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14 APRIL, 2021
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Keeping art alive
(Keren Dobia)
Fifth generation Williamstown boat builder Greg Blunt is among those featured in an outdoor photographic exhibition at Newport in the latest Art and Industry Festival project. The I AM. exhibition, to be launched at The Outside Gallery in Paine Reserve on April 24, will feature illuminated large-scale portraits by award-winning photographer Keren Dobia. ■ Full
report: Page 8
Family fights to stay By Alesha Capone Laverton husband and wife Varun and Priyanka Katyal are fighting to stay in Australia for the sake of their six year-old son Kayaan, who has cerebral palsy. Mr and Mrs Katyal, who have been in Australia on temporary visas for 12 and eight years respectively, were in the midst of applying for permanent residency when they received a letter from the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) in February stating they could not remain in Australia because of Kayaan’s illness. The letter stated that caring for Kayaan, who was born in Australia, would cost taxpayers an estimated $1.2 million across the next decade
WI L L IAM S TOWN
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– which was labelled “a significant, undue cost to the Australian community in the areas of health care and/or community services”. The couple are pleading with federal authorities to let them remain here. They have launched a Change.org petition asking the federal government and DHA to show compassion towards Kayaan. The petition has attracted more than 117,000 signatures of support. Mr Katyal – who came from India to Australia at the age of 19 to study cooking and has worked as a chef since graduating – said Kayaan’s illness was the sole reason given by the DHA for refusing them residency. He said Kayaan usually only visits hospital
a l l e a P Wednesdays
once every three to six months, for speech and occupational therapy. “They [the federal government and DHA] are just not treating my son in an equal way – they are only seeing him as a cost,” Mr Katyal said. The family has spent more than $40,000 on legal and immigration fees to challenge the decision. They have appealed to the Administrative Appeals Tribunal, although a verdict might not be issued for up to three years. Mr Katyal said the DHA’s decision has had “a very bad impact” on his family, and the money spent challenging the decision would have been better spent on Kayaan. He said Kayaan, who attends Warringa
Souva
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Park School in Hoppers Crossing, would have a better future if he was able to grow up in Australia, rather than India. “I don’t know how the system works in India and what job I’d be able to get there,” Mr Katyal said. “After living here for 12 years, I don’t know if my wages would cover his medical costs or allow him to go to hospital [in India].” Kayaan’s doctor, Barry Rawicki from the Monash Children’s Hospital, told the ABC that Kayaan would likely be “much worse” in India if his parents could not afford to pay for medical care there. A DHA spokesperson said the department did not comment on individual cases.
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