A World Turned Upside Down: Australian News

Wanderfound · February 12, 2019, 4:10am

Behrouz was poor and on a boat. Hakeem had money and was on a plane.

Wanderfound · February 12, 2019, 1:19pm

On the other hand…

RAvery · February 13, 2019, 3:45am

In the US we don’t even have that for citizens.

Wanderfound · February 18, 2019, 12:44pm

In one case expected to be raised in Parliament this week, William Sualauvi Betham was granted freedom and is now enjoying life on the Gold Coast despite being jailed for more than 10 years in 2008 over his role in a drug trafficking syndicate.

Betham’s visa was cancelled by the government in June 2016 but his appeal was still under way at the time of his release on parole in October that year. He was transferred to the Christmas Island immigration detention centre ahead of potential deportation to his home state of New Zealand.

But Betham was later handed back his visa and released in 2017 after arguing to bureaucrats that he had a low risk of reoffending, had undergone rehabilitation and had a child in Australia whose mother was unable to provide appropriate care.

However, a man who claims to have been a fellow detainee of Betham on Christmas Island has alleged Betham bragged to him about having connections enabling him to secure the return of his visa.

The man, who remains in detention while fighting his own visa cancellation in the courts, told The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age that Betham asked him about his own case and said there was “no point wasting money on lawyers”.

“He [Betham] said, ‘if you want to get out, get back to your family, organise $80,000 and transfer it into an account, I have a good connection … and you will be out in a matter of months’,” the man alleged.

Wanderfound · February 22, 2019, 7:29am

Wanderfound · February 23, 2019, 3:48am

Fuck.

Wanderfound · February 23, 2019, 4:08am

adonai · February 23, 2019, 4:28am

This can only end well

But hell, why wait until July? Let him come meet the PM right as the election is kicking off, it’s sure to be a vote winner

Wanderfound · February 23, 2019, 4:30am

Think we can convince him to pet the pretty blue octopuppies?

RAvery · February 23, 2019, 5:12am

Does he know where Australia is?

[trumpvoice] “I don’t believe that’s where Austria is. I have a gut feeling about it. How can I build a golf course down there, the balls will all fall off. Bring me a flat globe!” [/trumpvoice]

AndyHilmer · February 23, 2019, 7:12am

How about a solo swamp-walk adventure?

“It’ll be great sir, kind of The Apprentice meats, uh, meets. Crocodile Dundee sir. It’ll be just like Florida.”

“What’s your name again kid? Because I think you’ve got a winner of an idea. But there’s production.”

“Oh sir! It’s all being taken care of. We know how you feel about being held up by cameramen and press. It’s all being done by these drone aircraft.”

“Those look like shotguns.”

“Microphones, sir. Most of them. Your security runs those ones there. They’re armed.”

“They look exactly the same.”

“Haha! Such a great line sir. One way or another your life will pass before their eyes.”

Wanderfound · February 23, 2019, 10:59am

mindysan33 · February 23, 2019, 6:09pm

only-lovers-left-alive-Ava-sorry

Wanderfound · February 26, 2019, 12:04am

Wanderfound · February 26, 2019, 2:41am

Wanderfound · February 26, 2019, 3:07am

Wanderfound · February 26, 2019, 3:12am

Wanderfound · February 26, 2019, 6:05am

Wanderfound · February 27, 2019, 1:41am

Wanderfound · February 27, 2019, 3:34am