Friends, today the High Court decided not to hear an appeal by our Biloela family’s legal team. But Priya, Nades and their QLD-born girls shouldn’t need the protection of the courts.

This might feel like a setback, but hope is not lost. Due to a Full Federal Court ruling earlier this year, Immigration Minister Alex Hawke still must consider Tharni’s right to apply for protection.

That’s why this family urgently needs us all to pick up the phone and show our politicians we can’t vote for a government that tries to force Priya, Nades and the girls from Australia to danger.

Today, can you please call Minister Hawke’s office on 02 6277 7770 or Minister Andrew’s office on 02 6277 7860? Lots of people will be calling and it’s so important to be calm and respectful.

If you can’t get through to the Minister’s offices, you can do something even more powerful by tapping through to the #hometobilo action page and calling your government MP’s office. You can find the right number in seconds by entering your postcode.

If your MP is not part of the government, tap here to find phone numbers for your Senators.

Here are some ideas on what to say:

• My name is {YOUR NAME} and I am calling from {SUBURB or TOWN} in {STATE).
• I am calling because I want Minister Hawke or Minister Andrews to use their Migration Act powers to allow Priya, Nades, Kopi and Tharni from Biloela to stay in Australia.
• I cannot vote for a government that tries to force this family from Australia to danger, instead of allowing them to come home to Biloela.
• I know that Australian law gives the Ministers the power to grant visas if they think it is in the public interest. I know this power is beyond the reach of any court.
• More than half a million Australians have signed a petition to bring the family home to Biloela and six government MPs have said they agree with them.

I know it can be daunting to pick up the phone to a politician’s office for the first time. But I promise you - a phone call is many, many times more powerful than an e-mail.

Your government MP or Senators could be the next to speak up, but they won’t unless they hear directly from people in their electorate, like you.

Remember, Australian law gives Ministers Alex Hawke or Karen Andrews the power to bring them home to Biloela with the stroke of a pen. That power is beyond the reach of any court.

Please give Ministers Hawke or Andrews - or your government MP or Senators - a call now. With your help, I know we can get this family safely #hometobilo.

With hope,

Angela