MELBOURNE, Oct. 31 (UPI) -- A German doctor and his family have been denied permanent residency in Australia because one of his sons has Down syndrome.
Dr. Bernhard Moeller told the Australian Broadcasting Corp. he is angry because the Immigration Department did not take into account the service he provides in an area in Victoria with few doctors.
John Brumby, the Victorian prime minister, called the decision "stupid."
Department officials defended their decision, saying Australian law requires them to take into consideration the medical care that an immigrant might require, the Melbourne Herald Sun reported.
Lukas Moeller, 13, is likely to need thousands of dollars in services during his life, they said.
The Moellers moved to Horsham in western Victoria almost three years ago. Australia, at the time, was recruiting foreign doctors to practice in rural areas.
