Advocates have launched a renewed push to bring the Murugappan family back to Biloela as a looming election places doubts on their future in Australia.
On Thursday night's Q+A program on the ABC, Biloela resident and audience member, Bronwyn Dendle addressed the removal of the Murugappan family from their hometown.
"The Morrison government is ignoring the majority of Australians and even some of its own MPs, who have all said they want them to come home to Biloela," Ms Dendle said.
"Please, tell us what is it going to take for Mr Morrison to simply let this family come home to Bilo where they are welcome, wanted and needed?"
Panellist and north Queensland MP Bob Katter said he supported the family of four to return home to Biloela.
"I believe the Biloela family should come here, no question about it," after initially veering away from the question when .
"Absolutely, yes, that family should be allowed to go back," Queensland Labor senator Murray Watt said, with raucous applause following his response.
Resources and Water Minister Keith Pitt, also on the panel, said while he "feels for the family", as a cabinet minister he couldn't comment on the matter, but stressed the importance of strong and consistent border protection.
"The reason that our border protection has been so strong is because we've been consistent on the rules," Mr Pitt said.
"I understand the challenges, I absolutely get it, but that consistency has protected this country, it really has, and we'll continue to support it."
The family's battle to stay in Australia
Tamil asylum seekers Nades and Priya arrived in Australia by boat. Nades arrived in 2012 and, a year later, Priya came too. They met, married and had two children, Kopika in 2015 and Tharnicaa in 2017, who are both born in Australia.
The family of four had been living in Biloela since 2014 where Nades worked in the local abattoir until Priya's bridging visa expired on 4 March 2018.
Australian Border Force officials entered the Murugappan residence the next morning and deported them to Christmas Island where they were detained until Tharnicaa suffered from an urgent medical condition in 2021.
Tharnicaa was flown to Perth and admitted to hospital, her family members following suit.
The family — now known as the "Biloela family" — remain in a long-fought battle with the Department of Immigration as the government has continuously knocked back their applications for protection visas.
Since Tharnicaa's release from hospital, three of the eldest family members were granted 12-month bridging visas, allowing them to move to Biloela.
The four-year-old, however, was not granted a visa, forcing the family to remain stuck in community detention in Perth.
'Political pawns'
A coalition of friends and residents from Biloela launched a "Home to Bilo" campaign in order to lobby the government to allow the family to return home.
Biloela resident and family friend, Angela Fredericks, said the upcoming election is "of utmost importance" in dictating the family's future, particularly if the Morrison government is re-elected on 21 May.
"We're very, very worried about what an LNP [Liberal National Party] government would mean for this family," Ms Fredericks told SBS News.
Angela Fredericks (centre) visits the family in Perth while continuing to advocate for Tharnicaa's release from community detention. Source: Supplied / Angela Fredericks
A spokesperson for Immigration Minister Alex Hawke said that he cannot comment on the ongoing processes of an individual case.
"This is a matter subject to ongoing legal and administrative processes," the spokesperson said.
Labor's home affairs spokesperson Kristina Keneally accused the Coalition of backflipping on its border protection policies ahead of the election to appease voters.
"On the eve of an election, the Morrison government has backflipped to accept the New Zealand deal and release refugees from the Park Hotel," Senator Keneally said in a statement to SBS News and on Twitter.
"The Immigration Minister Alex Hawke should make it a trifecta and allow the Muruggappan family to return home to Bilo, to the community that loves and wants them."
Senator Keneally did not respond to a question from SBS News on whether she would ensure the family will be able to return to Biloela if Labor was elected.
Key Independent candidates have also joined in on the campaign to lobby the federal government to allow the family to go back home.
Allegra Spender, who is contesting the Liberal MP's hot seat of Wentworth, voiced her concerns for the family.
"I am calling for this young family to be allowed back home to Biloela, where they will be safe, cared for and can continue contributing to the local community," she said.
Ms Fredericks said she took a three-day trip to Perth to visit the Murugappan family in April.
She said while they are staying optimistic, they are afraid that the government will deport them back to Sri Lanka, and where Tamils like the Murugappans face ongoing persecution from the government.
"Now more than ever, they need peace of mind that they're going to be kept safe and more importantly, that their two little girls are going to be kept safe," she said.
She and much of the Biloela community remain hopeful that Tharnicaa — and the family — may be released from detention under the special ministerial powers of Mr Hawke.
"It's a very tough time ... all our hope is that this family doesn't actually need to see through an election."
Both Liberal and Labor border protection and immigration policies have been placed under scrutiny as the election campaign kicked off in the last fortnight.
Labor leader Anthony Albanese confirmed that, if elected, .
Mr Albanese also said he approves of temporary protection visas — a stance long-contested under Labor policies — .
"Labor’s policy is to support Operation Sovereign Borders. We support offshore processing, we support resettlement in third countries. We don’t support temporary protection visas."
Last month the federal government , sparking anger from advocates over the delay.
Two weeks later,
the last remaining eight Park Hotel detainees in immigration detention were among 20 people released
across the country — some remaining there for the better half of a decade. 
