Last-minute rulings have stalled the deportation of a Tamil family who have spent years fighting to stay in Australia.
The Sri Lankan couple and their Australian-born daughters had already taken flight at Melbourne airport when a judge granted a reprieve over the phone.
The Department of Home Affairs has said numerous times that the family's case has been comprehensively assessed over many years, and they have consistently been found not to meet Australia's protection obligations.
Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese has spoken directly to Prime Minister Scott Morrison, urging him to stop the deportation of a Tamil family, calling it “publicly funded cruelty”.