Disability a ‘burden’ to Australian community, immigration rules
“Bahaman Kaur is a gentle person whose intellectual disability means she cannot live independently. Luckily, her family have the means to support her at home and she is physically well.
But they now face the very real prospect of a heartbreaking decision.
The Department of Immigration and Border Protection has refused Bhajan’s application for permanent residency, saying her disability would make her a “significant health burden” to the Australian community.
The medical insurer advised Bhajan would be a “cost to the community”, and this formed the basis for the department’s decision not to grant her a visa.
But her family says it will willingly absorb any medical costs Bhajan might have in her lifetime.
This will probably only be a fraction of the expense of keeping a single politician in Canberra for a year on their extremely generous entitlement allowances for accommodation and travel.
And the Assistant Minister for Immigration and Border Protection, Alex Hawke, has declined her family’s appeal to intervene. So Bhajan will either have to return alone to her birthplace of Singapore, and go into an institution for the first time in her life”
Alex Hawke a man who spoke of “the spark of family, enterprise, self-reliance and human dignity”” in his maiden speech.
Sometimes someone needs to have the guts to stand up and do the right thing.
Clearly that someone is not Assistant Minister for Immigration and Border Protection, Alex Hawke.
Family man and Hillsong Christian Alex Hawke.
And as a footnote
Last year former prime minister, John Howard splashed by far the most cash, outspending his compatriots on almost every indicator. He spent $112,000 on office facilities, $13,000 on car costs, $14,000 on domestic flights and $3400 on family travel ( a total of $142,000) – all covered by taxpayers, of course.
I spent about this much
Tim Haslett's Blog 