Saurabh Anand, who survived a brutal machete attack at Central Square Shopping Centre in Melbourne’s west on 2 August, has been granted Permanant Residency by the Australian Government.
Saurabh thanked The Australia Today’s Editor, Jitarth Jai Bharadwaj, for supporting him and sharing his story with Australians during his difficult time.
Four teenagers, aged between 14 and 15, were charged over the incident with offences ranging from assault to robbery.
Mr Anand, who has lived, studied, and worked in Australia for the past seven years, had been working towards his permanent residency but was facing uncertainty after the attack as his temporary visa was set to expire on 26 August 2025.
However, with support from Federal MP Tim Watts office who is also his local MP, the Australian Government ordered a ministerial intervention to provide him with a new temporary visa on 15 August 2025.
Saurabh’s subclass 485 (Temporary Graduate) visa was renewed for two years under Section 195A of the Migration Act.
The Government committed to a follow-up ministerial intervention to provide Saurabh with permanent residency, once standard eligibility checks were finalised.
On Friday, 28 August 2025, Saurabh and Mr Watts joined Assistant Minister for Citizenship Julian Hill as he granted him permanent residency through ministerial intervention. This allows Saurabh to remain in Australia for medical treatment and focus on his recovery.
Mr Watts who is also the Special Envoy for Indian Ocean Affairs had earlier said that his community was horrified by what happened to Saurabh.
“His visa status was the last thing he should have to worry about after such a terrible incident and I’m relieved he now has the certainty to recover and thrive in Australia in the way our whole community wants him to.”
Assistant Minister for Citizenship Julian Hill had said earlier that nothing can undo the horrific injuries Mr Anand experienced at the hands of violent criminals and he wished him and his family well during this time of recovery.
“It’s only fair to ensure Mr Anand can receive the care he needs here in Australia without having to worry about his visa status. He has lived, worked and studied in Australia for seven years and has skills that Australia needs. The advocacy of Tim Watts and others in the community has been a great support to Mr Anand and his family in this difficult time.”
Since the machete attack in July, Mr. Anand has received bipartisan backing, including visits and support from Victorian Liberal MP Moira Deeming, who also wrote to Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke on August 7 urging that he be given a bridging visa.
In an exclusive interview with The Australia Today, Mr Anand had shared his ordeal and the challenges that he was facing after the brutal attack.
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