he has unpaid parking fines in Australia. Who knows?