Scottish family set to be deported from South Australia tonight – Michmutters
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Australia

Scottish family set to be deported from South Australia tonight

A Scottish family who has been living and working in Australia for the past decade are set to be deported tonight after a visa battle with the nation’s immigration department.
Mark Green was headhunted by a South Australian solar company in 2012 to fill a shortage of highly skilled solar installation electricians.

After Green took the job, it sparked a huge move for his whole family including wife Kelly and daughter Rebecca.

The Green family is set to be deported from South Australia after an immigration battle.
The Green family is set to be deported from South Australia after an immigration battle. (Roy VanDerVegt)

The family had been promised permanent residence by employers.

However, Green’s family has faced a number of hurdles after multiple businesses he has been employed by have gone under, meaning they have not been granted permanent residence and remain on a bridging visa.

The Department of Immigration has decided not to extend the family’s visa and they are set to be deported back to Scotland at 10pm tonight.

South Australian MP Frank Pangallo, who has been fighting to keep the family in Australia, called on the federal government to reconsider their decision while speaking to Ben Fordham on 2GB.

“We’re calling on minister Andrew Giles to intervene and allow them to apply to stay in Australia while they’re in Australia instead of the expense of going to Scotland,” he said.

“The Green family have been here for 10 years, they’ve spent $200,000 trying to meet the requirements of visas here.

“They haven’t been a burden on tax payers, they educated their children out of their own pockets, their own medical expenses.

“They contribute to the community and are well loved.”

9news.com.au has reached out to the Department of Immigration for comment.

Green spoke to Fordham on 2GB last week and said the stress on his family is unexplainable.

“You would not believe the stress, the anxiety and the anger,” Green said.

“I don’t even want to think about what my daughter and wife are going through.

“We are just looking to be classed as Australian citizens, we’re not looking for handouts, we are just looking for a bit of help.”

Kelly and Mark Green when they spoke to A Current Affair about their immigration battle. (A Current Affair)

“Don’t ignore the double standard here, the minister is happy to show compassion when there’s enough publicity for him to look like a hero,” Fordham said.

“He’ll step in to help one family but allow another to be kicked out of Australia.”

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