My daughter has lived in Australia since she was 10 months old. It is all she knows and we are all settled and very happy in our ‘home’ in Northern NSW. However, when we recently applied to stay permanently in Australia, our 6 year old daughter has been told she ‘doesn’t fit the criteria’ due to an undiagnosed, and un-named condition. The Australian government thinks she is going to be a burden, and unless the Hon. Peter Dutton MP can help us we will be forced to leave our life, our family, friends and home here in Australia.

We moved to Australia in 2011 and in late 2012 we started to notice our youngest daughter Sienna (18 months) was not meeting her developmental milestones and had delayed speech. Her symptoms were not instantly recognisable due to her age.

She has over the last few years undergone a mass of tests, some of which could have shortened her life. With every blood test, MRI, lumber puncture and metabolic test, the tests repeatedly came back clear. Up until this day no test has ever been conclusive. Her condition to this day has no name.

Her symptoms affect her balance and speech. This has no effect on her cognitive ability and as quoted by her teacher 'she is an intelligent girl'. She is learning Auslan and sign language is the second language in our home.

We have always felt grateful to be in Australia and that our little girl was in the best place to grow up healthy and strong. We have a strong support network of family and friends – my sister has lived in Australia for 23 years and Sienna flourishes around these people.

We applied for permanent residency in April 2015 and completed all the forms, medicals and skills assessments – and passed. Except for Sienna, based on a Commonwealth Doctor’s report, which said she would be ‘a burden to the Australian community’. This report is un-named and unsigned. This doctor has never even met Sienna. We have spent in excess of $30,000.

We have letters from doctors, the school she attends and our private physio – all positive, stating that she is a bright girl with a positive future ahead of her and that she is improving not regressing. Our daughter has no diagnosis, a no name condition. She has a promising future ahead of her. Her physical disability does not restrict her from taking part in any activity presented to her.

All medical testing has now stopped and no future tests will be carried out, as there is no indication of a medically identifiable condition. She is in no medical danger and there is no threat of medical intervention. It is not degenerative and she is improving day by day.

Please sign and help me ask the Minister to let our daughter stay in Australia.