SYDNEY, Australia — Thirteen-year-old Lukas Moeller has Down syndrome. His father is a doctor who came to Australia from Germany to help fill a shortage of physicians in rural communities.
But now Australia has rejected Dr. Bernhard Moeller’s application for residency, saying Lukas does not meet the “health requirement” and would pose a burden on taxpayers for his medical care, education and other services.
The case has provoked an outcry in the rural region of southeastern Victoria state, where Moeller is the only internal medicine specialist for a community of 54,000 people.
Residents rallied outside Moeller’s practice last week demanding the decision be overturned. Hundreds of Internet and radio complaints from across the country bombarded media outlets Friday.
Moeller vowed to fight the ruling.
“We like to live here, we have settled in well, we are welcomed by the community here and we don’t want to give up just because the federal government doesn’t welcome my son,” he told reporters Friday.
The doctor has powerful supporters. Victoria Premier John Brumby has pledged to support the family’s appeal, and federal Health Minister Nicola Roxon said Friday she would speak to the immigration minister about the case.
Moeller moved to Australia two years ago with his wife, Isabella, their daughter, Sarah, 21, and sons, Lukas and Felix, 17, to help fill a critical need for doctors in rural areas. They settled in Horsham, about 100 miles northwest of Melbourne.
Moeller’s temporary work visa is valid until 2010, but his application for permanent residence was rejected last week.
Moeller said immigration authorities did not take into account the family’s ability to provide Lukas with the care he needs.
Moeller said Lukas attends a mainstream elementary school, where he has an aide and receives speech therapy.
