Supercoach Wayne Bennett is being thanked for his involvement in keeping one of the stars of the Ipswich Jets rugby league team,
the ‘Fijian Ferrari’, in Australia.
Nemani Valekapa found out this week his long-term fight for Australian residency was finally over.
Despite being named in the Queensland Residents representative team earlier this year, Valekapa has had the threat of deportation hanging over his head since his sports visa ran out in August last year.
It took the support of Bennett to save Valekapa and his family from leaving their dream life in Ipswich.
Bennett was instrumental in the application going through. He helped garner the support of NRL boss Todd Greenberg, along with letters of support from Ipswich Mayor Paul Pisasale and Blair MP Shayne Neumann.
The Valekapa’s were given the final tick of approval by Minister for Immigration Peter Dutton.
