From The Australian:

Perth midwife Tracey Robinson and her husband, Paul, have won a six-year battle against the Immigration Department to stay in Australia with their Down syndrome son.

Immigration Minister Chris Evans has foreshadowed reform of the visa process for families with disabled children after using his discretion this week to grant the Robinsons permanent residency.

Robinson’s struggle came to light after the Australian government last month denied permanent residency to German doctor Bernhard Moeller because his son Lukas has Down syndrome.

See also: Child health expert opposes refusal of visas over Down syndrome — The Australian:

Child expert Fiona Stanley, 2003 Australian of the Year, says the permanent residency denials of the families of children with Down syndrome is “shameful” and “discriminatory.” Stanley is a professor in the School of Pediatrics and Child Health at the University of Western Australia in Perth.

“It is discriminatory, I believe, to not have this very small number of very low risk children, whose parents are obviously going to contribute hugely to Australian society, not to have them allowed to come in,” Professor Stanley told The Australian.

Prof. Stanley said she had researched the potential cost of such families to the Australian taxpayers. “With almost every single case that we’ve done, there’s a huge net gain for Australia of having these families,” she said.

Earlier posts here.

(University of Western Australia photo)

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