Help bring this family home to Biloela

Help bring this Sri Lankan Family home to Biloela

It’s been more than four years since a Sri Lankan family were removed from their home in Biloela, Queensland, and placed in detention. Since then, they have been fighting a long legal battle to remain in Australia. The family has obeyed all visa conditions, obeyed Australia’s laws, paid taxes and contributed to the community. And the town of Biloela wants them back.

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A group made up of Biloela residents, family friends and supporters have come together to help Nades and Priya Murugappan and their two Queensland-born young daughters with the #hometobilo campaign (https://www.hometobilo.com/), calling on the Federal Government to allow them to return home. The fourth anniversary of the family’s removal was marked with a “virtual hug” (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Mox5ZZ4cBM) as Biloela locals and close friends joined about 500 supporters from across Australia for a video call.

On March 5, 2018, Australian Border Force took Priya, Nades and their daughters Kopika (Kopi) and Tharnicaa (Tharni) away, detaining them in Melbourne before forcing them to Christmas Island. Four-year-old Tharni was medically evacuated to Perth last year and the family now lives in community detention on bridging visas – they are not allowed to return to Biloela and face an uncertain future on whether they will be forced to return to Sri Lanka.

Many of the facts have been muddled, misinterpreted or misrepresented – often by ministers responsible for the situation – and have been outlined here for clarity (https://www.weekendnotes.com/home-to-bilo/).

For years, politicians – including former Prime Minister Tony Abbott, former Foreign Minster Julie Bishop and former Deputy Prime Ministers Michael McCormack and Barnaby Joyce – have called on successive immigration ministers to use their ministerial discretion to let the family return to Biloela.

So, what can you do to help? The #hometobilo campaign (https://www.hometobilo.com/take-action-1) asks that you take action by calling your local MP (talking points provided) or emailing your government MP or Senator directly, from your own email account, in your own words. By typing in your postcode, you can search for the politician most relevant to your area.

Help bring this Sri Lankan Family home to Biloela.

https://www.hometobilo.com/

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