Tag: return

The Nadesalingam family are living a “very happy life” in Biloela, just under two months after their return to the town.

The four members of the Tamil asylum seeker family were on Friday granted permanent residency visas, bringing to an end their four-and-half-year immigration order.

“My girls’ life is safe,” mum Priya Nadaraja said.

“[We’re] feeling very happy.”

Priya, her husband Nades Murugappan and their daughters Kopika and Tharnicaa have been living in Biloela, in regional Queensland, since June after the new Labor government granted them bridging visas.

The family previously spent four years in immigration detention after Priya’s visa expired in 2018 and both she and her husband’s claims for refugee status were rejected by the former Coalition government.

“A long journey, four and a half years… hard life,” Priya said.

Priya said she and Nades were thankful to all of their supporters and friends, and to the federal government for the visas.

Nades has returned to work at the Biloela meatworks, where he worked before the family was taken away by immigration officials in 2018. The couple is also looking to start up a food van.

Priya is also learning how to drive.

“I’m good. Got confidence quickly,” she said.

She said the girls were back at school and loving it.

For Tharnicaa, seeing her friends was her favorite part about going to school.

The decision by Immigration Minister Andrew Giles to grant the family permanent residence visas has opened up a war of words between the government and opposition.

Mr Giles said the decision followed “careful consideration” of the family’s “complex and specific circumstances”.

“This government made a commitment before the election that, if elected, we would allow the family to return to Biloela and resolve the family’s immigration status,” he said on Friday.

But Shadow Home Affairs Minister Karen Andrews said the decision to give the family a permanent visa undermined the immigration policies of past Coalition governments.

“Actions have consequences and this sets a high-profile precedent,” she said.

“It undermines the policy that if you come here illegally you will never settle in Australia.”

Banana Shire Mayor Nev Ferrier hopes this decision is the end of the family’s ordeal.

“People think the boats will keep coming because of that, but we’ll keep turning boats back hopefully,” he said.

“There’s nothing wrong with this family.”

Biloela now on the tourism map

He said the plight of the family, and the community response the family had received, had put Biloela on the national tourism map.

“I’ve had people tell me they’ve come to Biloela because they’ve heard about it,” he said.

Family friend Angela Fredericks said the “Home to Bilo” campaign that she was a spokesperson for would not be wrapping up just because the family was home.

“I truly believe this case is a really important case in Australia’s history,” she said.

The Tamil family at the center of a four-year immigration battle have received permanent visas, ending a community-driven campaign against their deportation.

Priya Nadaraja, Nades Murugappan and their daughters Kopika and Tharnicaa have been living in Biloela in regional Queensland since June, after the new Labor government granted them bridging visas.

The family had spent four years in immigration detention after their visas expired in 2018.

The ABC has confirmed the family was visited by the Department of Home Affairs team at their Biloela home today and told they had been granted permanent visas.

Family friend and “Home to Bilo” campaigner Angela Fredericks was with the family when officials visited.

“They let us know the news the minister was deciding to intervene and use his powers to grant all four family members permanent visas,” Ms Fredericks said.

“It was a very tense day as we knew they were coming but had no idea what for.

“So when they said the words ‘permanent’, there were just immediate tears and just such excitement and jubilation.

Immigration Minister Andrew Giles said the decision followed “careful consideration” of the family’s “complex and specific circumstances”.

“This government made a commitment before the election that, if elected, we would allow the family to return to Biloela and resolve the family’s immigration status,” he said.

“Today, the government has delivered on that promise.

“I extend my best wishes to the Nadesalingam family.”

The family was taken into immigration detention in 2018 after the parents’ bridging visas expired.

They were found by the Coalition government not to meet Australia’s refugee requirements and were kept in detention in Melbourne and Christmas Island, and in community detention in Perth.

The end of a ’10-year battle’

Prior to the election, former prime minister Scott Morrison said there was “no protection owed” to the family as claims for protection had been rejected.

Soon after the election, the Labor government intervened in the case, allowing the family to return to Biloela on bridging visas.

It was the first time the youngest daughter Tharnicaa had been granted a visa.

They were welcomed home with a weekend of celebrations in June, including a special ceremony at a multicultural festival, and a birthday celebration in the park for Tharnicaa, her first outside of immigration detention.

They also met Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on June 15 on the sidelines of a Federal Cabinet meeting in Gladstone.

Ms Fredericks said the immigration uncertainty began when the family came to Australia for the first time, over a decade ago.

“This has been a 10-year battle for Priya and Nades,” she said.

“For the first time, they actually get to plan a future, they actually get to know that the dreams and goals they have for their little family can all come true.