Shock jock Jones' message to PM on detained Bilo family

RADIO shock jock Alan Jones has thrown his support behind a detained Biloela family who face deportation back to Sri Lanka.

Biloela woman Angela Fredericks spoke with radio personality Alan Jones this week about the campaign for the release of a detained asylum seeker family.

RADIO shock jock Alan Jones has thrown his support behind a detained Biloela family who face deportation back to Sri Lanka.

This week Mr Jones wrote to Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton demanding the government evaluate the family's likely deportation, after they have spent almost 16 months in detention.

Priya and Nades and their two daughters Kopika, 4, and Tharunicaa, 2, have been detained since March 15, last year - one day after Priya's bridging visa expired.

Since then the family, which lived in Biloela for more than three years, has been detained in Melbourne.

Last month the High Court refused Priya and Kopika's application for a review of last year's Federal Court ruling that they could not stay in Australia.

Fearing persecution if they are forced back to Sri Lanka, the family has lodged an asylum plea for their youngest daughter.

Both daughters were born in Queensland.

Kopika, 4, and Tharunicaa, 2, have been detained with their parents Priya and Nades for almost 16 months.

Failing that, they are relying on the government to intervene and prevent the deportation.

During a 13-minute segment about the family on his 2GB radio show, Mr Jones said he couldn't "get his head around" the matter.

"I have argued that they're exactly the type of people we should be encouraging to move to regional areas, to chip in where regional areas can't get workers," he said.

"This is an incarcerated family, they lost their high court challenge last month because the High Court can only interpret matters according to law.

"There must be a capacity (for the government) to evaluate these issues objectively and on merit."

On Thursday Mr Jones said he had not received a response from the government, but he planned to call Mr Morrison.

"Scott Morrison is proudly and devoutly Christian and talks about a fair go for everyone. How can this be allowed to happen?" he said.

Kopika, 4, and Tharunicaa, 2, have been detained with their parents Priya and Nades for almost 16 months.

The family fears persecution if they return to Sri Lanka because of past links to the Tamil Tigers.

The lack of vitamins and sunlight in detention has let to their youngest daughter developing severe dental health problems.

A family friend on Sunday said the nerves of four teeth are now exposed, and Tharunicaa requires surgery.

Last week Tharunicaa turned two - her second birthday inside the detention centre - but visitors were prevented from bringing her a birthday cake.

The Guardian reported the family was denied the cake despite Nades having completed a complex application process and submitting a special food request to Border Force.

Almost 200,000 people have signed a petition demanding the family be allowed to return to Biloela.

Originally published as Shock jock Jones' message to PM on detained Bilo family