A Brisbane couple is fighting to keep their adopted two-year-old son who will be deported to Manus Island unless he is granted permanent residency in Australia.
Craig and Karen Wells are the legal guardians of the Papua New Guinean toddler, Mackalistair, but fear they could lose him, despite having cared for him for the past 15 months.
“I’m Australian, Karen’s Australian, Mac is our son and he’s Australian,” Craig told Mamamia.
“It’s against Australian law for us to abandon a child. What sort of cold person would do that?”
Top Comments
I certainly don't want to see this child taken from a family that clearly love him but it took years for us to adopt both my brothers from PNG legally who are in fact blood relatives. PNG also has very strict adoption laws and you have to live within the country have the relevant home visits. You can't treat another foreign country as a stop 'n' shop. There are so many babies & children awaiting care in the foster sytem here.
Had to giggle at the Stop 'n' Shop reference. Spent the past five years living in PNG. Had friends adopt and agree the process is a loooong one. As it should be. There is more to a family than just the father/grandmother.