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| Australia moves Biloela refugee family after criticism | Australia moves Biloela refugee family after criticism |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Tharnicaa (right) was medically evacuated to the Australian mainland last week | Tharnicaa (right) was medically evacuated to the Australian mainland last week |
| Australia has released a refugee family from Christmas Island, after their youngest child was flown to the mainland for medical care. | Australia has released a refugee family from Christmas Island, after their youngest child was flown to the mainland for medical care. |
| The family will now be allowed to live together in Perth while they pursue legal action related to their immigration status. | The family will now be allowed to live together in Perth while they pursue legal action related to their immigration status. |
| Four-year-old Tharnicaa Murugappan was evacuated to a Perth hospital last week after contracting a blood infection. | Four-year-old Tharnicaa Murugappan was evacuated to a Perth hospital last week after contracting a blood infection. |
| Her medical condition reignited public concern for the family's welfare. | Her medical condition reignited public concern for the family's welfare. |
| Immigration Minister Alex Hawke said the father, Nades, and eldest child, Kopika, 6, would be flown to Perth on Monday where they can join Tharnicaa and mother, Priya. | Immigration Minister Alex Hawke said the father, Nades, and eldest child, Kopika, 6, would be flown to Perth on Monday where they can join Tharnicaa and mother, Priya. |
| The family has been separated for more than a week. | The family has been separated for more than a week. |
| Calls for Australia to free refugee family | Calls for Australia to free refugee family |
| The family locked up by Australia for three years | The family locked up by Australia for three years |
| They will live in "community detention" - government housing in Perth's suburbs - where they will be monitored but free to move around while Tharnicaa undergoes treatment in hospital. | They will live in "community detention" - government housing in Perth's suburbs - where they will be monitored but free to move around while Tharnicaa undergoes treatment in hospital. |
| Previously, they had been held in a detention compound on Christmas Island - an Australian external territory - where they had been monitored daily by security guards. | Previously, they had been held in a detention compound on Christmas Island - an Australian external territory - where they had been monitored daily by security guards. |
| Tharnicaa also developed pneumonia and her family says her treatment was delayed while on the island. | Tharnicaa also developed pneumonia and her family says her treatment was delayed while on the island. |
| In 2018, the Murugappan family were removed from their home in the town of Biloela when their visa claim was rejected. | |
| Advocates for the family welcomed their release from offshore detention, but said the family ought to be granted immediate protection and returned to their Queensland home. | Advocates for the family welcomed their release from offshore detention, but said the family ought to be granted immediate protection and returned to their Queensland home. |
| "We hope and assume that [community detention] is only a temporary step. Community detention is no guarantee of safety and peace for this family," said the HometoBilo campaign. | "We hope and assume that [community detention] is only a temporary step. Community detention is no guarantee of safety and peace for this family," said the HometoBilo campaign. |
| Opposition lawmakers as well as a few government backbench MPs have also called for the family to be allowed to returned to Biloela - citing the local community's support for the family. | Opposition lawmakers as well as a few government backbench MPs have also called for the family to be allowed to returned to Biloela - citing the local community's support for the family. |
| In recent days, protests were held in Sydney, Melbourne and other Australian cities, condemning the government's treatment of the family. | In recent days, protests were held in Sydney, Melbourne and other Australian cities, condemning the government's treatment of the family. |
| Protesters in Melbourne on the weekend called for the family's release from detention | Protesters in Melbourne on the weekend called for the family's release from detention |
| But on Tuesday Mr Hawke emphasised Australia's stringent asylum rules saying that the arrangement "releases the family from held detention" but "importantly...does not create a pathway to a visa." | But on Tuesday Mr Hawke emphasised Australia's stringent asylum rules saying that the arrangement "releases the family from held detention" but "importantly...does not create a pathway to a visa." |
| "If they are not found to have matters where we owe them protection or they're not refugees, we will ask them to leave for Sri Lanka." | "If they are not found to have matters where we owe them protection or they're not refugees, we will ask them to leave for Sri Lanka." |
| The family have become Australia's most high-profile asylum seekers. | The family have become Australia's most high-profile asylum seekers. |
| Their forced removal from Biloela sparked outcry from local residents, who launched a national protest campaign and helped fund a legal battle. | Their forced removal from Biloela sparked outcry from local residents, who launched a national protest campaign and helped fund a legal battle. |
| Australia has tried to deport the family twice after finding the parents did not have a legitimate asylum claim as Tamil refugees from Sri Lanka. | Australia has tried to deport the family twice after finding the parents did not have a legitimate asylum claim as Tamil refugees from Sri Lanka. |
| But each time the attempts have been stopped by court injunctions. | But each time the attempts have been stopped by court injunctions. |
| The family seen in detention in 2018 | The family seen in detention in 2018 |
| Lawyers for the family argue that the parents' asylum claims deserve reconsideration. They also say that the Australian government has declined to consider a separate asylum case of the youngest child, Tharnicaa. | Lawyers for the family argue that the parents' asylum claims deserve reconsideration. They also say that the Australian government has declined to consider a separate asylum case of the youngest child, Tharnicaa. |
| Although she was born in Australia, she has been denied the opportunity to apply for refuge under the country's tough immigration laws, because her parents arrived in Australia by boat. | Although she was born in Australia, she has been denied the opportunity to apply for refuge under the country's tough immigration laws, because her parents arrived in Australia by boat. |
| On Tuesday, Mr Hawke said he would consider "at a future date" whether he would agree to allow her case to proceed. | On Tuesday, Mr Hawke said he would consider "at a future date" whether he would agree to allow her case to proceed. |
| Behrouz Boochani on Australia's 'barbaric policy' towards boat people |