Refugee resettlement and Australia’s Humanitarian Program
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- (Page 85) Labor will maintain Australia’s reputation for having some of the best migrant settlement services in the world. Labor will seek to improve these services through improving the availability and integration of Commonwealth-funded migrant and settlement services.
- (Page 123) Labor will support a humanitarian migration program that reasonably responds to international humanitarian crises as they arise.
- In continuing Australia’s generous humanitarian program, Labor will provide appropriate support for the travel and resettlement of refugees and others requiring Australia’s protection.
- State, Territory and local governments support refugees to settle in Australia. Labor will facilitate opportunities for business, community groups, individuals and State, Territory and local governments to participate in and support the resettlement of refugees through a community sponsored refugee resettlement program. Any community sponsored places should be in addition to the government’s refugee and humanitarian program.
- Labor aspires to progressively increase Australia’s government funded humanitarian intake to 27,000 places per year.
- Labor aspires to progressively increase the community sponsored refugee program intake to 5,000 places per year.
- (Page 125) Australia’s settlement support services are regarded as the best in the world. Labor will maintain this and accordingly will direct sufficient focus and resources to our settlement services.
- Labor will provide appropriate English language tuition and tailored employment programs as essential settlement services which are critical to the achievement of full social and economic participation of refugees.
- Labor will seek to improve the availability and integration of Commonwealth-funded migrant and settlement services. Labor will ensure settlement service policies are:
- Informed by advice from the Settlement Services Advisory Council, the Settlement Council of Australia and other key stakeholders and the community; and
- Coordinated in partnership with State and Territory governments, local governments, community organisations and service delivery providers.
- Labor will ensure services across government for refugees are culturally responsive, universally accessible and consistent with Labor’s social inclusion agenda. Recognising the value of community support groups in providing settlement services, Labor will support the involvement of such groups.
- Refugee settlement can have a particularly positive effect in rural locations and these people play an important role revitalising rural and regional communities. Labor supports the settlement of suitable humanitarian entrants in regional locations with the support of State, Territory and local governments and local communities.
