The Supreme Court of Vanuatu has voided Government orders banning Vanuatu journalist Dan McGarry from returning to the country.

Key points: A Supreme Court has ruled the travel ban was unlawful

A Supreme Court has ruled the travel ban was unlawful McGarry had lived in the country for 16 years before he was denied re-entry

McGarry had lived in the country for 16 years before he was denied re-entry He has criticised the decision, claiming it was politically motivated

After a month-long battle with the courts, the ban was ruled unlawful, and Mr McGarry can now return to the country to be with his family.

Judge Gus Andree-Wiltens ruled in his favour on Tuesday (local time), stating the travel ban did not have "any basis in law".

"I'm grateful that yet again, Vanuatu's courts have upheld the rule of law, and acted to protect the human rights of all its residents," Mr McGarry said.

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Mr McGarry, who before the ban had lived in Vanuatu for 16 years, said he was excited to get home to his two young daughters for Christmas.

"This ordeal has been incredibly hard on all of us. Now our Christmas dream is coming true," he said.

Mr McGarry, a Canadian citizen, was the media director for the Vanuatu Daily Post newspaper before his work visa renewal was denied in early November.

The Vanuatu Government claimed his application to renew was rejected because it was deemed that his job should be held by a local citizen.

However, Mr McGarry has said he believes the decision was politically motivated.

Mr McGarry appealed days later and travelled to Brisbane for a conference, but when he attempted to board a return flight to Vanuatu, he was denied.

"Nobody should ever be refused entry to Vanuatu just for speaking the truth. [The] Government is supposed to help its people, not harm them," he said.



Mr McGarry believes the Government made the decision in attempts to silence him, after his critical reporting about Chinese influence in the country.

The Government repeatedly insisted that both the work permit rejection and the travel ban were purely administrative in nature.

Chinese influence in the Pacific

Vanuatu is one of the largest recipients of Chinese development assistance in the Pacific, according to analysis by the Lowy Institute.

In July, the Daily Post covered the arrests of six people of Chinese heritage who were reportedly detained without charge, denied legal representation and later whisked onto a charter flight by plain-clothed Chinese authorities and never seen again.

Mr McGarry reported on the Government's treatment of the group, who were apparently later deported to China.

"We covered it as a very important story which called into question the Government's willingness to follow rule of law," Mr McGarry told the ABC's PM program, adding that Prime Minister Charlot Salwai later summoned him to express disappointment and filed a formal complaint with the Media Association of Vanuatu over "negative reporting".

"He said I was too negative, he said: 'if you don't like it here you can go home'," Mr McGarry said.

"It's a tough gig working in the Pacific.

"The Virgin Australia staff told me they were not allowed to board me following an order issued by the Department of Immigration.

"It was just a blanket order — that I was not to be allowed on board a plane from any port into Vanuatu until further notice."