Australian Govt won’t challenge Haneef’s visa reinstatement

Clearing the decks for Mohamed Haneef’s return, the Australian Government decided on Wednesday not to appeal against the reinstatement of his visa by the Federal Court.

Immigration and Citizenship Minister Chris Evans said he would not proceed in the case of the 27-year-old Bangalore medico, who was wrongly accused of having links to the failed UK terror plot six months ago and forced to leave the country. “However, I have sought advice from my department on the ramifications of the Full Federal Court decision for the operation of character provisions of the Migration Act,” Senator Evans was quoted saying this.

The Federal Court had restored Haneef’s work visa on December 21 after he was exonerated of the terror charges. His work visa was cancelled by the then Immigration Minister Kevin Andrews.

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The Court’s decision means Haneef will be able to return to Australia to work under the conditions of his current 457-day Temporary Long Stay visa.

Haneef was employed by Queensland Health as a medical registrar at the Gold Coast Hospital.