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A Just Australia
Australian Refugee Foundation
Refugee Week

Latest News

2012-13 Submission on the Refugee and Humanitarian Program

RCOA's annual submission on Australia's Refugee and Humanitarian Program is now available for download here.

2012-14 Refugee Week theme: 'Restoring Hope'

RCOA has chosen 'Restoring Hope' as the Refugee Week theme for 2012 to 2014. For further details, visit the Refugee Week website.

Plight of refugees with adverse ASIO findings raised with Canberra

RCOA has written to Attorney-General Nicola Roxon on the predicament of recognised refugees who remain in immigration detention because of adverse ASIO findings. Read the letter here.

Nauru is not an option

RCOA acted strongly to reject any return to offshore processing in Nauru following revelations the Federal Government was willing to negotiate with the Opposition on asylum seeker policy. Read our media release.

Refugee and asylum seeker policy on a positive pathway

RCOA has welcomed the announcement by the Federal Government that it had begun to wind back its policy of indefinite mandatory detention for asylum seekers who enter Australia by boat. Read our media release.

 

Advocacy with UNHCR

Each year, representatives from RCOA attends key UNHCR meetings to put forward issues of concern to refugee communities in Australia and around the world.

Read more about: Advocacy with UNHCR

 

Board and Staff

Board

The Executive Board of RCOA consists of elected and appointed representatives from its broad membership base. Through its Board, RCOA has the benefit of drawing on a wide range of expertise and experience.

For more information about our current Board members, click here.

Executive

  • John Gibson - President (inidivudal member, Melbourne)
  • Professor William Maley AM - Vice-President (individual member, Perth)
  • Judyth Watson - Secretary (Coalition for Asylum Seekers, Refugees and Detainees, Perth)
  • Lionel Conyer - Treasurer (individual member, Sydney)

Ordinary members

  • Maureen Adamson (individual member, Tasmania)
  • Dr Elizabeth Biok (International Commission of Jurists, Sydney)
  • Sonia Caton (individual member, Brisbane)
  • Phil Glendenning (Edmund Rice Centre for Justice and Community Education, Sydney)
  • Wah Wah Naw (STARTTS, Sydney)
  • Dr Ali Nur (Melaleuca Refugee Centre, Darwin)
  • Fr Maurizio Pettana CS (Australian Catholic Migrant and Refugee Office, Canberra)
  • Jenny Semple (South Eastern Region Migrant Resource Centre, Melbourne)
  • Dr Melika Sheikh-Eldin (AMES Victoria)
  • Bobby Whitfield (ProEmpowerment International, Brisbane)
  • Muhama Yotham (African Communities Council of South Australia)

Board members serve two-year terms and are eligible for reappointment. Ten of the board members (President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, five Organisational Member representatives, an Individual Member representative) are elected by RCOA members, with five members elected at each Annual General Meeting. The remaining Board members (up to six) are co-opted, also for two-year terms, in accordance with RCOA’s Constitution.

Staff

The Council operates with a small staff:

  • Paul Power - Chief Executive Officer (Sydney)
  • Rebecca Eckard - Research Coordinator (Melbourne)
  • Martyn Green - Accounting Officer (Sydney)
  • Lucy Morgan - Information and Policy Officer (Sydney)
  • Louise Olliff - Settlement Policy Coordinator (Melbourne)
  • Eileen Wahab - Projects and Administration Manager (Sydney)
  • Andrew Williams - Communications Manager (Sydney)

Contact details for RCOA offices can be found here.