A New South Wales dad hopes he and his kids will be on their way home from London in the next 24 hours, after authorities reversed a decision denying his British-born son a seat on a repatriation flight.
Scott Walker, from the NSW Southern Highlands, was working overseas for several years before his marriage broke down.
After launching legal proceedings in London last March, he was granted the right to bring his 13-year-old daughter, Sahara, and 11-year-old son, Eden, home, but has missed out on repatriation flights time and again during the pandemic.
When his situation received media attention this week, Mr Walker received a phone call from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) and was offered three seats on a Qantas flight Friday evening (local time).
Mr Walker's mother Julie Wise from Robertson said she received an excited call from her son on Wednesday night.
However, 24 hours later, a distressed Mrs Wise said her son had received another call from DFAT telling him his 11-year-old son's seat on the repatriation flight had been withdrawn because the child was born in the UK.
"He was then contacted by DFAT advising that Australian Border Security were denying Eden access into the country as he was not an Australian citizen. He had to give DFAT further details," Mrs Wise said.
Mr Walker's local Federal MP for Whitlam, Stephen Jones, said the family's treatment was inhumane and that he had contacted DFAT urging it to reverse the decision.
"This is a complete balls-up of bureaucratic bungling."
Mr Jones said on Friday afternoon that Mr Walker had received another call from DFAT and was told to head to Heathrow airport early and guaranteed all three seats.
Mr Jones and Ms Wise said they would not be celebrating until they received confirmation all three were sitting in their seats on the plane.
A DFAT spokesperson said they were unable to comment on individual cases, but that since March the department had helped more than 38,800 Australians return on more than 500 flights.
