Australia lets family with 'Down syndrome kid' stay

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November 26, 2008 -- Updated 0717 GMT (1517 HKT)

Australia lets family with Down syndrome kid stay

(CNN) -- Australia's immigration minister has granted permanent

residency to a German family whose application was twice denied because their

13-year-old son's Down syndrome was deemed a drain on the country's health

system.

Bernhard and Isabella Moeller and their son Lukas moved to Australia from

Germany two years ago.

The case provoked widespread public outrage, putting pressure on Immigration

Minister to intervene.

On Wednesday, ruled that the Moeller family was making a

" valuable contribution " to their local community and that they would

be allowed to stay on in Australia once their temporary visa expires in March

2010.

Bernhard Moeller, a doctor, moved his family to Horsham in western two

years ago to fill a doctor shortage. He is the only internal medicine

specialist serving 20,000 people in the area.

" Dr. Moeller is providing a much needed service in the area, the family

have integrated very well and they have substantial community support, "

told the Senate on Wednesday.

Moeller told the Australian

Broadcasting Corporation, a CNN affiliate, that waiting for the news has been

stressful.

" But now I am really happy, " he said. " We've been jumping for

joy. "

The family's application was first denied by the Immigration Department

which cited the cost to the government in caring for Moeller's son, Luke.

On Tuesday, the Migration Review Tribunal upheld the department's decision

-- prompting to intervene.

Down syndrome,

a genetic defect, causes intellectual disabilities and other difficulties. But

whereas the average life expectancy for a person with Down syndrome was 9 years

in the 1920s, today he or she can live up to 60 years.

Children with the condition are integrated into the schooling system, and

adults are able to live by themselves.

" It has been really stressful, especially not knowing what will happen;

what our future will look like, " Moeller told ABC. " I was very tired

yesterday when I got this news about the refusal from the tribunal and I was

thinking, 'Is it really worthwhile?' "

Moeller said Lukas was aware of the setbacks but did not understand the full

impact of it.

" We kept the bad things away from him, " he said. " He was

confident that his dad will fix it for him. "

, the immigration minister, told the Senate that he has contacted

regional leaders to encourage them to support a regulation change that will

allow the government to waive the health requirements of permanent visa

applicants in certain situations.

Moeller agrees.

" It has to be set up more flexible, " he said.

" Because I don't want more people to have such an experience like I

had. "

http://edition.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/asiapcf/11/26/australia.down/?iref=mpstoryview