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Four years on, the Biloela family is home.
They're home! After four long years, they're home.
The Nadesalingam family has arrived in Biloela for the first time in four years!
— Eden Gillespie (@edengillespie) June 10, 2022
One of the children blew their supporters a kiss 🥰 @GuardianAus pic.twitter.com/ev0F9DXjRd
Priya and Nades Nadesalingam and their Australian-born daughters Kopika and Tharnicaa touched down at the Thangool Airport near their home town of Biloela on Friday afternoon.
The family shared a hug on the tarmac, and the two girls waved to the awaiting crowd who clapped and cheered with signs and streamers.
Priya blew a kiss to waiting friends and supporters who have fought for this moment since the family was first detained in March 2018.
Nearly 600,000 people signed Home to Bilo campaigner Angela Frederick's petition in support of the family, and more than 53,000 phone calls and emails were made and sent to Australian politicians.
The family's return coincides with the Banana Shire's Flourish Multicultural Festival on Saturday and Tharnicaa's fifth birthday on Sunday.
She was nine months old when her family was first placed in an immigration detention centre in Melbourne.
The former coalition government tried to deport the family on a commercial flight from Melbourne to Sri Lanka in 2019, but an 11th hour court injunction order the plane land in Darwin.
The four were then held at the Christmas Island detention centre for two years until then immigration minister Alex Hawke moved them to community detention in Perth in mid-2021.
His change-of-heart came after Tharnicaa was medically evacuated with a suspected blood infection.
Following the change of government in May, interim Home Affairs Minister Jim Chalmers gave the family permission to return to Biloela on bridging visas.
With AAP.
Tamily family to arrive home, and all the news you need to know this morning.
Morning all and welcome to your live news feed for Friday June 10.
Here are the top news stories you need to know today before you set out for the long weekend.
This post deals with abuse and may be triggering for some readers.
1. Tamil family to arrive home to Biloela today.
After four years in immigration detention, the Murugappan family are on the final leg of their journey back home to Biloela.
Priya, her husband Nades and their Australian-born daughters Kopika, six, and Tharnicaa, four, are expected to arrive in the central Queensland town this afternoon.
Their homecoming coincides with the Banana Shire's Flourish Multicultural Festival on Saturday and Tharnicaa's fifth birthday on Sunday.
The Murugappan family have landed back in Queensland @brisbanetimes pic.twitter.com/7Nl6UCDyb6
— Cloe Read (@cloe_read) June 8, 2022
The family was taken from Biloela in March 2018 and placed in immigration detention, sparking a campaign demanding their return.
Nearly 600,000 people signed petitions to support the family, with thousands of phone calls and emails bombarding Australian politicians from the family's supporters across the country.
In 2019, courts blocked a coalition attempt to send the family back to Sri Lanka.
They were held at the Christmas Island detention centre for two years until former immigration minister Alex Hawke moved them to community detention in Perth in mid-2021.
Following the May 21 election, interim Home Affairs Minister Jim Chalmers exercised his power under Section 195A of the Migration Act to allow the family's passage home.
2. 21st woman murdered in Australia, with two men charged.
Two men have been charged with murder after charred bones, believed to be the remains of missing woman Donna Howe, were found in a remote forest in southeast Queensland.
Detectives are still testing the bones to see if they match the DNA of the missing 57-year-old from Caboolture, north of Brisbane, who was reported missing in April.
Officers arrested two men, aged 41 and 31, who both knew Ms Howe, at a home on Balkee Ave, Caboolture, on Wednesday afternoon.
The pair have both been charged with murder and misconduct with a corpse. They are due to appear in Caboolture Magistrates Court on Thursday.
The burnt bones were found about noon on Tuesday by two men who had been driving on a remote forestry track in the Glasshouse Mountains.
Meanwhile, Queensland's commission of inquiry into police responses to domestic and family violence will hold its first sitting in Brisbane today.
It will examine whether "cultural issues" within the Queensland Police Service negatively affect investigations of domestic and family violence.
3. Albanese, Ardern hold trans-Tasman talks.
Anthony Albanese will meet with New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern this morning, becoming the first world leader to meet with the new PM on Australian soil.
The pair, who had a private dinner last night, are expected to discuss tensions in the Pacific, and US President Joe Biden's new Indo Pacific Economic Framework initiative.
Ardern has also pledged to bring up two issues which cause grief among Kiwis, including Australia's practice of deporting criminals to New Zealand who don't have familial or community ties in Aotearoa.
Ardern's government believes many of those deportees arrive untethered, without support networks, and can be destitute or join gangs.
She will also discuss an improved pathway to citizenship for Kiwis who live in Australia, which grant them more security across the Tasman.
The prime ministers will hold talks before convening a joint press conference at 11:20am AEST.
4. Priest sex abuse victim in VIC awarded nearly $2m.
A former altar boy who was sexually abused by Victorian priest Desmond Gannon has been awarded nearly $2 million in damages in a civil case against Melbourne's archbishop.
The sex abuse survivor, who cannot be named for legal reasons, brought the case against Peter Comensoli, claiming the Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne was vicariously liable for his abuse.
The victim said he felt like he was dead after Gannon first assaulted him - that the priest had murdered him and the little boy he used to be was gone forever. He later contemplated suicide and abused alcohol as a way to numb his pain.
The Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne has been ordered to pay $1.9 million in damages to a former altar boy who was sexually abused by Victorian priest Desmond Gannon https://t.co/99HaHyuem1
— The Age (@theage) June 9, 2022
Gannon assaulted the victim on three occasions between 1968 and 1970 while the child was an altar boy and a pupil at a Catholic primary school in regional Victoria. The former priest was sentenced for those crimes in 2009.
On one occasion, Gannon drove the boy down dirt roads out to a remote area, where he molested and raped him. At the time the boy was terrified Gannon would get a shovel, kill him and bury him.
The victim's lawyer, Rightside Legal's Michael Magazanik, said the court decision was the first against the Melbourne archdiocese.
"My client is completely thrilled and delighted that he's held the church to account," Magazanik said. "It absolutely changes the game for other survivors of clerical abuse."
5. Queen reportedly pulls out of Commonwealth Games.
The Queen will reportedly not attend the upcoming Commonwealth Games in Birmingham and will be replaced by the Prince of Wales.
There are 49 days to go until the 2022 Games open in the city and other West Midlands venues on July 28, running until August 8.
The Daily Mail reported the Queen will not attend the Games and Charles will appear in her stead at the opening ceremony.
The Queen will reportedly skip @birminghamcg22, the first Commonwealth Games on home soil for the first time in 20 years. #B2022 #7NEWS https://t.co/DHshyS8lge
— 7NEWS Sydney (@7NewsSydney) June 9, 2022
The 96-year-old monarch was absent for much of last weekend's Platinum Jubilee celebrations, appearing in person for just over 27 minutes throughout the various days.
That's everything you need to know for your morning wrap up.
If this post brings up any issues for you, or if you just feel like you need to speak to someone, please call 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732) – the national sexual assault, domestic and family violence counselling service. It doesn’t matter where you live, they will take your call and, if need be, refer you to a service closer to home.
You can also call safe steps 24/7 Family Violence Response Line on 1800 015 188 or visit www.safesteps.org.au for further information.
The Men’s Referral Service is also available on 1300 766 491 or via online chat at www.ntv.org.au.www.ntv.org.au.
- With AAP.
How Halsey exposed the music industry's obsession with TikTok.
Last month, one of the music industry's biggest artists, Halsey posted a video on her social media that was viewed by eight million people in just 24 hours, but not for the reasons her record label was hoping.
After she spoke out about not being allowed to release her new song unless they could 'fake' a viral moment on TikTok, numerous other artists came forward to say they too were being pressured to create content instead of focusing on their music.
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Feature Image: Facebook@Bring Priya, Nades and their girls home to Biloela/Instagram@albomp/Getty.