Editor's Blog

Was it the Christmas spirit or unrelenting media pressure and public backlash that led the Immigration Minister to reverse a decision not to grant a visitor visa to the mother of a Pakistani student dying of cancer in Melbourne?

Immigration Minister Peter Dutton yesterday allowed the mother of Hassan Asif to be with her 25-year old son in Australia in, what doctors say are likely to be, the last few days of his life.

The high commission in Islamabad last week refused Mr Asif's mother and brother's application to visit Australia on the grounds they were a flight a risk and would not return home. The decision was made despite the officers being aware that the young Melbourne student was suffering from terminal skin cancer. Mr Dutton, first stood by the decision saying it could cost the Australian public millions if the visitors did not return home after the visit.

Commenting on the refusal decision, Labor's immigration spokesman Richard Marles said it was “a disgraceful and heartless decision”....If there is a legitimate national security risk that should be made clear. Otherwise, common sense and compassion should prevail. 

Speaking to the ABC after hearing the news of the minister’s change of heart, Sherri Bruinhout, from Melbourne City Mission which is providing Mr Asaf pallative care, said "[Hassan] is over the moon. It was a terrible day last Friday when he heard the decision that the Immigration Department had denied the visa and he was absolutely devastated as was his family so you can imagine the absolute delight when the news came through that the visa had been issued and there were lots of tears all around...Tears of happiness."

The executive director of the Refugee and Immigration Legal Centre, David Manne, told the ABC that a full explanation of the original refusal was needed.

"We do need to look very seriously at some fundamental changes in our system so that it doesn't come to this type of situation where we've got the Minister for Immigration having to intervene and look at this individual circumstance," he said. "It shouldn't come to that."

Mr Manne said the system often resulted in decisions which impacted "harshly" on families and visa applicants. He said these types of situations happened too often.

"It has taken this pressure, this public pressure ... for it to reach this decision, which is a fair and humane decision. The big question here is how does our system allow for the situation where the family were banned in the first place. I can't say that the system always responds compassionately." Refugee and Immigration Legal Centre, David Manne

From Pakistan, Ramiz Asif told SBS Radio's Urdu language program he thinks Hassan's health might even improve after seeing his family. "My mother started crying out of joy because it has been almost two years since we have met each other. We are very excited and happy. My brother will get better as soon as he sees us."