Keep Tony and his daughter together.

My friend Tony is an awesome dad to his daughter, Annie, and he now faces a legal fight to keep her in New Zealand so she can grow up knowing both her parents.

Anyone that has seen them together will understand what a loving bond they have, and how much they like being together, having adventures and just spending time doing ordinary everyday things.

Annie’s mother has put him on notice that she wants to take their daughter to Europe, away from the country she has lived in since she was a few months old, and to limit his visits to 1 month a year, if he can afford to travel.

The cost of engaging a lawyer to retain access and share in her upbringing is going to be many thousands of dollars which he just does not have, so all funds raised here will go directly to his lawyer.

He has already spent all his savings establishing the temporary access order they now have, he is currently having to take time off work for these visits, and the associated costs of travelling to the city and finding accommodation to enable him to spend time with her.

He can no longer take well paid jobs off shore as he doesn’t want to miss out on any time with Annie, which leaves him struggling to raise the estimated $18,000 in legal bills it’s going to take to fight to keep her in New Zealand.

Tony is also now relocating to Christchurch to be able to spend more time with Annie, which means leaving behind his home, his friends and his work and starting from scratch. The associated costs of renting somewhere and starting a new career will be another financial struggle, particularly in the current pandemic climate.

Annie is a happy well adjusted girl, who currently spends time with both parents, and enjoys both sides of her culture here in N.Z.

They love each other so much and need to be able to be in each others lives without the barrier of being in separate countries.