Queensland family granted reprieve from deportation after flight departs

A Melbourne judge has granted a last-minute injunction to stop a Tamil asylum seeker family being deported from Australia, but according to their supporters, it only lasts until midday Friday.

The family's plane left Melbourne Airport on a non-commercial flight on Thursday night and arrived in Darwin shortly after 2am. Upon the family’s arrival in the Northern Territory capital, they were reportedly transferred to overnight accomodation.

"They're pretty traumatised as you can imagine but also very relieved to be still here," former Biloela resident Simone Cameron told AAP.

Priya's arm was injured after she was forcibly taken onto the plane in Melbourne, Ms Cameron added.

A photo of Priya obtained by AAP showed her wrist had been bandaged.

Earlier on Thursday, at around 10.40pm, a Federal Circuit Court judge in Melbourne granted an interim injunction to their deportation. The family’s plane left Melbourne shortly afterwards.

It is not known whether the order was conveyed to officials prior to takeoff.

The Department of Home Affairs has been contacted for comment.

The order, which was made by Judge Heather Riley, states that the Minister for Immigration be restrained from removing the applicant from the Commonwealth of Australia until noon Friday.

The order also states that an application be listed for hearing at 10am on Friday in the Melbourne registry of the Federal Circuit Court.

Family friend Angela Fredericks said she was unsure what would happen to Priya, her husband Nadesalingam and their two Australian-born daughters.

"I'd dare say they'd be escorted off the plane then I'd say they would be back in a detention centre so whether they will be flown back to Melbourne I don't know," she told AAP.

"It's been a rollercoaster of a night. Just the trauma that this family has been put through is just barbaric.

"While they're in Australia there's hope and that's what we're holding onto right now."

Priya is understood to have been separated from her family about 7.30pm on Thursday before being reunited at the Melbourne Airport ahead of the planned flight back to Sri Lanka.

"My understanding is they got served papers this evening and then separated," Ms Fredericks said on Thursday.

Supporters of the family rushed to the airport and chanted "let them stay".

Change.org campaigns director Nic Holas said about 50 protesters attended, and they saw the plane the family was on taxi down the runway and out of sight.

"Our hope is that (the interim injunction) will be enough to have the family removed from the plane when it lands in Darwin," he told AAP.

"It's pretty shocking and I think most Australians think this, that a family with children born in Australia can be deported like this."

There was widespread outrage across social media late on Thursday evening over the sudden deportation attempt, with some claiming the injunction was granted prior to the family’s flight departing Melbourne.

“It is unconscionable, what's being done to this beautiful family. Australia has a needlessly callous immigration policy. Hope this amazing pair and beautiful kids get to stay,” one person said on Twitter.

Another added: “This is not who we are as a nation. It staggers me that something like this has been allowed to happen in Australia. The architecture of this detention regime was authorised at the highest levels. I am saddened & ashamed & furious.”

“‘If you have a go, you will get a go’ is just one of many lies spouted by politicians when it comes to #Australia. [Priya and Nadesalingam] gave it their all, were gainfully employed, are cherished community members, & their two healthy daughters were born here. They ARE Australian,” wrote someone else.

Former Socceroo and prominent football commentator Craig Foster wrote: “Our heart goes out to those little kids and the family who’ve been put through so much. Please send on and help if you can.”

Queensland Labor Senator Murray Watt said: “This family have done nothing but contribute to their Central Qld community, since moving here. And now our government returns them to an uncertain fate. How does that make us stronger, safer, more Australian?”

Earlier Priya, her husband Nadesalingam and their two Australian-born daughters had been separated and taken to the airport to board a non-commercial flight on Thursday night.

Supporters of the family rushed to the airport and set up a protest, chanting "let them stay".

"There are about 30 to 40 protesters gathered behind the fence. We are in view of the Skytraders plane," Change.org campaigns director Nic Holas said from the airport protest.

"We understand Priya and her family have been put in the hanger.

"This is an informal group. These are just concerned Australians and we are trying to prevent this family from being deported."

Priya was reportedly separated from her family about 7.30pm on Thursday before being reunited at the airport ahead of their flight back to Sri Lanka.

Priya and Nadesalingam came to Australia separately by boat in 2012 and 2013 following Sri Lanka's civil war.

The family had been held in a Melbourne detention centre since March 2018, after being taken from their home in Biloela, in Queensland, during a pre-dawn raid.

They lived in Biloela for four years on a temporary bridging visa before it ran out in March 2018. The High Court denied their final bid to stay in May 2018.

Last week the family found out their efforts to stay in the country had been rejected, with supporters calling on the federal immigration minister to reconsider.

Supporters have previously told AAP they fear the family would be in danger if sent back to Sri Lanka.

"The United Nations Special repertoire for torture made a plea to states not to send Tamil's back to Sri Lanka in the last year," Refugee Action Collective spokesperson Lucy Honan said.

The family has received strong support from Australians with more than 200,000 people signing an online petition to prevent them being sent back.

The Department of Immigration has previously stated the family's case has been assessed over many years.

With AAP

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