{"product_id":"home-to-biloela-by-priya-nadesalingam-9781761069680","title":"Home to Biloela","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIt was dawn in the small rural town of Biloela. Loud thumps on the front door signalled the start of a four-year odyssey that would catapult Priya and her family into the heart of a national debate.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eFor the first time, Priya shares the story of her childhood in war-torn Sri Lanka and her perilous escape across the Indian Ocean on an overcrowded fishing boat. Alone in a strange country, she had to make a new life without family or friends. She married Nades, another refugee, and settled with him in Biloela, where they had two daughters, Kopica and Tharnicaa.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eThe shocking dawn raid in 2018 was the first of multiple attempts by the Australian government to deport the family. But the people of Biloela wouldn't have it. A small group swung into action and built an extraordinarily powerful social media campaign that gathered support from hundreds of thousands of ordinary Australians around the country.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eJournalist Rebekah Holt first met the family in detention and recounts the dramatic behind-the-scenes efforts to prevent the family from being deported. After a change of government, Priya, Nades and the girls were granted the permanent visas they needed and were able to return home to Biloela—the happy ending they always wanted.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe story behind the headlines. The sheer brutality of bureaucracy and the fierce love of a mother. What an incredible woman Priya is.\u003c\/em\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eJustine Clarke, actor\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eAn amazing story that shows how powerful we can all be when we authentically join together.\u003c\/em\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eClaudia Karvan, actor\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eThis book tore my heart out and had me crying tears of anger and devastation but also hope and love.\u003c\/em\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eSusie Youssef, writer and actor\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003ePriya's deeply moving account of seeking asylum is a powerful story of survival, humanity and hope and how the persistence of a small town finally brought home a family to a place of healing.\u003c\/em\u003e \u003cstrong\u003eLeah Vandenberg, actor and Play School presenter\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Allen \u0026 Unwin","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46843939979500,"sku":"9781761069680","price":39.99,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/28083743482814.jpg?v=1758821442","url":"https:\/\/bookhero.co.nz\/products\/home-to-biloela-by-priya-nadesalingam-9781761069680","provider":"Book Hero","version":"1.0","type":"link"}