Biloela family to be settled in Perth

“The family will now reside in suburban Perth through a community detention placement, close to schools and support services, while the youngest child receives medical treatment from the nearby Perth Children’s Hospital and as the family pursues ongoing legal matters,” he said in a statement.

Mr Hawke said he would consider “a future date” whether to lift the legal bar on the family from applying for humanitarian visas to stay in Australia.

“Anyone who arrives in Australia illegally by boat will not be resettled permanently, Anyone who is found not to be owed protection will be expected to leave Australia.”

Nadesalingam and Priya arrived separately on boats in 2012 and 2013, later meeting and marrying in Australia. Their daughters were born here and the family lived for several years on bridging visas.

However, tribunals and the courts, including the High Court, ruled the couple were not refugees. The family was in the process of leaving Australia on a chartered flight in 2019 when a judge granted an injunction to allow Tharnicaa’s case for asylum to be assessed.

Coalition MPs including former deputy prime minister Barnaby Joyce and Biloela’s local MP Ken O’Dowd have called for the family to be allowed to stay in the town.

Treasurer Josh Frydenberg said on Tuesday the family would be back together “very soon”.

“This process, this family have gone on Christmas Island for a very long time,” he told Sky.

“The good news, the positive development is the family will be reunited on Australian shores very shortly.”

Deputy opposition leader Richard Marles said Labor wanted Mr Hawke to finalise the case.

“The government has been pretty confused, it would seem, over the course of the last few weeks about the fate of this family,” he said.

“We understand the complexity of this situation. We understand how important it is that there be firm rules in place. But in the midst of all of this, there needs to be a rule of common sense.

“That’s why there is ministerial discretion within the system and that’s what should be applied here.”