There is much to marvel at in the Australian story but there are times when I am sorely disappointed. Just recently I have been immersed in the hospital system on behalf of my wife and my son and found it to be first class, compassionate, professional and skilful.

But today was cause for one of those great disappointments, made greater and more impactful by the fact that it effects my family directly. We had applied a Tourist Visa for Ann's son Aran to visit us for three weeks early next year. The application was meticulously completed and all the required documentation (and much more besides) supplied. I leave nothing to chance and we had a very solid case for its approval.

Today the application was denied. The reason. Aran has no job to go back to. Never mind his healthy bank balance or the fact that we had provided details of how we would put him up and show him around. Apparently not having a job makes him a flight risk in Australia. Yet if he did have his old job back, the most leave he could take each year was 5 days. So he could not have come even if he had a job. So job or not, you can't come!

I can't tell you how upset I am at this ridiculous bureaucratic nonsense, worthy of a Kafka short story. There is no appeal, no refund, no proper explanation. Just the stroke of an unthinking pen. It is very unjust but what can you do about it?