Each year since 1984, successive Australian Governments have invited the Refugee Council of Australia (RCOA) to provide advice on issues for the Government to consider in planning the coming year’s Refugee and Humanitarian Program. Over the years, we have broadened the process of community consultation we conduct to inform our annual submission to the Government, with interested agencies and individuals invited to attend consultation gatherings held around Australia between October and December each year.
This page provides links to earlier submissions from 2000 onwards.
2012-13 Intake Submission
The 2012-13 submission focused on international refugee needs, regional co-operation in Asia-Pacific, the composition of Australia’s Refugee and Humanitarian Program and factors in post-arrival settlement support. Two supplementary reports were produced on asylum policy and post-arrival support.
2011-12 Intake Submission
This submission focuses on global needs, developing an Asia Pacific regional refugee protection framework, family reunion and the Special Humanitarian Program, and the public discourse on Australia’s refugee policies.
2010-11 Intake Submission
The 2010-11 submission included detailed analyses of issues and concerns in three key areas: visa processing and onshore protection issues; settlement planning and support; and promoting the Refugee and Humanitarian Program to the Australian community.
2009-10 Intake Submission
The 2009-10 submission includes a detailed analysis of family reunion under the humanitarian program and funding and planning of settlement services, as well as an overview of settlement challenges and onshore protection issues. The submission also includes a series of country profiles examining protection concerns and resettlement needs by region.
2008-09 Intake Submission
The 2008-09 submission includes detailed analysis of two major settlement issues: access to affordable, stable, reasonable-quality housing; and obtaining occupationally-matched, adequately remunerated, non-exploitative employment.
2007-08 Intake Submission
The 2007-08 submission includes an analysis of a wide range of processing, resettlement and settlement issues. It also includes a series of country profiles examining protection concerns and resettlement needs by region.
2006-07 Intake Submission
The 2006-07 submission includes an analysis of the resettlement and settlement processes.
2005-06 Intake Submission
Issues considered in the 2005-06 submission include identification of refugee and humanitarian entrants, program management, pre-arrival cultural orientation, travel to Australia, post-arrival settlement services, enhancing support for proposers sponsoring people for resettlement under the Special Humanitarian Program, service provision models, rural and regional settlement and return to countries of origin.
2004-05 Intake Submission
Issues considered in the 2004-05 submission include identification of refugee and humanitarian entrants, enhancing support for proposers sponsoring people for resettlement under the Special Humanitarian Program, maximising community involvement in the Special Humanitarian Program, rural and regional settlement, and the settlement needs of new and emerging communities.
2003-04 Intake Submission
Questions considered in the 2003-04 submission include strategies for providing support and assistance to countries of first asylum (including through resettlement), abuse of Australia’s asylum system, secondary movement and people smuggling, management of the Special Humanitarian Program, the involvement of the community and volunteers in refugee settlement and regional settlement.
2002-03 Intake Submission
Issues considered in the 2002-03 submission include secondary movement, choice of country of asylum, the Pacific Solution, the costs of Australia’s asylum policies, Temporary Protection Visas, fraud and abuse of asylum systems, program management and community perceptions of refugees. It also examines the provision of settlement services, regional settlement and family reunion.
2001-02 Intake Submission
The 2001-02 intake submission makes several recommendations on the introduction of the Integrated Humanitarian Settlement Strategy and Temporary Protection Visas.
2000-01 Intake Submission
The 2000-01 intake submission includes an analysis of practical matters relating to selection and processing offshore and settlement needs post-arrival.
