Vanuatu's Daily Post media director will be able to return home after the country's Supreme Court ruled a ban denying him re-entry to Vanuatu was unlawful.
The media director of Vanuatu's Daily Post newspaper, Dan McGarry. Photo: Facebook / Dan McGarry
Dan McGarry was denied an extension to his work permit last month.
In the interim, he travelled with his wife to Brisbane but when he tried to return on a visitor's visa he was stopped from re-entering Vanuatu by immigration authorities.
The Canadian had lived in Vanuatu for 16 years and his wife and family, who are Vanuatu citizens, live there.
The Supreme Court yesterday voided the travel ban, saying it had no basis in law.
In a video statement, Mr McGarry said he was grateful to the Vanuatu courts, and was looking forward to joining his two children for Christmas.
"This is a big win for media freedom, it's a big win for human rights. Nobody should ever be barred from travelling to their home merely for speaking the truth."
Mostly though, it was a "personal victory".
"About a week ago my youngest daughter called me and said, 'Dad, I've made a Christmas list - do you know what number one is?' and I said 'no', and she said: 'it's you.' Well, honey I get to come home."
The court order only covers the travel ban, and Mr McGarry's right to work in Vanuatu is still being fought.
Mr McGarry has previously linked the work permit rejection to the Daily Post running stories critical of the growing Chinese influence in Vanuatu.
Vanuatu officials have denied the rejection is political, but say the paper should be headed by a ni-Vanuatu under local laws.