Pisey comes home

SUCCESS: Cambodian Pisey Paterson has been granted a visa and will be able to join her adopted family in Torquay.

A FAMILY AT LAST: Torquay's Michael and Meagan Paterson with children Millie, 11, Lachlan, 14 and Hamish, 17, eagerly await adopted daughter and sister Pisey's arrival in Australia this month. Photo: PETER RISTEVSKI

November 21st, 2011
Eliza Sum
Geelong Advertiser (Australia)

LITTLE Pisey Paterson will be home for Christmas.

The five-year-old Cambodian girl will be granted an adoption visa this week, ending an agonising two-year bureaucratic battle that saw her languish in a rape crisis centre thousands of kilometres from her loving Torquay family.

Immigration and Citizenship Minister Chris Bowen confirmed the good news yesterday.

"The Government has now received official confirmation from the Cambodian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation that the Patersons' adoption is lawful under new Cambodian regulations," he said.

"Following the assurances out of Cambodia, I will immediately use my personal ministerial intervention powers for young Pisey to be able to join her family in Australia.

"We are all delighted with this wonderful outcome for the Paterson family. We have always been sympathetic to the family's circumstances, and have been working to resolve this case in the best interests of all involved.

"The Member for Corangamite, Darren Cheeseman, has also repeatedly raised this case with me and has been particularly concerned for the family's situation."

Former ex-pats Michael and Meagan Paterson have passionately fought to bring their little girl home since falling in love with the cherubic tot, who was born to a rape victim.

They last held her 17 months ago, but are set to depart for Cambodia tomorrow then make a triumphant homecoming with Pisey on November 30.

The decision comes after a dedicated campaign by the Geelong Advertiser, which included asking readers to write to Mr Bowen to show support for the Patersons.

"The Australian Embassy in Cambodia called and asked if I'd heard any news that day," Mrs Paterson said.

"Then they said they had something to tell me, and I felt sick, because it's never good news. I was then told that the

Cambodian Government had signed off on the adoption and I was just in shock ... blown away and crying. All the paperwork had been done and all we need to do now is go to Cambodia, pick up the visa and bring her home."

The Patersons appealed to the Department of Immigration numerous times after exhausting every legal avenue in their adoption battle.

Forced to lodge the adoption application from Australia due to a family illness, the family acted on incorrect advice from the Australian Embassy, which resulted in the refusal of the visa in line with Australian inter-country adoption laws.

"We thought it would be another three or four months of battling and don't know what's happened behind the scenes yet to be honest, I'm not questioning it," she said.

"After hearing the news, I went and found Millie at youth group to tell her. She jumped five feet in the air and was crying, hugging and screaming.

"I told my 17-year-old son (Hamish) over the phone, he's a great big boy and was in tears as well. Everyone has been so amazing and we've had so much support, so everyone has been able to share the joy."

Little Pisey is repeatedly told that her parents are soon coming to take her home, but this time will be different.

This time, she will be coming back home to celebrate her first Christmas down under.

"Our friend Rith runs the centre that Pisey lives in and has been absolutely instrumental I think he told her today we were coming to get her, but I'm not sure how much of it will sink in for a five-year-old," Mrs Paterson said.

"She's told all the time that we're coming for her, so it probably won't mean anything until she sees us and leaves, because as much as you tell a five-year-old, I don't think much of it registers until they see it properly.

"I've been thinking about seeing her for the first time and what I'll do. I'll just grab her and hug her."

Mrs Paterson said she will continue her adoption awareness campaign.

"I've said the whole time that the problem is and always will be bigger than us," she said.

"There are a lot of other poeple going through it who are still miserable and not celebrating like we are today.

"We want to keep the fight going and get some stuff changed in Australia. What the whole thing has proved to me is that when people are in a position to help and do help, things happen.

"It's a long, lonely road when you're trying to do it yourself, but is absolutely still worth it."