Walk a mile in their shoes, but don’t be a sucker

Is the new principle “Just come here, have kids and use the legal system to prolong your stay … effectively chuck out the rulebook”. That would be ridiculous, but it’s what some people expect to be the outcome.

It would be wonderland on steroids if we could accept anyone who wanted to come.

People gathered outside Perth Children’s Hospital for a vigil in support of the Murugappan family.Credit:Marta Pascual Juanola

Some people, of course, say with feigned agony on their faces, “But these people are here”. What’s the consequence of letting those who arrive stay? Not a decent migration system. Letting people who are here stay is just the politics of proximity winning out over principle.

Now let’s try another pair of shoes. Those who do the right thing. They apply overseas and accept a “no”. Or if they are here and trying to stay, accept a “no”.

Imagine you apply for, say, a partner visa from overseas. You do the right thing and go through the long wait and process. Then you see people come here, pretend they only just met the love of their life and woe is them, they just can’t bear to go home and apply. Then they look sad and disconsolate as they clutch their baby for the photo ops. Calls for compassion flood the media and, bingo, they get their visa. I’ll tell you how the person who does the right thing feels. Cheated. You would too in their shoes.

So that’s my question. Why do we keep supporting people who play the system to stay? It only encourages more to do it. And it says in big bright neon lights to those who do the right thing: “Suckers”.

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Former Labor senator and immigration minister Robert Ray told me when I had that job that he’d never attack me over an individual case. He knew from experience that the decisions are often hard and heartbreaking. He knew that the minister would have far more information than was out in the public domain. However, if there was a policy problem I’d be in his cross-hairs. That’s as it should be.

So whatever is decided in this family’s case I’ll accept. However, if they get to stay I’ll be privately sorry for all those who did the right thing.