Tyrone Sevilla is the boy deemed not good enough for Australia.
The Immigration Department has resolved to deport the nine-year-old to his native Philippines, because his autism has been judged a financial burden on taxpayers.
His mother, clinical nurse Ma Cecilia “Maria” Sevilla, is also likely to be forced to leave her home in Townsville due to the ruling.
Mrs Sevilla moved to Australia in 2007 to study nursing and make a better life for herself and her then two-year-old son. But six months later, Tyrone was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder, a condition that means his neural development is delayed.
Despite the added difficulty of bringing up a son with this disability as a single mother, Mrs Sevilla created a good life for her family, completing her studies at TAFE and university, and rising to a clinical nursing position at Townsville Hospital.
This year, she applied for a 489 skilled visa, but the application has been refused because her son did not meet the health requirement enshrined in Australia’s Migration Act.
This leaves her with three options: To stay in Australia but send Tyrone back to a country he doesn’t know, to relocate to the Philippines with him, or to appeal the decision.
Mrs Sevilla decided to stay and fight, and has launched a change.org petition to encourage Immigration Minister Scott Morrison to allow her to stay.
“I’ve worked for years, raising my son and studying to be a nurse. Yet all of it could be taken away because the government thinks that children with autism are going to be more of a cost to Australian society than a benefit — but that’s just not true!” she writes.
“Tyrone is not a burden, he is a joy. He is a happy child with full of life attitude and can lighten the mood of a room with his presence. The idea that he can’t contribute because of his condition is just wrong. People with autism can be excellent at a whole range of things, he just needs to be given a chance!”
Mrs Sevilla described Tyrone as a “cheeky, happy little boy” who had up and down days, but he didn’t need special medication or attention from doctors. He can read, ride a bike, and he attends special school in Townsville.
“The only thing is his language. He is largely non-verbal but he tries his best. You need to know him to understand him,” Mrs Sevilla told news.com.au.
She said the visa refusal and the appeals process was taking a heavy toll. She broke down in tears more than once during her interview with news.com.au.
“You can’t plan ahead. You can’t plan your life. You think: is this my last day in Australia? Is this my last month?”
Much of her family — including her mother, brother, aunty, uncle and cousins — lives in Queensland, and they provide a vital support network that allows her to complete shift work as a rehabilitation nurse, helping amputees and stroke victims regain their independence.
“It makes a lot of difference. I would lose it (without them). When Tyrone was diagnosed, I didn’t feel any issues because I have my family with me. I have plenty of support,” she said.
Her supervisor at Townsville Hospital, clinical nursing consultant Sarah Wilkinson, said Mrs Sevilla “absolutely needs to stay”.
“She is an excellent nurse, very thorough, very patient-focused, and she takes leadership if there’s something that needs to be done,” Miss Wilkinson told news.com.au.
She said even if Mrs Sevilla needed to call on government resources to help care for Tyrone, her contribution to the community meant she still deserved to stay in Australia.
“I know this family and they are responsible people. They have worked hard for what they have achieved here … She contributes so much.”
Mrs Sevilla can barely face the prospect of being sent back to the Philippines because she loves Australian life so much.
“I don’t want to think about it. I would feel numb. All the seven years would be wasted,” she said.
News.com.au asked Mrs Sevilla why Australian taxpayers should be required to help pay for Tyrone’s condition, given the state of Australia’s federal Budget and the economy.
“I am a taxpayer as well, even though I wasn’t born here. I’m supporting my family, I’m paying my taxes diligently. He’s not being a burden. We have our private health insurance, which is more expensive. As a nurse, I’m helping Australians,” she said.
So what would she say to Mr Morrison if she had the chance?
“I probably would just want compassion. Tyrone didn’t choose to be autistic, no one would wish this situation on anyone. It’s really hard. Everything has changed, but you have to be resilient. You need to focus,” she said.
A spokeswoman for Mr Morrison released a short statement to news.com.au about Mrs Sevilla’s case.
“The visa was refused because the child did not meet the health requirement,” the spokeswoman said.
“The applicant was advised of her options for independent review of the decision. People can only seek ministerial intervention once a refusal decision has been upheld at merits review”.
Read the full story... (off-site)- Topics:
- Child protection and relinquishment
- Author:
- news.com
- Date published:
- Wed 24th Sep, 2014