Biloela family: Large crowds gather at rallies around nation calling on government ‘let them stay’

Protesters have rallied around the nation to demand the return of the Biloela family to their Queensland hometown.

Protesters have rallied around the nation to demand the return of a Tamil asylum seeker family to their Queensland hometown of Biloela.

The family were this week reunited in Perth as their young daughter Tharnicaa recovered in hospital from an illness that went untreated on Christmas Island, where they had been in immigration detention since 2019 after losing their bid to secure refugee status.

The rally at the State Library of Victoria was organised by the Tamil Refugee Council and Refugee Action Collective, Victoria. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Paul Jeffers

Father Nades Murugappan and eldest daughter Kopika had been left behind while mother Priya and Tharnicaa were flown to the West Australian capital so the four-year-old could receive emergency medical treatment.

Their future remains unclear, with Immigration Minister Alex Hawke on Tuesday confirming they would not return to Christmas Island but would not be allowed to return to their regional hometown.

Big crowds gathered to support the family. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Paul Jeffers

He said they would be held in community detention in Perth as their legal claims were assessed.

On Saturday, large crowds rallied in cities around Australia, calling for the government to let the family go back to Biloela, where they were loved and supported by the local community, and not be deported to Sri Lanka.

Nadesand Kopika arriving in Perth from Christmas Island to join up with Priya and Tharnicaa. Picture: Supplied

At the Perth event, hundreds of protesters sang Twinkle Twinkle Little Star for the young girls.

There were also large crowds at the other rallies.