What the Tamil family left behind in Biloela

As the fight continues to bring Priya, Nades and their two girls back to Biloela, the question remains - what do they have to come back to?

Jayne Centurion (left) and Bronwyn Dendle (right) PIC: Lachlan Berlin

As the fight continues to bring Priya, Nades and their two girls back to Biloela, the question remains - what do they have to come back to?

After Priya's temporary bridging visa expired on March 4, 2018, Australian Border Force personnel arrived to the family's residence at 5am the next day and took them into custody.

The family had only 10 minutes to gather their belongings before they were taken away from their Biloela home, according to family friend Bronwyn Dendle.

"They took their phones off them so we didn't even know where they'd really gone," Ms Dendle said.

Most of their belongings were left inside the house and Ms Dendle said their landlord was given no notice.

Friends had to decide whether or not they should pack up the family's stuff, but it was a tough decision because many were unsure whether or not they would be returning anytime soon.

"At the beginning, I thought there's been a big mistake made - it's not going to be long before they're back," Ms Dendle said.

"And I realised before too long that the Tamil friends, they've seen so many of their friends taken like this that we just weren't aware of.

"That they kind of, just knew the drill.

"That in itself is heartbreaking."

The Biloela Tamil family's former home. PIC: Google Maps

According to Ms Dendle, the family's Tamil friends helped clear the house of their belongings and decided as to who should get what.

She also said the Australian Border Force took some of the items.

Close family friend Margot Plant, who has known the two girls since they were babies, said the house was left ransacked after they were removed, which was never the way organised Priya would have left it.

The whereabouts of significant possessions such as their photo album and jewellery remain unknown.

Ms Dendle said the photo album may have been returned to the family when they were in Melbourne.

"So, the rigmarole that the locals had to go through when they went down to Melbourne to visit them was ridiculous," Ms Dendle said.

However, Ms Plant does not believe this special album has been returned, which contained many significant memories.

Ms Plant has been in contact with the family since they were sent into detention, but they've told her they don't have all of their special possessions with them.

"The wedding photos are extremely special," Ms Plant said, which the family would often display with pride.

Nades purchases Priya many pieces of jewellery with his own money, which is something significant in their culture, but not all of it is with the family.

"She's never worn it when they've spoken on the phone," Ms Plant said.

It's not known if Kopika or Tharnicaa have any of their old toys or possessions to come back to in Biloela.

"I don't have anything, I wish I did," she said.

"I don't know of anyone who has anything. I don't know what happened to the furniture.

"I did hear they put that away somewhere for when they came back."

Ms Plant said that on Christmas Island, the family weren't even allowed to wear their own clothes and had to use what was provided to them.

It's understood the house has been rented to new tenants since, and vehicles can be seen parked outside of the property.

Local children no longer saw Kopika at daycare or at the local Lion's Park; Teys Meatworks employees no longer saw Nades at work.

"We were just hoping against hope they were still in Australia and hadn't been sent already to Sri Lanka," Mrs Dendle said.

The Tamil people are native to the Sri Lankan island and have suffered persecution there for many decades, especially in relation to the civil war between the Sinhalese-dominated government and the separatist Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam.

But it's not just Nades, Priya and their girls that have been forcibly removed from Biloela by the authorities, a number of other Tamil people have also been taken.

Ms Dendle said many single Tamil men, who've worked at the meatworks, have been removed in previous years.

"Our government is doing it to people at such a regular, with no notice," she said.

"It's crushing. The difference for Priya and Nades and the girls is that they probably did have that family and were that type of family that really worked hard to be part of this community."

Bronwyn Dendle PIC: Lachlan Berlin

Immigration Minister Alex Hawke has allowed the family to leave Christmas Island and settle in community detention in Perth, after Tharnicaa suffered a pneumonia-induced blood infection.

The ABC reports they'll be able to live fairly freely, with a house and school for Kopika, however won't be allowed to work or travel outside of Perth without approval.

Many Central Queenslanders, including Home to Bilo campaigners, are hoping the family will be able to resettle in Biloela in the future.

But with their old house being rented by another family and their possessions either sold or in the hands of their friends, the family will likely need to find their feet again if they return to Biloela.

Home to Bilo campaigner and Biloela musician Jayne Centurion said many people were right behind the family to help them re-establish themselves in the town.

"We've had an absolute outpouring of assistance, offers for assistance, love from the community near and far," Mrs Centurion said.

"We've had people offer their homes, members of our own Home to Bilo team have offered their own rooms and their own homes if that's what it takes to provide them with their own accommodation until they can be back on their feet."

Despite the housing crisis gripping most of regional Queensland, including Biloela, the family friends are confident they'll have somewhere to stay and work if they come back.

"I'd imagine they'd have no problem finding employment," Mrs Centurion said.

It's understood Teys Meatworks was willing to support Nades a few years back, but it's not known whether a position for him is currently available.

But Mrs Centurion said the meatworks was always looking for new staff.

Ms Plant is known as the childrens' 'Aussie Grandma', as they've had a very close connection with her since they were born.

She now lives in Bundaberg, but has children who live in Moura, so there are many chances to visit the Biloela region.

"I would love to be able to share my life with them, the same as I do with my other grandchildren," she said.

"It's been a real up and down journey for me. You have those feelings of hope that are dashed again.

"That's just beyond my comprehension how they can be treated there. I don't understand it at all."

The Flourish in Biloela festival is being held on June 26, and Ms Dendle is disappointed the family won't returned to town in time for the multicultural event.

"It's such a shame that they will miss that," she said.

A petition to bring the family home has almost hit 550,000 signatures.

Refugee supporters hold a press conference at the Federal court in Melbourne regarding the announcement that a Tamil asylum seeker family from Biloela will be released from Christmas Island. Picture: NCA NewsWire / David Crosling

The family now has more freedom reunited within the community in Perth, but it could still be a long and uncertain road to Biloela.

"Tharni is very much a daddy's girl, so for her, it was particularly devastating to not have Nades with her," Mrs Centurion said.

But the federal government continues to say people who arrive by boat can't be settled in Australia.

Rockhampton-based LNP senator Matt Canavan told Sky News on June 8 he was 'confident' the health services provided to the family were of a standard that Australians could expect.

"They are well loved in the community and my heart goes out to them in these circumstances, but we must maintain a strict refugee intake regime," senator Canavan said.

"This family were not found to be refugees by the courts.

"Now they're challenging that in the courts, which is their right, but we've got to have these standards in place to make sure we keep people smuggling away from our shores.

"I don't think we should have special arrangements in place for anybody.

"We need to have a consistent regime so that there's a consistent message to the people smuggler's that you're not welcome in this country.

"We do not want to see that tragic trade reopen as it was 10 years or so again."

Ms Dendle slammed the 'narrative' the LNP and federal government were using in relation to the Murugappans.

"It is a purposeful narrative that the government is putting out there to villainize people who are trying to seek asylum," she said.

"Whether you get to Australia by boat or by plane or by pogo stick or hot air balloon, if you are fleeing from an unsafe country, you have 100 per cent legal right to seek asylum here.

"The other smokescreen language our government is using all the time, like Matt Canavan, is that it's before the courts and we can do nothing about it."

She denies that any court in Australia can determine whether a person is a genuine refugee or not, only whether the correct procedures were followed.

"And then when you hear about Matt Canavan talking about these great catastrophes that will happen by allowing this family to come home, clearly says to us... that he has no faith in border protection.

"Because if bringing one little family home to Biloela is going to cause the whole border protection system to crash, then we are in big trouble as a country."

Ms Dendle said family friend Angela Fredericks and herself sat down with Senator Canavan previously and discussed the family's situation.

"He said 'look, it's a terrible situation, and I've got kids myself and I can't imagine how hard it would be for them'," she said.

"That was the type of mood we've got in the conversation from him, face-to-face.

"And then for him to come out and say ridiculous things like that, clearly says that Morrison is instructing his LNP with the narrative that must be put out there to divide the country and scare the daylights out of the average Australian."

Originally published as 'Home ransacked': What happened after Tamil family was taken