I’ll go straight: exiled burglar: [1 All-round Country Edition]
Rick Wallace, John Stapleton. The Australian [Canberra, A.C.T] 10 Mar 2006: 5.
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Abstract
Immigration Minister Amanda Vanstone brought Mr [Robert Jovicic] home on compassionate grounds after a three-month campaign for his return that began when he mounted a two-night vigil outside the Australian embassy in Belgrade.
He said he planned to apply for Australian citizenship, a previous omission that allowed former immigration minister Philip Ruddock to deport him on character grounds in 2004 following a string of 150 burglary convictions. “I’m an Australian and a fair dinkum Aussie,” Mr Jovicic said. “I don’t know no other country.”
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A TEARFUL Robert Jovicic was reunited with his family in Sydney yesterday after returning from his 18-month exile in Serbia.
The wheelchair-bound deportee declared himself “a fair dinkum Aussie” and promised not to return to the life of crime that led to his expulsion in 2004 despite living in Australia since he was two.
But the former heroin addict and burglar’s long-term fate remained uncertain, with the federal Government holding last-minute talks last night about what type of visa he would be offered in a meeting with immigration authorities at midday today.
Immigration Minister Amanda Vanstone brought Mr Jovicic home on compassionate grounds after a three-month campaign for his return that began when he mounted a two-night vigil outside the Australian embassy in Belgrade.
Mr Jovicic’s family accused Senator Vanstone of reneging on a pledge to grant him permanent residency and free healthcare — a charge denied by her office.
In a press conference at Sydney airport yesterday, Mr Jovicic thanked the Australian public and the media for publicising his plight and said he intended to study and perhaps become a psychologist.
“I want to thank the Australian public, who proved that the culture of a fair go is an intrinsic part of our culture, even when someone has made mistakes in their life,” he said. “I trust that I can prove to you that your faith in me was warranted.”
He said he planned to apply for Australian citizenship, a previous omission that allowed former immigration minister Philip Ruddock to deport him on character grounds in 2004 following a string of 150 burglary convictions. “I’m an Australian and a fair dinkum Aussie,” Mr Jovicic said. “I don’t know no other country.”
The 39-year-old was sent to Serbia in July 2004 even though he was not born there and did not speak the language.