> [QUOTE=George Lombard]Hi Tom, Gill, Westly, Jeremy,
>
> If the condition is as serious as suggested by this sentence: "my son
> is 16 and a severe learning disability caused by a genetic fault at
> birth
> this has left him unable to walk talk or do anything for himself and
> is and will always be totally dependent on either us or someone else"
> then you may be advised, after talking to Peter Bollard for example,
> to take redress against the agent. Obviously if the agent is
> registered then you've got the MARA avenue and that kind of leverage,
> noting that all registered agents are required to carry professional
> indemnity insurance. Can't imagine a better reason for checking your
> agent's RMA number prior to signing anything.
>
> A long time ago, a former refugee client of mine (he had a different
> agent by that stage) committed suicide on the steps of Parliament
> House here over the same issue:
>
> http://www.comb.gov.au/news_current_issues/media_releases/DIMA-Kiane-
> 23aug01.pdf
>
> http://www.abc.net.au/worldtoday/stories/s351490.htm
>
> ://www.ombudsman.gov.au/publications_information/Special_Reports/DIMA-
> KianeRept-aug01.html
>
> In that case, the costs were waivable and it was clear that the child
> would be totally supported by the family. I went to the burial.
>
> Looking forward to seeing what the agent says.
>
> Cheers,
>
> George Lombard
>
> www.austimmigration.com.au[/QUOT
>
> looking back we should have done a lot more research into agents and
> there expereinces of this type of health problem but as usually
> hindsight is a great thing all we really wanted was to start a new
> life in what we see to be a beautiful country although im not wearing
> rose coloured glasses, life for the first few years would have been
> hard especially with 4 kids and one of them disabled, i think from the
> feedback with have had ( thanks ) we have realised that its 99%
> probable that we wont be granted a visa,
>
> does anyone here really think that its worth talking to peter bollard
> or is this a futile act???
[QUOTE=tom parislooking back we should have done a lot more research
into agents and there expereinces of this type of health problem but as
usually hindsight is a great thing all we really wanted was to start a
new life in what we see to be a beautiful country although im not
wearing rose coloured glasses, life for the first few years would have
been hard especially with 4 kids and one of them disabled, i think from
the feedback with have had ( thanks ) we have realised that its 99%
probable that we wont be granted a visa,
does anyone here really think that its worth talking to peter bollard or
is this a futile act???[/QUOTE]
Dear Tom
I have read George's posts on this thread, and I have just had a good
look at his website as well. I am very impressed. I have come across
him on other threads too, and I always rate his advice. Now that he has
offered to try to help you, this is an extra option that was not
available last night.
George has invited you to e-mail him. Why don't you do that and then
arrange to speak with him on the phone? You now need very careful,
detailed, tailor-made advice and it is beyond the scope of this sort of
forum to provide that.
One question is whether to let your present application continue to run
its course, with the probability of rejection, or whether it would be
better to withdraw it, ditch your present agent, and then to get all of
the issues addressed by a new agent whose capability is beyond question.
This is no time to risk wrecking the ship for the want of a ha'porth of
tar, in my view.
Another question is whether you would be able to seek compensation for
poor and/or negligent advice from both your present Agent and also from
the "freelance doctor" whom you have mentioned and if so, how to set
about getting it.
This matter has got to the stage where nobody could advise you properly
without one-to-one discussions, going into really a LOT of detail, and
it is the type of discussion that simply doesn't bear fruit in this sort
of Internet setting. I think you need to be in telephone contact with
your adviser from now on, and I also think that you now need just one
adviser helping you.
After a detailed & strictly private - which is also important -
discussion with you, George would be able to help you to decide what
your next move should be, whether it would be worth involving Peter
Bollard and so on. George is a Law graduate, so he will know all the
right questions to ask you in order to be able to give you the best
possible advice.
For the moment, my advice is put your trust in George, spend some more
money on having some proper discussions with him, and then decide
jointly with him how best to proceed.
George might read this post too, and if so, here is a point for him:
personally I think the doctor who has allegedly been involved also wants
looking into, not just the Agent. What in the world is "a Panel Doctor
who is now a freelance"? (QV one of Tom's posts to me.) Is it some sort
of euphemism for "ex-Panel Doctor," I wonder?
My thoughts are with you and your family Tom.
Gill
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