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Biloela mum Priya Murugappan releases video thanking Australians for ‘support’

Charlotte EltonThe West Australian
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VideoBiloela mum Priya Murugappan has said thank you to the family's Australian supporters.

The mother of the Biloela family of Tamil asylum seekers has released a video thanking Australians for their “support.”

The video message shows Priya Murugappan — the mother of four year-old Tharniccaa, who was evacuated from Christmas Island to Perth Children’s Hospital last week after contracting a suspected blood infection — standing next to beaming family friend Angela Fredericks.

“Thank you everyone, all Australia, for supporting us, my family,” Priya said.

The first photo released of the Biloela family reunited in Perth Children’s Hospital with family friends
Camera IconThe first photo released of the Biloela family reunited in Perth Children’s Hospital with family friends Credit: Twitter

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“I hope [to go] back to Bilo. One day.”

The Murugappan family — popularly known as the “Biloela” family after their adopted Queensland hometown — were reunited in Perth earlier this week, after father Nades and sister Kopika were flown to Perth to be with Priya and Tharnicaa.

Priya and Nades fled Sri Lanka after the country’s civil war. They met in Australia and married in 2014, and both were granted temporary visas before they settled in Biloela, where they had two daughters.

The family was taken to a detention centre in Melbourne after Priya’s bridging visa expired in March 2018, and were transferred to Christmas Island in August 2019.

The family will not be permitted to return to their adopted central Queensland hometown of Biloela, however, after the Department of Home Affairs placed them into "community detention."

Under the rules of community detention, they will not be able to leave the State, and will require permission to do most things — from staying at a different address overnight to allowing one of the children taking a sick day from school.

Four-year-old Tharnicaa Murugappan was hospitalised for a suspected blood infection.
Camera IconFour-year-old Tharnicaa Murugappan was hospitalised for a suspected blood infection. Credit: Supplied

Yesterday, Ms Fredericks thanked the people of Perth for the “overwhelming support and love” they had shown the family.

However, she warned that 1200 days in detention was taking its toll.

"Priya just wept in my arms, and just said, ‘this is so hard’," she said.

"This family has been through more than anyone can imagine."

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