Irish parents and their Australian son remain hopeful they won`t be deported

Source: IrishCentral, 21/06/2019

Despite being born in Australia, 3-year-old Darragh`s cystic fibrosis
diagnosis has been deemed a `financial burden` to the Australian
taxpayer, and the family has been denied permanent residency.
The Irish couple had begun their application for permanent Australian
residency in 2015, not long before Darragh was born. While Anthony
and Christine satisfied all of their requirements for residency, their
newborn son did not due to his cystic fibrosis.
Nine News Australia reports: `A child born in Australia does not
automatically become a citizen unless their parents are already
citizens. Under Australian immigration rules, children born in
Australia are not eligible to apply for citizenship until they are 10
years old.`
In May, Tony, a bus driver, and Christine, an elementary school
teacher, lost their deportation appeal which means their visas will
expire on June 18. A tribunal has referred the matter back to the
Australian Minister of Home Affairs Peter Dutton, who can exercise
discretion on the case.
On May 22, Christine wrote on the family`s petition site: `Because our
visa application has been refused we now only have until the 18th June
for the Minister to intervene. We are waiting on clarification on the
exact date as to when our bridging visa will end.`
The Hyde family hopes they`ll be able to stay in Australia (Christine
Hyde /Change.org)
`The only home our son knows`
Darragh now takes the drug Kalydeco for his cystic fibrosis which
costs $300,000 per patient per year - through Australian healthcare,
the Hydes only pay $40 a month for the prescription drug.
“Being on that drug for Darragh is almost reversing the impact of CF
for him. It means he will go on to live a normal life,” Christine told
Yahoo News Australia.
“I get that’s why it’s expensive. But I also think we do a fair job of
giving back.` Christine, who received her Master`s Degree in Australia
and is the acting Assistant Principal at a local elementary school,
regularly volunteers within the family`s adopted community.
“We’re not a family who sponge off people. My son will go on to do
work, he’s not going to stay home, I can tell you that. I believe we
have good ethics.”
Christine insists on the family`s petition that Darragh `has been
doing extremely well` and that they have received `positive letters
from his doctors and specialists.` She adds: `Australia is the only
home our son knows.`
Darragh Hyde has never been outside of Australia (Christine Hyde /
Change.org)
Still hopeful
The online petition launched by Christine Hyde has gained nearly
113,000 signatures as of Monday morning.
The Hyde family has since received the support of Premier Daniel
Andrews, who has called upon the Minister for Home Affairs Peter
Dutton to show `some compassion and some common sense` on the matter:
On June 9, Christine wrote on the petition’s website: “We are still
waiting for a decision of the department of immigration. This is for
our case to be considered by the minister. Please keeping sharing.
Thank you so much !!!”
7News Australia spoke with the Hydes about their situation: