In short:
Living with an excruciating bone disease, Anna Rochford's dying wish is to see her brother one last time.
asserted
wish → live → brother
She would previously visit him in India every year but is now too unwell to travel, and visa applications for him to come to Australia have been repeatedly denied.
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him → visit → Australia
The federal government says it has considered "the compassionate and compelling reasons for travel" but is not satisfied the applicant has met all requirements.
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applicant → say → requirements
Anna Rochford lives with a debilitating condition that feels like "acid is being poured into [her] bones 24/7".
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acid → live → condition
She has avascular necrosis, which is causing her bones to die, leaving her unable to walk for 10 years.
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bones → have → years
At 36 kilograms, the 57-year-old's disease is so severe her doctor says her life span has been greatly shortened.
"
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span → say → kilograms
I don't wish this on anyone, the doctors have never seen anything like it," she said.
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she → wish → it
Her dying wish is to see her brother Clinton Barrett one last time.
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wish → die → brother
The siblings were sent to separate orphanages as young children in India after their mother died, only reconnecting when Ms Rochford was a teenager, and discovering they were two of five siblings.
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they → send → India
"All three have died, so it's only him and me … he is the only family I've ever known," she said.
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she → die → ?
She would previously visit him in India every year but is now too unwell to travel — instead applying for him to come to Australia on a sponsored visa.
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him → visit → visa
But the Australian government has repeatedly denied the applications.
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government → deny → applications
"They keep saying no, they're satisfied he's going to do a runner and they're not allowing him to come," Ms Rochford said.
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Rochford → say → runner
Desperate plea
Ms Rochford and her husband intend to pay for all her brother's travel expenses, and have offered a security bond, as well as medical certification.
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Rochford → intend → bond
In a letter seen by the ABC, Ms Rochford's doctor said she had "suffered immeasurable distress as a result of her condition" with a poor prognosis and "significantly" reduced life expectancy.
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she → see → expectancy
He wrote it was his medical opinion that she would never be fit to travel again, and "compassion and common sense would dictate that her relatives be allowed to visit Australia" to see her.
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relatives → write → her
Ms Rochford also provided documentation outlining her brother's ties to his home country, including a wife and son who depend on him, stable employment, and ongoing community commitments.
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who → provide → him
After three refusals in a year, she said she was starting to give up hope.
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she → say → hope
"It's just scary because I'd like him to come while I can at least talk to him a little bit before it gets worse.
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it → like → him
What's the point then?" she said.
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she → say → ?
"Once my bones die completely … I'm just flesh, and all they can do is manage the pain."
Through tears, husband Paul Rochford said he had watched his wife's deterioration.
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he → die → deterioration
"I don't want to say it because I don't want her to die, but she's on the slide," he said.
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he → want → slide
"There's no cure … she's been through every drug imaginable — it only knocks about five to ten per cent of her pain off."
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it → be → pain
He said having her brother visit would mean "more than you can possibly imagine".
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you → say → more
"She doesn't have too much to look forward to, she lives in that chair,"he said.
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she → have → chair,"he
Government denies visa three times
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Government → deny → visa
In decision statements seen by the ABC, the Department of Home Affairs said the applicant had not provided enough detail of personal finances.
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applicant → see → finances
"In the absence of such information, I am not satisfied the applicant's financial circumstances would induce them to return home at the end of their proposed stay," the decision read.
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decision → induce → stay
It added that while sponsor support from the Rochfords had been considered, it was "not in itself sufficient evidence that a genuine temporary stay is intended by the applicant".
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stay → add → applicant
"Although I have considered and given weight to the claimed reason for travel and the compassionate and compelling reasons for travel, they do not in themselves negate the requirement that the delegated decision maker is satisfied that the applicant meets all requirements," the decision read.
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decision → consider → requirements
In a statement, a Department of Home Affairs spokesperson said it could not comment on individual cases, but that all applicants "must genuinely intend to visit Australia temporarily; have, or have access to, adequate means to support themselves for the duration of their visit; and intend to comply with all visa conditions and stay periods".
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applicants → say → conditions
"All visa applications are assessed based on the information provided by the applicant and on a case-by-case basis," the statement read.
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statement → assess → basis
"It's like putting a knife in her every time they say no," Mr Rochford said.
"
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Rochford → put → her
I can't help with the disease, and I can't help with immigration.
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I → help → immigration
So, I feel a little bit useless.
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I → feel → ?
"All I can do is be there and love her, which I do."
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I → do → which
The Aporia