David (Yong Eel) Lee’s family have struggled for last 9 and a half years, trying desperately to call Australia their home. They have exhausted all options to stay, other than Ministerial Intervention. This family, who is now fighting for their last chance to live in Australia, need your urgent help.

Their current visa expires in July 19th, 2017, so they will face deportation unless Department of Immigration accepts their second Ministerial intervention appeal.

 

David came to Australia with his wife and three sons 9 and a half years ago. Since arrival, they have been dutiful, hard working and law-abiding residents of Australia, being part of numerous Australian community, including ours, St Christopher’s parish, Syndal. David also has been actively contributing to Australian economy by running a business and hiring Australians. Their family have been living here for over 9 years without any government assistance.

 

Despite David’s effort to let his family live in Australia, he was never given a fair go.

David came to Australia with business visa, in hopes for better future for his family.

The migration agent that assisted David to come to Australia and was supposed to help David prepare for his permanent residency was a scammer. Instead of assisting David, the migration agent had scammed David of $100,000 and fled the country. This incident left David no choice but try to meet the 892-permanent residency visa’s requirement by himself, without any legal assistance. This led to him not meeting the requirement and having to appeal in AAT.

For AAT, he had hired MARA (https://www.mara.gov.au/ approved lawyer to assist him with his appeal. However, between the first and second hearing, the lawyer misadvised David and this led to another rejection. The family filed MARA a complaint about this, and MARA acknowledged the lawyer’s unprofessional behavior and punished him. However, that did nothing to get David’s chance back.

David was set up for failure, the only “wrong” thing he did was to trust and rely on migration agent and law practitioners. Why should he and his family get punished for that?

 

David’s sons Daniel and Bryan who are now studying in Universities, currently 23 and 21 respectively, have no future back in South Korea. Not only are they set back from not being able to transfer to Korean University, they would have to spend 2 years in Mandatory military service in South Korea, where the military tension is becoming more volatile over time.

David’s youngest son, Richard, now 11, will also be expected to be able to catch up to Grade 6 curriculum with Korean language skills of a two years old, in an education system where support for non-native speakers are nonexistent.  David came to Australia with good intention of providing a better future for his family, there is no asset left in South Korea, but the result of his decision may be devastating for his children’s future, if the family cannot live in Australia.

 

David and his family sought Ministerial Intervention as it was the only way for them to stay in Australia as a family, expecting the Minister of Immigration to show compassion for the family, but after waiting about 3 years to hear an answer, they heard their case have been rejected on May 15th, 2017, on basis that it would not be in Australian public interest to save this family.

David is preparing for second appeal to Minister, every lawyer told him their chances are very slim and his appeal will most likely be rejected within weeks.

Let’s show the government we care about this family because it would not be Australian to punish someone for no fault of their own. Support this family and show them Australia is a country of justice and compassion.