From the Australian, AP/Washington Post,  AP/CNN, the Age of Australia and elsewhere:

Australia’s government is under pressure from all sides to overturn a decision denying German doctor Bernhard Moeller permanent residency because his son Lukas has Down syndrome. Moeller is the only medical specialist in his rural community, and came to Australia in response to government pleas to fill a doctor shortage.

Victorian Premier John Brumby criticized the decision as “stupid” and “discriminatory. ” He said the authorities should reverse the decision as soon as possible because Dr. Moeller was making a valuable contribution to the region, and because Lukas should be treated like any other child.

In rejecting Dr. Moeller’s application for permanent residency, the Immigration Department said the potential cost to the taxpayer of Lukas’s condition was too great.

Jan Gothard, a lecturer at Murdoch University who advises families with disabled children on migrating to Australia, said rejections are common.

… She said the key issue in Dr. Moeller’s case was not the exclusion of a doctor but discrimination against disabled people who are automatically refused permanent residency.

“Every time we exclude someone with a disability from Australia, we are saying to the disabled people in Australia: you are not good enough for our society.”

CNN video is here.

Audio from Melbourne news talk radio station 3AW is here.

See also: Let the good doctor stay – editorial in the Melbourne [Australia] Herald Sun

At least Federal Health Minister Nicola Roxon has recognized that denying permanent residency to a desperately needed German doctor and his family is bureaucracy gone mad.

Earlier post here.

(AP/CNN photo)

This entry was posted on Saturday, November 1st, 2008 at 12:31 pm and is filed under discrimination, Down syndrome, international, NOT2BEMISSED. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.