Minister for Immigration's statements, and more media reports

The Minister for Immigration, Senator Chris Evans, has issued three statements in relation to the Moeller family's approval for permanent residency granted yesterday, and to the proposed review of the immigration criteria:

• Statement by Senator Evans on Dr Bernhard Moeller
• States urged to support regulations for health waiver
• Parliamentary Committee to investigate migration and disability

• This ABC news page links to a video report from ABC TV News, including interviews with the family, and the announcement in the Senate by the Minister.
  
  And this page records an interview this morning with Federal Parliamentary Secretary for Disability Services Bill Shorten, who said:
  
  " ...... the current migration laws do not recognise the positive contribution disabled people can bring to the community.
  
  "Just because you are a person with a disability, does not mean you are a cost," he said.
  
  "We need to understand that you are a contributor.
  
  "And we've got to move beyond just looking at the person with a disability, beyond looking at their impairment and move to understanding there's a whole person with marvellous abilities in many cases.
  
  "There are concerns that the health requirement only considers the estimated cost to the public health system - along with state-related costs such as special education needs and community service - and it doesn't recognise that a person, a young person with a disability ..... can contribute to the community."

• Down Syndrome Victoria issued this media release yesterday.

Edit 28/11/2008:

• Response from the Human Rights Commissioner