Torquay couple take fight for [Cambodian] daughter to minister

Pisey

October 10th, 2011
Geelong Advertiser (Australia)

A TORQUAY couple who have exhausted every legal avenue in their fight to be reunited with their Cambodian daughter say they will not give up hope of bringing their little girl home.

A Migration Review Tribunal member who heard the Paterson's case last week informed the couple his hands were tied by the law and he did not have the authority to approve a visa for five-year-old Pisey.

But with Meagan and Michael Paterson now having exhausted the legal process, the way is now open for them to apply directly to Immigration Minister Chris Bowen to request he make a decision on the case.

The difficulty for the Paterson family in getting Pisey home is due to Australian law dictating that a couple must be living and working in the country in which they have adopted when they apply for the visa.

The Patersons unwittingly fell into a legal loophole when, despite the fact they had been living and working in Cambodia when they adopted Pisey, lodged her visa application from Australia not Cambodia after returning home to care for a sick family member.

The Immigration Minister has since ordered that law be changed thanks to the Paterson's plight, but in a further blow to the couple, the change of law can not be applied retrospectively.

Mrs Paterson said she was happy to have an opportunity to appeal directly to Mr Bowen.

"Our experience with the MRT has been overwhelmingly positive and the outcome has actually been a best-case scenario in our circumstances," she said.

"The MRT member said he recognised it is in Pisey's best interests to be with us and he will support our application to the minster."

Mrs Paterson said she and her husband were financially, emotionally and physically drained, but were staying strong for their little girl.

"I just hope that it is sooner rather than later that we can look back on all of this and it will just be a distant, painful memory," she said.

Pisey's accommodation in a rape crisis centre in Cambodia is secure until next month.

"We are keeping our fingers crossed that we will all be together by Christmas," she said.

A spokesman for the Immigration Minister said he could not comment on individual cases, nor speculate on the amount of time it would take for the minister to make his decision once he received the Paterson's application.

amelia.grevisjames@geelongadvertiser.com.au