A young boy who knows nothing outside life in Victoria could be deported in eight days because he is deemed a burden to Australia’s health system.
Little Darragh Hyde, 3, was born in Victoria to Irish parents, but he is in a race against the clock after he was denied permanent residency because he has cystic fibrosis.
Darragh’s parents, Tony and Christine Hyde, launched an appeal against the decision in May and have been told they will get a “final answer” on June 18, 7News reports.
The family has been living in Seymour, 100km north of Melbourne, since 2009, but did not apply for permanent residency until weeks before Darragh was born in 2016.
They told Sunrise last month the reality was “pretty scary”.
“It’s a reality now, we have a date. We always knew it would come to this three-and-a-half years ago when we started that journey to appeal it,” Ms Hyde said.
“It’s pretty scary. This is our home, and we’ve been asked to leave.”
“We would like to get some reassurance that the case will be looked at and look at us as a whole, a whole unit, and what we do contribute at the moment and in the future to Australia.”
Permanent residents are required to meet basic health requirements before they can be granted a visa under Australian migration law.
Part of that requirement is costs associated with treatment can’t exceed $ 40,000 a year. The Hyde family says the drug Darragh needs to survive costs more than $ 300,000 a year.
The couple both volunteer in the local area where Christine is an assistant principal and Tony works with the SES.
Broadford Primary School principal Jennene Cooney told 7News the community would be worse off without the Hydes.
“Christine is a fantastic teacher. She loves the children, the children love her. We would really miss her,” she said.
They also have the support of Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews who said last month “some compassion and common sense” was required.
“This family is effectively Aussie and they have contributed over the past 10 years — as an SES volunteer and a teacher in their Central Victorian community,” he said.
“There will be some costs to medical treatment, but there will be so many more benefits to that local community.”
The Department of Home Affairs does not comment on individual cases.