8 Mar 2007

Australian government revokes permanent residency status of Fiji Attorney-General

11:34 am on 8 March 2007

The Australian government has revoked the permanent residency status of Fiji's interim attorney general, Aiyaz Sayed-Khayum.

Mr Sayed-Khayum says the Australian government has written to him stating that his Australian permanent residency is not in the best interests of Canberra's foreign policy.

He has held Australian residency for 16 years since 1991 when he studied and worked in the country.

Mr Sayed-Khayum, who has laughed off the matter, says he does not see any correlation between his taking up the position of interim attorney general and his permanent residency not being in the best interests of Australia's foreign policy.

He says it is quite sad that family members such as wives, children, brothers and sisters who had no part in people's decisions to join the interim administration are being targetted and victimized.

The Australian government has stopped all ministers of the interim administration and their families, all members of the Fiji military and their families, and supporters of the military takeover from entering the country or transitting through it.