In just three days, we crowd funded the cost of a powerful ad in Queensland’s daily newspaper!

If you’ve chipped in to make this possible – THANK YOU!!! Now we need to build an emergency legal fund to ensure Priya can continue exercising her right to appeal to the High Court.

A few days before Christmas, I had to give Priya the distressing news that her appeal to the Federal Court had been unsuccessful.

I knew that without the protection of the courts, there would be nothing to stop Mr Dutton forcing this beautiful family from Australia to danger. I had to take action – and fast.

As most of Australia hit the beaches and BBQs, we hit the phones and sent urgent e-mails in a frantic effort to put together a legal team with the expertise to take Priya’s case to the High Court.

It wasn’t easy. But somehow, we did it – in the New Year, Priya’s legal team lodged documents seeking “special leave” to appeal to the High Court.

On February 1st, we had another massive hurdle to clear as a Federal Court order temporarily protecting Priya and three year Kopika from deportation ran out.

I knew that when the court order ran out, Mr Dutton could have forced this beautiful family from Australia to danger within days.

At the last minute, Priya’s legal team obtained an undertaking that Mr Dutton would not remove Priya and three year old Kopika from Australia while their application to the High Court is pending.

I don’t know how long the High Court will take to decide whether it will hear Priya’s appeal. And while we’ve put together a capable and experienced legal team, it’s impossible to know if an appeal will succeed.

But I do know that without the support of 468 incredible people who chipped in for legal costs, Priya could not have accessed the high level expertise needed to lodge a High Court appeal and negotiate with Mr Dutton’s taxpayer-funded lawyers.

Our campaign to bring Priya, Nades and the girls home to Biloela is 100% people powered.

While Mr Dutton has spent an estimated $1.2 million in taxpayers’ money to keep this beautiful family in detention, we rely entirely on community support to keep our advocacy and legal action going.

It has been this powerful combination of community advocacy and legal action that has kept this family safe – so far.

We’re doing everything we can to support Priya’s right to appeal. And with your help, we’ve also put a massive billboard in Mr Dutton’s electorate, flooded Immigration Minister David Coleman with phone calls and lead peaceful marches on the offices of key MPs.

In the weeks between Christmas and February 1st, we crowd funded $23,765 towards the cost of Priya’s High Court appeal.

It’s impossible to predict precise legal costs in advance. But I know that it could cost $65,000 or more to appeal to the High Court.

I need to make make sure we are ready to respond to the next step in the legal process. That’s why I’m asking you to help me build an emergency legal fund for Priya.

Will you chip in today to make sure Priya can access high level legal support?

On Tuesday 5 March, it will be 365 days since Priya, Nades and the girls were taken from their Biloela home. I’m so grateful to everyone who was supported this beautiful family in so many different ways over the last year. I honestly believe that with your help, we will bring them “Home to Bilo”.

Thank you for everything,

Angela x

PS If you’ve already chipped in to our new crowdfunder in the last few days – thank you, thank you, thank you!!! You’ve already made it possible to share Priya’s story with around 500,000 Queenslanders with a powerful ad in Queensland’s only daily newspaper. Watch this space!