Biloela girls enjoy day out in Perth as Barnaby Joyce confirms support for family

For the first time in years, the two young girls have been spotted out and about in the community.

Tharnicaa and Kopika are pictured out shopping in Perth. Credit: Supplied

Two little girls sitting in a shopping trolley smiling might be a regular sight at any shopping centre in Australia today, but the simple act marks a major milestone for Tharnicaa and Kopika Murugappan.

Video was released Tuesday of the two girls out and about in Perth, after spending years in detention on Christmas Island.

The Murugappan family has been allowed to stay temporarily in Perth after youngest daughter Tharnicaa was flown from detention on Christmas Island to be treated for illness last week.

“This is my first time going in a trolley,” young Tharnicaa says in the video, where the girls can be seen sitting in a shopping trolley in the shoe department of a Kmart store.

“I like the sparkly shoes,” her older sister Kopika says, as she gazes around at her surroundings.

It comes as the family’s supporters turning their attention to Barnaby Joyce in their ongoing bid to see the family returned to Biloela, labelling him the most powerful supporter of their cause in Parliament.

On Monday, Mr Joyce was announced as the Deputy Prime Minister after Michael McCormack was ousted as leader of the National Party.

Last week, he spoke publicly in support of the Biloela family and urged for them to be returned home to Queensland.

“Tharnicaa and Kopika were born in Australia. Maybe if their names were Jane and Sally we’d think twice about sending them back to another country which they’re not from. Why not send them to Southern Sudan, why not send them to Rwanda to Belarus? They’re also countries they were never born in,” Mr Joyce said.

Angela Fredericks of the Home to Bilo group hoped the leadership change meant the Prime Minister and his Immigration Minister would finally send the Tamil family home to Biloela.

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“The new Deputy Prime Minister has long been an outspoken advocate for this family,” Ms Fredericks said.

“Now Mr Joyce is returned to the leadership, I hope he will continue to advocate for Priya, Nades, and their two Queensland-born girls.

“We’re running out of time. Priya and her family have been only given temporary protection here in Perth due to Tharni’s health issues, but just last week Minister Hawke was still threatening to send them to danger in Sri Lanka.

“Having Mr Joyce back as Deputy Prime Minister might bring the new hope this family desperately needs.”

Rockhampton Bishop Michael McCarthy has also written to Prime Minister Scott Morrison to allow the family to return to Biloela.

The letter was sent to the Prime Minister on June 15 and was released publicly by the Rockhampton Diocese on Friday.

“As the Catholic bishop of the Diocese of Rockhampton, I ask that the Australian Government reconsiders the application of the Murugappan Family and allow them to stay in Australia and return to their friends at Biloela who have supported them emotionally,” Bishop McCarthy said.

“As a sixth-generation Australian, whose own ancestors left Ireland and England in 1839 and 1859, I ask that the policy be reviewed and that those languishing in detention centres be given hope and assurance that Australia is a welcoming country that values diversity and genuine compassion. ”