A senior advisor to Immigration Minister David Coleman has told the Federal Court that he cannot recall handling the case of the family facing deportation to Sri Lanka last year — despite the court hearing of emails, text messages and other communications from him about the family.

Key points: Lawyers are seeking a review of Sri Lankan child Tharunicaa's application for a protection visa

Lawyers are seeking a review of Sri Lankan child Tharunicaa's application for a protection visa Ross McDonald, a ministerial advisor, told the court he did not recall receiving a departmental briefing on the case

Ross McDonald, a ministerial advisor, told the court he did not recall receiving a departmental briefing on the case The court was shown text messages from Mr McDonald's phone and emails where he had discussed the case

The revelations came during cross examination by lawyers for Tharunicaa — who is with her family on Christmas Island after a court injunction prevented their deportation last year — who are seeking a review of the young girl's application for a protection visa.

The Federal Government has maintained that Tharunicaa's status is linked to the rest of her family — including mother Priya, father Nades and older sister Kopika — whose claims for a protection visa were denied in 2017.

The family are Tamil and fear persecution if they are returned to Sri Lanka.

The family lived in the Queensland town of Biloela until two years ago, when they were detained by immigration officials.

The local community's 'Home To Bilo' campaign is aimed at pressuring the Government to allow the family to stay.

Ross McDonald, a senior advisor to Mr Coleman, gave evidence that he did not recall receiving a department brief on Tharunicaa in April last year.

What the minister did is crucial to the girl's lawyers' claims that he had taken "procedural steps" in her case and therefore her claims were still "live" and so she should not be deported.

An earlier witness, Jodie Stubbs, the director of Ministerial Interventions at the Department of Home Affairs, gave evidence that documents showed the brief had been prepared and sent to Mr McDonald.

The court heard it was a high-profile case within the department.

Ms Stubbs acknowledged her office had received a lot of letters of support from the community.

The family's two daughters, Tharunicaa and Kopika, were born in Australia but are not Australian citizens. ( Supplied: Tamil Refugee Council )

"I can't ever recall receiving it [the brief]," Mr McDonald said in his evidence.

However the court was shown text messages from Mr McDonald's phone — including one referring to NSW Senator Kristina Keneally who has lobbied hard to allow the family to stay — as well as email records and evidence about phone calls where Mr McDonald had discussed the case.

Mr McDonald said he had requested "information" about the case — including background, situation updates and options — but had not seen the full brief.

There were numerous drafts of the brief, before and after last year's federal election, the court heard.

The family's lawyer, Angel Aleksov, said there was evidence that Mr McDonald had sought changes and additions to the drafts.

But on numerous occasions, Mr McDonald said he could "not recall" handling the case.

In her evidence, Ms Stubbs said the brief had been returned from the Minister's office and was ultimately closed.

Minister's lawyer says brief was never acted on

Mr Aleksov also referred to a meeting in July of last year between Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton and the head of the Home Affairs Department Mike Pezzullo where they discussed the case.

Mr Aleksov said this also demonstrated the fact that the Government undertook "procedural steps" to assess the girl's case that were still active.

But lawyer Steven Lloyd, acting for the Minister, told the court that was not the case.

He said the Minister had been sent information about the case, with the options outlined — including granting the family a visa — but it was not acted upon.

"What came back was a shopping bag of ministerial options," Mr Lloyd said.

"The minister never asked for it [the brief]. For whatever reason it [the brief] didn't go anywhere."

Mr Lloyd told the court the file was eventually marked "no further action".

The court heard there had also been discussion in the Minister's offices about Australia's international obligations to assess such cases.

In August, the child's case underwent such a "protection obligation assessment".

Mr Lloyd said the meeting between Mr Dutton and Mr Pezzullo was because they "wanted to know about" a High Court decision in late May where the family was denied the chance to appeal their case.

In wrapping up his case, Mr Aleksov was critical of Mr McDonald's evidence.

"His memory was so weak on so many aspects," he said.

Mr Aleksov argued if the case was closed then a process must have been undertaken.

He has questioned whether the process was fair if her case had been assessed.

He is seeking an injunction stopping the deportation.

The family has based its case on a period in 2017 when then-immigration minister Peter Dutton announced that all asylum seekers had until October 2017 to make their cases.

This "raising of the bar", the family's lawyers said, was why Tharunicaa should be assessed.

Tharunicaa was born in June 2017.

The application by her mother, Priya, was lodged before the birth and Priya was turned down for a visa in August 2017.

Justice Mark Moshinsky has reserved his decision.