Bernard Lee
Bernard Lee is currently being detained in the Yongah Hill Detention Centre in Northam, Western Australia due to an error made by the Australian Department of Immigration.
He needs your support.
Troy McNamara writes:
I have enjoyed your site over the years and even contributed to them from time to time in a humorous manor but I am now contacting you about something serious. You could help a young Irish man get out of a terrible situation with a single post.
Could I please ask you to post the petition [see below], which also explains Bernard’s situation, to your readers, asking them to sign it if they’re feeling especially moved.
Release Bernard Lee from unjustified immigration detention (Change.org)!
My sincerest advice is to make a complaint to the Ombdusman in Austalia too. This might shake them up…
http://www.ombudsman.gov.au/making-a-complaint
They deal with complaints about Aussie government maladministration
There is an online petition that can signed that can be found on facebook. Already has thousands of signatures
Did he not lie about previous criminal convictions on his visa application and was also done for drink driving while in Australia.
so wha?
Australia has enough gougers of its own without importing a fresh batch.
Below is part of the statement from the Australian Department of Immigration. His visa was cancelled as he had a criminal conviction for Drink Driving in Ireland which he didn’t declare, he has also had some interaction with Australian Police and has been charged with Driving without a licence, police obstruction and drink driving! Maybe a few weeks in detention might be good for the lad.
This person’s visa was cancelled because he was found not to be of good character. He was issued with a notice of consideration to refuse his visa application, to which he responded.
The department was not satisfied his reasons met the threshold and that he continued to pose an unacceptable risk to the community so it refused that application. His other visa was then cancelled by operation of law…… “this individual has been detained while arrangements are made for his removal as soon as practicable”.
“this individual has been detained while arrangements are made for his removal as soon as practicable”.
It is practicable on 3rd August. The flight is already booked.
But he has already proven himself to be untrustworthy. They’d be fools to just let him go because he promised he’d go on his own accord next Wednesday. He’s gotten himself in a slight pickle, and now he needs to accept the consequences.
Because of his actions – before he entered, as he entered and during his time in the country – it’s now not his choice when he leaves.
Wait wait, 7 years later they decide to consider the drink driving thing?
Is that correct?
Maybe they were not aware until he was caught drink driving in Australia!!
Simple enough.
They have rules.
Follow them or don’t bother traveling there.
Some time for reflection might be good for him.
“Humorous Manor” – starring Peter Bowles and Penelope Keith…
heeheehee
He is going to get kicked out. I can see that the sooner he gets out of the detention centre, the better.
A chat with the local MP might help. The Libs are in power and hold most of the seats in WA.
they can keep him
Saint Bernard.
Minus the barrel of brandy – that way lies detention.
#FreetheBern
Their country, Their rules.
Which, to be fair, they didn’t follow themselves.
What was the “error made by the Australian Dept of Immigration”?
Sounds to me like they just rounded up a chancer and they’re now kicking him out.
Ok. Read it properly now. So it was a mistake but the mistake uncovered stuff that he never told them lucky catch for them so. Not so lucky for Bernard the drink driver.
Has anyone actually read the petition?
“officers from the Department of Immigration and Border Protection have admitted they made a mistake, and no letter as described was ever issued to Bernard or his lawyer”
Yes. But after they picked him up, other stuff came to light. Plus he had just 20 days to leave.
Just put him on the plane on the 3rd I guess.
Sorry, I think our comments overlapped, there.
That’s the whole point. He accepts his character reference has resulted in his visa cancellation, however the issue here is that he was not notified of the cancellation. He was instead arrested and placed in detention. He has a flight booked home next week, but he won’t be allowed to take it because he will be in detention while the government organises further paperwork. This is what the petition is appealing.
He’s the wrong colour
Bernard Lee? James Bond can break him out…
Fupp right off with your petition! Boyo has convictions both here and in Australia. He deserves what he got for lying and being a drink driving eejit.
“officers from the Department of Immigration and Border Protection have admitted they made a mistake, and no letter as described was ever issued to Bernard or his lawyer”
Whether or not he has convictions is beside the point. The letter that was the basis of his detention was never sent to him.
But his lies mean they’re holding it anyway. That’s the thing about people who lie for immigration purposes. They can no longer be trusted to be where they say they’ll be. If they let him out, he might just dissappear.
That’s a fair point. I tend to not trust officials making “mistakes” on thinkgs like this. It always feels fishy to me.
That is definitely the information on the petition but that does not mean the petition is the whole truth.
It sounds like he was being detained for the letter thing,
Then he was being detained for the letter and the lying about prior convictions.
They realised the letter was to be an error so now he is just detained for lying about convictions
I’m not disputing his convictions. He should be deported. But his detention still feels dodgy to me. It makes more sense to me to escort him to his already booked flight.
Hello, I am Clodagh and wrote the petition. Bernard is not bei detained for his convictions, he is being held because the paperwork has not been completed appropriately. His visa has been cancelled because of his convictions, and we are not contesting that. Do you think drink driving deserves a detention sentence? If so, you need a perspective check.
Yes it does
It very much does. Do you know anyone that has had their life taken from them because of the selfish acts of drink drivers?
And has he been convicted of this more than once ? Selfish thug.
Drink driving once can, just about, be forgiven. Drink driving twice (which appears to be what he did, open to correction) marks one out as a selfish pr1ck.
you’d know a fair bit about that in fairness
There’s some well ropey poo goin on in them detention centres. Good article in yesterdays guardian about it, all legal too
I actually went over and signed the petition before i read some of the comments.
So guess will not be travelling to Aussie any time soon.
Still hope they sent him home rather than hold him for months.
no sympathy for him.
With all the sheight being served to migrants and refugees on European shores and we’re asked to support this chancer? Why, coz he’s white?
If only there was a far off penal colony we could send these guys to…
I have sympathy for his mother, but not so much for him. Convictions for drink driving, no driving licence, police obstruction and visa application omissions. I think they want to make an example of this lad.
so many armchair lawyers on this thing
give the lad a break
#bringhimhome
It’s easier to empathise with someone when you share similar characteristics. Your moniker suggests you may have some elements in common with the lad.
says the licensed drug dealer