Tears of joy as Federal Government intervenes to allow British police
officer Peter Threlfall into South Australia
* by: David Jean
* From: The Advertiser <http://www.news.com.au/adelaidenow/>
* June 13, 201211:00PM
http://tinyurl.com/73smbhm
London police sergeant Pete Threlfall with son Lukas, wife Yvonne and
stepdaughter Sarah, who is autistic. The family has been allowed to move to
Australia. Source: Supplied
THE Immigration Minister has ordered his department to allow British
policeman Peter Threlfall and his family into Australia.
Chris Bowen's intervention followed revelations in The Advertiser yesterday
<http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/south-australia/sa-police-recruit-denied
-entry/story-e6frea83-1226393535623> that the family had been denied visas
because Mr Threlfall's 25-year-old step-daughter, Sarah, has autism.
Mr Threlfall last night likened the backflip to winning the lottery.
He said SA Police had told him his original job offer as a constable in
Ceduna would be honoured, and he hoped to be in Australia by September.
"This is unbelievable. I just can't get over it," Mr Threlfall said from
London.
"I knew it was achievable, it was just getting the right person to overturn
this bad decision, but it was so hard to get to that person. My wife is in
tears - we are so happy."
The Threlfalls were originally denied visas because an Immigration
Department medical officer deemed Sarah's condition would place a burden on
health- care and community services in Australia.
This was despite the fact Sarah has two jobs and plans to study as a
hairdresser in Australia. Disability advocates last night applauded Mr
Bowen's intervention, but demanded the immediate scrapping of the
"discriminatory" policy behind the original decision.
Intellectual Disability Association of SA chairman David Holst and Greens
immigration spokeswoman Sarah Hanson-Young both called on the Government to
bring immigration policies into line with a 2010 parliamentary report on the
issue.
"This case, like similar ones in recent years show why there must be reforms
to the health waiver requirement," Ms Hanson-Young said.
"The Greens call on the Government to fulfil the recommendations from the
Enabling Australia 2010 parliamentary inquiry report, particularly raising
the `cost threshold' of the health requirement and those criteria affecting
family migration."
Opposition immigration spokesman Mitch Fifield said there needed to be
greater flexibility in cases such as that of the Threlfalls.
Mr Threlfall hoped his case would help ensure policy change after the
Immigration Department deemed Sarah could be a $500,000 burden on Australian
healthcare and social services, despite assurances she was employed, largely
self-reliant and rarely sought medical assistance in London.
"You can't adopt a hypothetical situation without taking into account any
positives," he said.
A spokesman for Mr Bowen said after learning about the case he had asked the
department to "facilitate entry for the family".
Migration Institute of Australia state president Mark Glazbrook said cases
such as this were too common.
"There is this general assumption that certain conditions will have a high
cost and because of that the visa will be refused, even when you can get
strong evidence to say there shouldn't be a high cost," he said.
The Threlfall family received a deluge of support from readers of
AdelaideNOW and The Advertiser's Facebook page yesterday.
"That's disgusting! Let them in and stop the discrimination against
disability," one reader commented.
Autism Advisory and Support Service president Grace Fava applauded the
decision, saying people should not have to live with a label.
SA Police Assistant Commissioner Bryan Fahy said SAPOL would honour its
original employment offer.
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