'They want to kick me out of my own country': Aboriginal father-of-four faces being deported to New Zealand despite having no ties to the country
- An Aboriginal man is facing deportation to New Zealand despite having no ties
- Tim Galvin was born to an Indigenous mother on a short-stay in New Zealand
- His shock potential deportation comes after a two-and-a-half year prison term
An Aboriginal man is facing deportation to New Zealand - despite having no ties to the country aside from being born there during a visit by his parents.
Tim Galvin is part of a large Indigenous family in Western Australia - his siblings are all Australian-born and his partner, who he shares four children with, is also Aboriginal.
But following two-and-a-half-year behind bars for burglary, Galvin may now be booted from the country he has called home since the age of two.
'They want to kick me out of my own country,' he told The Guardian.
Tim Galvin (pictured) is facing deportation to New Zealand despite having no ties to the country and arriving to Australia at the age of two
'My mum is Aboriginal – she's from South Australia. All my kids are Aboriginal, my missus is Aboriginal, and they're trying to send me to a foreign country.'
Immigration laws require mandatory deportations for any non-citizens in Australia sentenced to more than one year in prison.
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Galvin only learned of his status as a New Zealand citizen in 2016 - more than 30 years after he left the country - when his Australian visa being cancelled.
Due to his long-time residency, Galvin would have been eligible to apply for Australian citizenship but did not make the application before his visa was cancelled.
The father-of-four was set to be freed from Acacia Prison, north-east of Perth, last week, but was informed the day before his release he would instead be moved to the Yongah Hill Immigration Detention Centre.
For Galvin's partner Bobbie-Joe Woods (pictured) the uncertainty is cold comfort as she is forced to parent their children - aged between five and 13 - alone
Galvin is appealing the deportation but it will take more than a year, during which he will remain in detention.
For his partner Bobbie-Joe Woods, the uncertainty is cold comfort as she is forced to parent their children - aged between five and 13 - alone.
'It has a lot of effects on us. We've already been waiting more than two years for him to get out of jail,' she told The Guardian, adding: '(The children) just want their dad back'.
Galvin is being held at the Yongah Hill Immigration Detention Centre (pictured) while appealing the deportation, but this could take more than a year
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