The Murugappan Family Are Finally Going Home To Biloela

The Murugappan family will finally be allowed to return home to Biloela after a lengthy and traumatic fight for their right to stay in Australia.

Nadesalingam (Nades) and Kokilapathmapriya (Priya) Murugappan are Sri Lankan Tamil refugees who met in Australia and settled in Biloela on temporary bridging visas with their two children (both born in Australia). They were active and beloved members of the Biloela local community before being detained by Australian Border Force personnel in March 2018, which kicked off their years-long battle with the Australian Government for their right to stay here.

Advocates for the family have repeatedly criticised the government’s handling of their case for being “cruel and inhumane”, especially given the fact that the Home Affairs Minister could have signed the paperwork to allow them to return to Biloela at any time.

But after four years of fighting, the Murugappan family will finally be allowed to return to Biloela, with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese delivering on his promise to grant the family visas.

Interim Home Affairs Minister Jim Chalmers took to Twitter to confirm the news on Friday afternoon.

Speaking with the Murugappan family about my decision today as interim Home Affairs Minister to enable them to return #HometoBilo, the big-hearted QLD town which has embraced them so warmly #auspol pic.twitter.com/uw6vlZV2co

— Jim Chalmers MP (@JEChalmers) May 27, 2022

In an interview with Perth’s 6PR radio on Thursday, Albanese said that the Labor Party’s view on their case hasn’t changed since 2019, all but confirming that their visas would be granted.

“I went to Biloela, I met with the community there. This is a community that want this family home,” he said. “We are a strong enough society to say that we should not treat people badly, in order to send a message to others. And it’s beyond my comprehension how this has gone on for so long, at enormous cost.”

The news comes after the Morrison Government repeatedly refused to intervene, asserting that the family’s situation should be decided by the courts. Even Peter Dutton — who will likely become the next Liberal leader — fought against their efforts to be granted visas, asserting that doing so would send the wrong message.

“It’s been a frustrating case because every court, every tribunal, every decision-maker has been very clear to this family that they are not refugees,” Dutton said in 2021. “This family has not ever been found to be owed protection.”