Key Points
- A Perth family facing deportation has been granted permanent residency.
- The family was ordered to leave because their son has Down syndrome, and deemed a burden on the taxpayer.
- Immigration Minister Andrew Giles personally intervened in the case.
A Perth family facing deportation because their son was born with Down syndrome has been granted permanent residency after a personal intervention from Immigration Minister Andrew Giles.
The decision, which comes just over a week before the family had been ordered to leave Australia, means Krishna Aneesh and Aneesh Kollikkara, along with their two children, will remain in Australia for the long-term.
because their 10-year-old Aaryan's condition meant he was deemed a burden on the taxpayer.
The parents have been pleading with Mr Giles to personally intervene, their last chance to remain in the country after they exhausted all legal options.
In letter to the family on Wednesday, Mr Giles confirmed he had granted them immediate permanent residency.
"[The minister] has personally considered your case and has decided to exercise his public interest power in your case to substitute the decision of the [Administrative Appeals] Tribunal," the letter said.
Krishna speaking to reporters alongside her husband and children after the decision said the family was relieved the immigration minister had intervened in their case.
"I can't tell [you] my feelings at that time because I was really happy I was over the moon it is such great news as I have ever heard," she said.
"I literally went into tears we can stay here we can live in this community we can provide a very good environment for our kids."
The couple both work in highly-skilled industries, which - Krishna a cyber security expert and Aneesh in telecommunications.
People with Disability Australia treasurer Suresh Rajan, who is representing the family, said their contribution to Australian society had been considered in the intervention.
"That public interest criteria goes to the fact that Krishna and Aneesh are performing work in critical industries and the public wants them here," he said.
But he added that the onerous review process the family had been put through to get to this point was unacceptable.
"We can't put families through this torture where they are denied by the department and then they have to pay a lot of money to go to a tribunal," he said.
Krishna said having their family's visa initially rejected for their child living with a disability had broken her heart.
"We want a society to accept Aaryan how he is and don't want anyone to discriminate [against him ] or see him with a different eye," she said.
"We hope the rule can change so that any family like us can get a permanent residency if they are meeting all of the criteria."
Follow the latest from SBS News at , or on the SBS News app available on or .
