Deport McGauran, not the Vaingolos Family

Peter McGauran must have rocks in his head to deport the Vaingolos family for visa infringements that occurred almost 2 decades ago.

Mafi and Hiki Vaingolos came to Australia just under 20 years ago on tourist visas. Since then they overstayed, married and have had 4 children. The eldest, Keliti, is a 14 year old boy who has shown outstanding sporting and acedemic achievments at Sydney's prestigious Newington College.

Their last chance to stay in Australia was an appeal to junior citizenship minister, Peter McGauran, who said "The Government is not going to reward people who knowingly and deliberately flout Australia's immigration laws and avoid detection for many years.

My guess is that unlike his relatively articulate predecessor, Philip Ruddock, Pete is finding the job a bit challenging. Rather than use scarce brain cells thinking about the issue, it's much easier just to say "no". Almost all the time. In fact of the 740 cases that have come to is short little span of attention since the election, he's only intervened 27 times.

And so, the junior minister who prides himself on the "Pro Family" policies of his party is breaking up the Vaingolos family. Mafi, Hiki and their two youngest children have to leave the country by the end of March, while the older children Keliti and Na'a are now Australian citizens and are allowed to stay.

Good on ya Pete. It's a literal "no-brainer". No need to think about it. Say "no" and send those illegals back to where they came from. Split the family up even though they paid their taxes, supported their local church, and (in Keliti's case) were chosen to play sport for Australia.

Brilliant! Especially considering the government is raising its skilled migrant intake because of a local skills shortage. (See ABC news article http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200503/s1315485.htm)

Obviously there's a skills shortage in competent citizenship ministers. Perhaps we should deport the current plodder and get a real one.