The Times Australia
Mirvac Harbourside
The Times World News

.

'Biloela' Tamil family finally gets permanent residency

  • Written by Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra
'Biloela' Tamil family finally gets permanent residency

The Tamil “Biloela” family has been granted permanent residency by the Albanese government.

Immigration Minister Andrew Giles announced on Friday he had used his ministerial power to intervene to give visas to the family to allow them to stay permanently.

For the Nadesalingam family, whose cause was taken up by the Biloela community where they had settled, it is the end of a battle that involved years of detention, including on Christmas Island, court action and uncertainty.

The parents came to Australia separately by boat, met and married here, and their two daughters, Kopika and Tharnicaa, were born in Australia.

But their refugee claims were rejected, and they were put into detention after their visas expired in 2018.

One of the first acts of the Labor government was to allow the family to return to the Queensland town.

A team from the Home Affairs department visited the family to tell them personally of the decision.

Giles said Labor had promised before the election that it would allow the family to return to Biloela and would resolve their immigration status.

“Today, the government has delivered on that promise,” he said.

He said the decision “follows careful consideration of the Nadesalingam family’s complex and specific circumstances”.

He also sent a strong message designed to tell people smugglers not to take the decision as a signal. Since the change of government several boats have been intercepted from Sri Lanka and the people returned.

“During the past two months, the government has demonstrated we will continue to intercept and return any unauthorised vessels seeking to reach Australia, ” Giles said.

“For anyone who attempts to migrate via an unauthorised boat to Australia – you will be caught, returned or sent to a regional processing country.

"This government remains committed to Operation Sovereign Borders and stopping people smuggling.”

But shadow home affairs minister Karen Andrews said “actions have consequences and this sets a high profile precedent.

"It undermines the policy that if you come here illegally you will never settle in Australia,” she said.

Read more https://theconversation.com/biloela-tamil-family-finally-gets-permanent-residency-188306

Mirvac Harbourside

Times Magazine

YepAI Joins Victoria's AI Trade Mission to Singapore for Big Data & AI World Asia 2025

YepAI, a Melbourne-based leader in enterprise artificial intelligence solutions, announced today...

Building a Strong Online Presence with Katoomba Web Design

Katoomba web design is more than just creating a website that looks good—it’s about building an onli...

September Sunset Polo

International Polo Tour To Bridge Historic Sport, Life-Changing Philanthropy, and Breath-Taking Beau...

5 Ways Microsoft Fabric Simplifies Your Data Analytics Workflow

In today's data-driven world, businesses are constantly seeking ways to streamline their data anal...

7 Questions to Ask Before You Sign IT Support Companies in Sydney

Choosing an IT partner can feel like buying an insurance policy you hope you never need. The right c...

Choosing the Right Legal Aid Lawyer in Sutherland Shire: Key Considerations

Legal aid services play an essential role in ensuring access to justice for all. For people in t...

The Times Features

Macquarie Bank Democratises Agentic AI, Scaling Customer Innovation with Gemini Enterprise

Macquarie’s Banking and Financial Services group (Macquarie Bank), in collaboration with Google ...

Do kids really need vitamin supplements?

Walk down the health aisle of any supermarket and you’ll see shelves lined with brightly packa...

Why is it so shameful to have missing or damaged teeth?

When your teeth and gums are in good condition, you might not even notice their impact on your...

Australian travellers at risk of ATM fee rip-offs according to new data from Wise

Wise, the global technology company building the smartest way to spend and manage money internat...

Does ‘fasted’ cardio help you lose weight? Here’s the science

Every few years, the concept of fasted exercise training pops up all over social media. Faste...

How Music and Culture Are Shaping Family Road Trips in Australia

School holiday season is here, and Aussies aren’t just hitting the road - they’re following the musi...

The Role of Spinal Physiotherapy in Recovery and Long-Term Wellbeing

Back pain and spinal conditions are among the most common reasons people seek medical support, oft...

Italian Lamb Ragu Recipe: The Best Ragù di Agnello for Pasta

Ciao! It’s Friday night, and the weekend is calling for a little Italian magic. What’s better than t...

It’s OK to use paracetamol in pregnancy. Here’s what the science says about the link with autism

United States President Donald Trump has urged pregnant women[1] to avoid paracetamol except in ...