Betsey

Yes you would think so. I believe their stat decs also described the wedding (in the same city where they all live) with no mention of why the parents didn't attend - another red flag I would think (hope).

She is an utterly honest person and this is tearing her to pieces. At this point she is trying to be hands-off, hoping Home Affairs will clue into the situation without her interference. I am thinking hard about reporting the woman myself but I am really leery of meddling and likely making an impossible family situation far worse.

Yes, that seems to be the best answer. She is hopeful still that she will be contacted but has decided she won’t initiate it. He has his own journey and I guess she will be there to pick up the pieces if needed.

Sorry, I probably didn’t make it very clear that he wants to be with the woman. He’s happy to do whatever it takes. He’s besotted and making foolish decisions. He only has a casual job and she is still working as a “dancer” in a cocktail bar. The son also seems to think that his wife will be happy for her children to remain where they are indefinitely. They were dating for 6 months before getting married in secret. My friend would love nothing more than to see the wife out of the country but is now more realistic about what that would mean in terms of her family relationships.

She’s been very vocal about her opposition to the marriage so she would be his main suspect.

Thank you all for your advice and comments that I have passed on to my friend. She is happy to learn that an anonymous report will result in an investigation, it’s just the repercussions that will flow from that for both parties. I don’t think she had thought about potential penalties for her son. She also just told me that her husband said the son would never talk too her again if she did so. Her son is a citizen so at least no consquences on that front. She really is between a rock and a hard place.

Asking this question on behalf of a friend who is very concerned that her 22 yr old son has been manipulated into marrying an overseas student who only had the aim of marrying to stay in Australia. Yes, the son is an adult but a naïve and immature one - lived at home until after the marriage, never had another girlfriend and just finished his studies. There were a number of red flags when they were going out including the girlfriend (now wife) exceeding the 20 hour working limit, not attending classes and lying about her age, her job, her previous marriage overseas and her children from that relationship. My friend and her husband only found out about the wedding by accident - it was kept secret from them. The son and wife have now applied for the 820/801 Partner visa. It seems they have both claimed in their supporting documents (relationship statement) that the girlfriend was living with the son at the family home and that she would interact with all the family - cooking dinners etc - all fibs. Does anyone know how thorough or detailed reviews by case managers are? Would they contact parents and family as a matter of course? My friend has considered reporting her concerns online but her husband is very against this. In that context, the easier option for her would be for any action to be out of their hands. She knows either path will end in unhappiness but ultimately is hoping to protect her son from long term heartbreak and financial devastation. Any advice welcome - thanks.

There is a good arts and craft scene in Canberra with a number of collectives and markets. Some of the most popular markets are the Old Bus Depot market (each Sunday); Hartley Hall market (first Sunday of each month); Gorman House market (each Saturday) and the Canberra Handmade market (quarterly). Each of these has a Facebook page or website - have a look at these to get a feel for the scene here. AFAIK, most crafters start off their businesses at these types of events.

it was very dry when I went to a wedding at the winery there at the end of April. It was the same in June and is much the same now I believe - see redacted photo.

As a young family, I think you will find it very nice place to live. It is "modern" (read planned) compared to Sydney and Melbourne and has really only grown substantially in the last 30 years. It was established in 1913 so not an old city or one with much history but it is in a beautiful bush setting. It is not unusual to see cockatoos and other native birds in the city centre and the odd kangaroo in the suburbs. There are always dead ones on the freeways – they are a bit of a hazard when driving at night or in the early morning. You'll probably hear some negatives about it being boring, cold and full of public servants and politicians. Not all true and rather exaggerated. It is more family-oriented and really doesn’t have a big city vibe - the population is only about 400,00, so you are not going to get the variety or number of cafes, bars, attractions, shows etc that the other bigger cities have. There is a big coffee and cycling culture here however plus lots of bush walking and outdoor activities. No beach but nice spots near the rivers to swim at and Bateman’s Bay and the NSW south coast are only 1 ½ hours away. Canberra does get cold – it was minus 6.3 degrees the other morning but the upside is we do get four seasons. Autumn and spring are spectacular with the changing leaves and cherry blossoms. Summer can and does get hot, usually peaking in February, but it is a dry heat – a bonus if you don’t like humidity! It is made up of 6 satellite “towns” so the city centre is just another hub. Public transport is bus only so a car is pretty essential because the place is so spread out. A tram system is being built but only from the northern hub of Gungahlin to the city at present. Renting is expensive – the median cost for a house rental is about $550 per week but like anywhere it depends on where you live. Inner south and inner north properties are very desirable and really pricey – these suburbs include Lyneham, Campbell, Ainslie, Turner, O’Connor, Forrest, Deakin and Kingston . Competition for vacant homes is fierce in January/February when university students are arriving to start the new academic year and military personnel are usually posting in. Some rentals do allow pets. Most suburbs are generally good. There are no areas that are really bad but there are pockets that are less desirable on both the north and south sides. Many people commute to work from one side to another. It is a bit of a joke here that any place is “no more than 20 minutes away”. Public schools are generally good but many people here do opt for private schools, usually catholic ones as the fees are much cheaper than the anglican grammar schools. It’s not for everybody. It is not endless heat, beaches and excitement but it’s a pleasant and easy place to work and live.