The Federal Court has extended an injunction barring the deportation of a young Tamil family until 4pm Friday, after it was revealed Immigration Minister David Coleman chose not to use his ministerial discretion to let them remain in Australia’s care.
[jwplayer QouFbLYF]
The Australian reports the urgent case of Priya, Nades, and their two young children Kopika and Tharunicaa was brought before Justice Mordecai Bromberg in Melbourne this morning.
Justice Bromberg today granted another adjournment until Friday, after Coleman’s decision “not to consider exercising his discretionary power… to permit the applicant to make an application for a protection visa” was revealed to the court – and to the family’s lawyers.
“It doesn’t necessarily mean it’s over, it just means potentially it’s going to be run in a different way,” Carina Ford, the family’s lawyer, told reporters outside court.
Ford said the family’s legal team will request access to documents pertaining the latest assessment of Tharunicaa’s claim to asylum in Australia before the Friday hearing.
The family, whose bridging visas have expired, was nearly deported to Sri Lanka last week.
A last-minute court injunction saw them removed from a plane in Darwin and subsequently sent to Christmas Island while their lawyers worked to contest the deportation order placed upon 2-year-old Tharunicaa.
The family’s supporters have since called on Coleman and Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton to use their ministerial powers to override High Court decisions which prevent the family from attaining visas.
Despite immense pressure from the family’s supporters in their adopted home of Biloela, Queensland, Dutton has repeatedly ruled out using his privileges to grant visas for the family, saying it would encourage other asylum seekers to reach Australia by boat.
We’ll see how it pans out on Friday.
Homet
