Minister to stop former Miss Wagga Stina Constantine deportation, Riverina MP Michael McCormack says

Riverina MP Michael McCormack has said Ms Constantine will be able to stay in Australia following a ministerial intervention.

Ms Constantine, who has lived in Australia for the past 20 years, had been facing the prospect of being deported to Norway due to an administrative error with her visa involving her education provider.

Mr McCormack said on Tuesday evening that Immigration Minister Alex Hawke had decided to use his powers to allow Ms Constantine to stay.

"Since Stina contacted my office with her issue, I have been actively advocating to have it resolved," Mr McCormack said.

"I am pleased the Immigration Minister on Sunday signed off on his intervention to resolve Stina's situation and ensure she can continue her highly valued contribution to the local community.

"Stina does such a power of good work for many people in the Wagga community and I am delighted with this outcome."

Ms Constantine has been on a bridging visa since deciding to challenge the deportation process in Federal Circuit Court.

Ms Constantine was due to have her immigration case hard in court on September 14.

Ms Constantine said on Tuesday that she had yet to receive official confirmation of Mr Hawke's decision.

"I haven't received anything from the Department of Home Affairs. I hope this is good news but I don't actually know," she said.

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Ms Constantine has previously said all the issues started when her education institution made an error.

After finishing a Masters of Social Work on a student visa, she set about applying for a graduate visa.

Then, just after Ms Constantine was crowned Miss Wagga in 2018, she was told that the visa had been denied.

In October 2020, Ms Constantine was told she had 30 days to leave the country - in the middle of a pandemic.

Labor duty Senator for the Riverina, Deborah O'Neill, this month wrote to Mr Hawke at the behest of several Wagga residents to urge him to stop the deportation.

"An administrative error should not rob this young woman of her future in this country, one which she currently dedicates to helping families of children who are battling life-threatening diseases, running a ministry, and fighting domestic violence in regional NSW," Senator O'Neill stated.

Nearly 14,000 people have signed an online petition supporting Ms Constantine to stay in Australia and more than 160 people donated to help her continue work at Relationships Australia and Country Hope.

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