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James Moorhouse
A British couple who have been facing deportation from Australia following a devastating health diagnosis have finally discovered their fate.
Couple Robert O'Leary and Jessica Mathers have spent the past eight years building a life together after meeting in Sydney, Australia, having spent a combined 18 years between them living down under.
While there are plenty of things that Brits have to get used to living in Oz, such as the snakes and bugs you encounter, they clearly loved their time there and were desperate to stay.
However, their plans were thrown up in the air after Jessica received a MS diagnosis, with an 'outdated' law threatening to see them deported back to the UK.
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The law states that any immigrants should be 'free from any disease or condition' which could cause a 'significant cost' to Australians or limit access for Australians and permanent residents to health services. Sadly for Jessica, MS fell under this umbrella.
When they first learned of the law, a petition was launched to try and secure them permanent residence in Australia, and it attracted over 27,000 signatures from people across the world.
They wrote: "This decision has been devastating. It has affected our ability to plan for our future since 2021, limiting Jessica’s career opportunities.
"We both respect that healthcare costs need to be considered, but we strongly believe that our situation - Jessica’s stable condition and our contributions to the community should be taken into account.
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"We have worked hard and paid taxes since we arrived in Australia in 2016/17."
Fortunately, after contacting their local MP Allegra Spender, they learned recently that they had been granted permanent residence, meaning they won't have to return to the UK, which frankly is enough for anyone to celebrate.
On social media, they confirmed: "We are proud to announce we are Australia's newest permanent residents!
"This morning, we received the life-changing news we've been hoping for, our visa has been granted!"
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It was a five-year battle for the couple, after Jessica initially received her diagnosis in 2020, but now they can look forward to the rest of their lives together down under.
They said: "Rob has proudly called Australia home for nearly 10 years, and Jess for 8. We're so grateful that our contributions have been recognised, and that we can finally move forward with clarity and security.
"There are so many things we've put on hold, just in case we had to leave.
"But now, with this door wide open, we feel more focused and excited than ever to build our future in the country we love."