Health Minister’s sugar tax rejection premature
February 20, 2017AMA (NSW) President congratulates Western Sydney Local Health District on sugary drinks ban
March 3, 2017AMA (NSW) President, Prof Brad Frankum, says it is wrong that a doctor who has been an Australian resident for eight years faces being deported because her daughter is autistic.
“This is not just wrong because Dr Nasrin Haque is a doctor, this would be the wrong thing to do to someone, no matter their profession.
“The fact that an Australian resident of eight years, whose parents and siblings live here, can be faced with deportation due to illness is reprehensible.
“Dr Haque’s children have spent half their lives growing up here but Dr Haque’s daughter has been ordered by the Immigration Department to leave the country.
“It’s adding insult to injury that the Assistant Immigration Minister, Alex Hawke, has already dismissed Dr Haque’s bid to remain in Australia as not being in the public interest.
“I would suggest her patients would argue with that.
“I would further suggest that Dr Haque being able to stay and offer continuity of care to her community is of immense public interest,” Prof Frankum said.
“Dr Haque has a daughter on the autism spectrum and, the argument that has been presented is that she is too burdensome for Australian taxpayers.
“It is also the case that Dr Haque has friends and three generations of close family members in Australia.
“I would suggest it would take someone of immense callousness to split a family because one of the granddaughters is on the autism spectrum,” Prof Frankum said.
Media contact: Lachlan Jones 0419 402 955