by JOHN MIKKELSEN – LIFE really can be bitter sweet. It can throw up hurdles and roadblocks when least expected. But sometimes, when all appears dark, a light appears.
This has happened to me more than once and I can only hope it transpires for the latest victims of a seemingly heartless Albanese Government – a young Australian-born Cystic Fibrosis (CF) sufferer and his parents, who now face the threat of deportation.
- Palestinians from Gaza who collectively cheered Hamas terrorists. “No worries, please feel at home.”
- 180 criminal detainees released into the community, including 37 sex offenders and 72 violent offenders, some murderers. “You’re welcome”.
- A sick Australian-born child. “Get out!”
With the legacy media’s attention firmly focused on the profligate spending within the government’s woke-appeasing Federal Budget – and the latest highly controversial ICC upheavals in Gaza – this seems to have sadly flown under the radar.
Channel 7 recently interviewed Luca’s parents in Perth who said they “genuinely fear” for their son’s life if forced to leave Australia because their toddler has CF.
CITIZEN
Luca, 2, was born in Australia but isn’t a citizen. The government says the potential cost of his treatment is too much for taxpayers to bear.
Really? This is a government which proclaims to have the interests of citizens first and foremost.
But perhaps, I should add, this includes only a select band of non-Australian “citizens”, including:
- Palestinians from Gaza who collectively cheered when blood-thirsty Hamas terrorists paraded Israeli hostages through the streets after the October 7 massacres and rapes? No worries, we’ll roll out the welcome mat after security checks which take about an hour.
- ISIS brides and their children, some of whom witnessed and possibly participated in horrific beheadings?
- More than 80,000 rejected asylum seekers who are still in Australia despite their claims for protection being denied, with the majority enjoying full work and study rights. Refugees who arrived by boat are held in detention centres, yet those who arrive via an airport can stay for years even if their protection claims are rejected.
- We’ve also had around 150 former detainees released into the community, including 37 sex offenders and 72 violent offenders, some murderers, following a High Court ruling. One has subsequently been charged with the vicious battery of elderly Perth woman Ninette Simmons.
No prizes here for PM Anthony Albanese and his hapless, hopeless ministers Andrew Giles (Immigration and Citizenship), Clare O’Neal (Home Affairs) and Mark Dreyfus (Attorney General).
Slow hand-claps for their belated attempts to shut the gate after they had released the horses.
But back to the case of young Luca and his parents who at the time of writing were dreading a phone call ordering them to leave the country.
“We’re just devastated. This has been our home for eight years. We’ve friends, family and Luca’s godparents are here,” mother Laura Currie said.
CF is a genetic disease affecting the lungs and digestive system.
The sticking point for the family is a life-saving drug called Trikafta. The treatment is on Australia’s Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme and costs Australian patients $42.50 but, without the PBS discount, it soars to $250,000 a year.
BORN HERE
The official estimate for his medical bill is $1.8m over 10 years, money the government is not prepared to pay for Luca despite him being born here.
The toddler is not currently taking Trikafta and might not even be compatible with it.
Luca’s father Dante Vendittell, a construction worker from Italy, and Currie, a child educator from Scotland, met in Australia eight years ago and are now on bridging visas.
The family is living in limbo.
“The UK health care is practically non-existent, it’s literally on its knees,” Currie said.
“I genuinely fear for Luca’s life.”
It seems hopelessly out of touch and hypocritical for a government to take this cruel stance when it’s not even known if the expensive drug will be suitable for this little Aussie-born boy.
At the same time, it can shovel truckloads of taxpayer funds into dubious virtue-signaling green energy projects.
This includes billions for mega-rich energy speculators such as Andrew “Twiggy” Forrest, Mike Cannon-Brookes and former PM Malcolm Turnbull.
And, of course, they and thousands of other multi-millionaires will be able to pocket the universal largesse of $300 power rebates under a $3.5b cost of living package. Multiple properties? No worries, just put your hand out…
But hang on Albo and co, do some research and you will find that there is a direct precedent where another young boy with CF was granted citizenship after also being threatened with deportation.
Back in July 2019, a Morrison Government minister intervened and provided a happy ending.
According to the ABC: “Christine and Anthony Hyde have lived in Seymour in central Victoria since 2009, but their application for permanent residency was rejected as their three-year-old son Darragh was deemed a ‘burden’ on Australia’s healthcare system.
“Their permanent residency application was finally approved last Friday after the case was referred to David Coleman, the Minister for Immigration, Citizenship & Multicultural Affairs.
“It’s a relief,” Ms Hyde said.
“Just waking up and worrying no more – it’s great!”
Well, I agree! But I must add a disclaimer. I know just how they felt, thanks to a little hero who joined our lives as a grandchild 18 years ago this week.
Let me explain with a name change to protect his privacy.
It’s a miracle little Ted survived even his first day in this world. He arrived two months premature, a feat in itself, but within his first few hours he was back in the operating theatre for major surgery to repair a twisted bowel.
BOMBSHELL
A few weeks later, he needed another operation to reconnect the severed bowel, but just before that, another bombshell dropped. Tiny Ted was diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis.
He survived his operations, and when I first met him in the premmie ward at the Brisbane Royal Women’s Hospital, he reached out a miniscule hand and held one of my fingers in a grip so tight, I knew he had the fighting blood of our Viking ancestors coursing through his frail little body.
Two months later, his proud mum and dad were finally able to take him home.
It is a tribute to their love and devotion, that he has not looked back and has never spent another day in hospital. Recent advances in drug treatments available on the PBS (Trikafta and Orkambi) have helped, and hopefully before too long a cure will be found.
These days, he is a tall, strapping teenager who towers over me with his long hair and stubble beard which would not be out of place in a remake of Jesus Christ Superstar.
He displays some rare qualities which have seen him win major academic awards at his high school before entering university this year.
He’s a tech-head who loves creating his own computer games and has a wacky sense of humour combined with a flair for creativity.
An inability to sit still for long, frequently leads to challenges such as, “Give me a topic and I’ll write a story in 10 minutes”.
Which he does. Maybe one day he’ll be a budding entrepreneur who can compete with the increasing inroads of AI in our everyday lives.
Maybe little Luca will also be able to contribute in a meaningful, productive way if we just give him a chance and don’t deport him because he’s “too expensive to care for”.
One can only hope.
Come on Albo, there might even be a vote in it if you intervene and keep him where he was born in The Land Down Under.
Remember you did it for Biloela’s Tamil asylum seekers on the eve of their deportation.PC
You couldn’t make this up – all that illegal immigrants or non citizen crims have to do to avoid deportation is claim indigenous links. Fair dinkum – James Macpherson on Sky News last night mentioned a few cases including a Cambodian who reckons he’s been accepted into an aboriginal clan and is learning to play the didgeridoo and another bloke who claimed he was aboriginal because he was married to an aboriginal woman (whom he had beaten up). And their claims were accepted!
I can’t find a link to that but here is a related report https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8067379/More-20-immigration-detainees-claim-indigenous-
Here is James Macpherson on Sky News – what hope does little Luca have unless his parents claim they play the didgeridoo and take part in smoking ceremonies!
https://www.skynews.com.au/australia-news/politics/i-selfidentify-as-an-aboriginal-sudanese-migrant-with-criminal-history-saved-from-deportation-by-claiming-he-is-indigenous/news-story/01a8d40353173880077d68ed5e0cf82f
And in latest news, a non-citizen NZ grub who raped his 14 year old step daughter while his wife was in hospital giving birth, has been allowed to remain in Australia. WTF Albo https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-13463015/Child-rapist-sexually-assaulted-stepdaughter-allowed-stay-Australia.html
“Remember you did it for Biloela’s Tamil asylum seekers on the eve of their deportation.”
Why not bring *everyone* from the sub-continent to live in Australia? After all, “compassion” trumps common sense every time, doesn’t it?
P.S. Maybe the newcomers could camp in the author’s back yard, I’m sure he would be happy to enjoy the fruits of their presence (don’t mention intolerance, the caste system, systemic corruption, gang rapes, or violence that is caused by “religious” differences that arise because the Godless can’t agree on exactly which demons they should worship).
Morrie, would it be okay if I asked you to eff off? This is a child. Most people like children – he was born here in Australia to Christian parents. What has gone wrong in your mind?
Right on Justin. There is a world of difference, as the article also points out, but I doubt he read it. Meanwhile in their latest cash splash budget, Labor plans to expand the public service by 36,000 which will cost $24 BILLION over just four years. But we can’t afford to look after a little boy born here because he might need a drug that we don’t even know he’s compatible with and which would cost about as much as one or two of those extra staff. Really Albo?
“What has gone wrong in your mind?”
Nothing that wouldn’t be fixed by seeing Australia’s population artificially increased to 37 billion.
What could possibly go wrong?
P.S. Would you like to bring every single sick child in the world here? I’d be happy to pay for it personally through higher taxes – after all, it’s not like my money is to support my own wife and children, is it?