Jovicic was deported from Australia in June 2004 to his native country of Serbia because he failed a character test. All of this after he had lived in Australia for nearly most of his life and has no idea what the language of Serbia is. He had lived here for 36 years, him being 38 years of age. There are more interesting facts to this case. He turned up outside the Australian High Commission in Belgrade to apply for a citizenship, but was turned down flat.
The reason why Robert was deported was because of the character test and is also interesting to point out that he had some convictions for heroin use in Australia (!!!). These convictions sent him out of Australia to another country where he is now ill and basically, stateless, like Frank Navarsky in The Terminal.
Robert has been one of the 233 permanent residents from Australia who have been deported in the last three years.
As a nation, Australia has the right to deport anyone of its residents, including me, but the issue here is, will the Australian government or people agree to Serbians fighting against this deportation, now that they dont want Robert with them. True, capital punishment has been long outlawed here, and they sent him off alive, but anyone can disagree with that. Yes, he is alive but at what cost – no food, no shelter. Before 1999, anyone who have stayed here for more than ten years cannot be deported, but that has been changed since.
Related newsitem - Robert @ The Green Left Weekly
