An email to Scott Morrison unlocked the door to Australia for a Ukrainian family who were in despair after fleeing their country when a Russian rocket destroyed their home.
Oleksiy and his family were at their wit's end in Madrid after travelling across Europe to escape the war, a war they wanted to get as far away from as possible.
"It was very hard to find work in Spain," he says. He did some work as an Uber driver but couldn't find enough to support a family. "A lot of people cannot find work in Spain."
So they applied for visas to the United States, Britain and Australia, with Australia top of the list because of its distance from the conflict.
"We made a decision about different countries, and we chose Australia because it's a safe country. It's far, far away from war."
But the application for an Australian visa enabling them to work was turned down, he says. So he emailed Mr Morrison via the home affairs department.
It started: "My name is Oleksiy and here is my story...". We've changed the name, by the way, because he still has family in Ukraine. And the refugees to Canberra still remain frightened and disorientated.
The email plea ended: "God bless your family and God forbid you to go through what my family went through. We are writing a new chapter in our history."
Within less than 12 hours, the visa came through. "After eight hours, I received an email from home affairs, and I received the visa the next day."
The family are now in Canberra. They have a third child, born at Canberra Hospital.
The parents have started studying in the Canberra Institute of Technology, she in childcare and he in accountancy - he already has degrees in finance and in economics from Ukraine.
Ending up in Canberra was a happy mistake. They chose it because it's the capital without realising that it was only the administrative capital and not the economic hub.
"I think main city in Australia is Canberra. It's a mistake but it's a good mistake," he says.
They are now making their life in Canberra. He was in business back in Ukraine, as the proprietor of a restaurant. Work is ingrained in him. "We arrived on a Thursday and the next Wednesday, I find a job," he says.
Their future is in Australia even as their heart remains in Ukraine.
"I believe in my country but I think this war will go on for a long time.
"When it will finish, nobody knows."
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