News Jaya

If you are on a visitors permit, pregnant, and want a student visa, have an abortion first

Last week a heavily pregnant woman graduated from university. I witnessed her graduation. She must have got pregnant while studying.

If she was pregnant now, as is this Korean woman, intended to give birth and was studying on a visitors permit she would be refused a student visa as, according to the Minister, the express purpose of a student permit is to enable study. Also, for such a student to give birth would put a strain on services.

Is that the reason we have that policy? I.Don't.Think.So. So why doesn't the Minster tell us what the real reason is - ie: we don't want all and sundry coming in for a holiday and have kids who become citizens the instant their parents do,and collect family support as soon as they become residents, instead of all this tosh about students and overloaded services.

Because the implication the Minister gives is that pregnant students who are immigrants can't study very well and are therefore not entitled to an education unless they have arranged an abortion to minimise the time they are pregnant, yet pregnant refugees and residents can get student allowances and an education.

Isn't that a little discriminatory? Why can't the Minister just be honest, rather than discriminatory.