Members of a South African family who have been living in Australia since 2010 have lost their bid to become permanent residents and must leave the country by December 20.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The Ingrams, of Watson, were on the cusp of being granted a permanent visa in 2013 when Jacqui Ingram was diagnosed with kidney disease.
Although Mrs Ingram had private health insurance and her condition was well managed the Department of Immigration and Border Protection denied her application on the grounds she may become a burden on the Australian taxpayer at a future date.
Mrs Ingram's husband, Clive, and their two children, Brett, 18, and Caitlin, 14, were also rejected under the government's "one fail, all fail" policy.
Late last week Mrs Ingram was told the family's last hope, an appeal to the minister for an "intervention" that would allow them to stay had been denied.
"The Assistant Minister for Immigration and Border Protection, Alex Hawke MP, has personally considered your case and has decided it would not be in the public interest to intervene," the family was told. "You are expected to depart Australia as soon as practicable."
A departmental spokeswoman told Fairfax the Ingrams were on bridging visas that expire on December 20,, and they must leave the country before then.
The department refused to comment on why a decision to allow the Ingrams, who have strong community support for their continued residence in Canberra, to stay would be against the public interest.
"The minister cannot be compelled to exercise his powers and he is not required to explain his decisions," the spokeswoman said. "It would be inappropriate to confirm further details, including individual circumstances, relating to this case."
Mrs Ingram said the family was devastated by the decision, which would be especially hard on Caitlin.
"Caitlin has been studying in Australia since year 4 and the transition back to a South African school will be extremely traumatic," she said. "We don't even know if Caitlin would get into for year 10 in South Africa as enrolments closed in August and most of the good schools are full by now."
Mrs Ingram said the family was being discriminated on the basis of her medical condition.
"The Department of Immigration is happy to grant permanent residency to people who have broken the law but not to honest, hard-working, people like us who have been contributing to the economy for the last six years," she said. "All three of us working: Caitlin has a job at the Supa Express in Watson."
Mr and Mrs Ingram both work for LEAD, an ACT-based care provider that supports 450 disabled people.
Brett, who was on a gap-year visit to South Africa when the initial decision rejecting residency was announced in September last year, has been stranded there since.
Caitlin is desperate to stay: "Australia has been my home for almost as long as I can remember," she said. "I was nine when I came and all my friends are in Canberra."
