28 August 2026 The Refugee Council of Australia (RCOA) has welcomed the intervention by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to maintain the Refugee and Humanitarian Program at 20,000 places per year. The Australian...
Media centre
The Refugee Council of Australia often speaks to the media. We can provide background and comment on issues of the day. We have a number of staff who are experts on almost all areas of refugee policy.
We also regularly issue media releases.
Our latest media releases
Proposed Refugee Program cut would betray Labor Party values, Refugee Council says
27 August 2026 The Albanese Government would be betraying values held dear by Australian Labor Party (ALP) members and supporters if it went ahead with plans to cut Australia’s Refugee and Humanitarian Program by 6,250...
Homelessness Week 2026: A crisis we can fix
3 August 2026 The Refugee Council of Australia (RCOA) is marking Homelessness Week by calling for a safe place to call home to become a reality for everyone in Australia, including people seeking refugee...
Who you can talk to
Our experts
Adama Kamara, Co-Chief Executive Officer
Paul Power, Co-Chief Executive Officer
Topics: Breaking news, major international stories, refugee communities, the national picture, the refugee sector, and more.
Our policy experts
Rebecca Eckard, Director of Policy
Topics: People seeking asylum in Australia, Status Resolution Support Services (SRSS), Healthcare, Refugee and Humanitarian Program, Australia's refugee and asylum policies
Dr Louise Olliff, Senior Policy Advisor
Topics: Refugee and Humanitarian Program, Complementary Pathways, Diaspora development, Humanitarianism
Dr Graham Thom, Advocacy Coordinator
Topics: Immigration detention, Offshore processing, International refugee issues, including matters related to Rohingya displacement and Myanmar, Refugee resettlement
Dr Shaheen Whyte, Senior Policy Officer
Topics: People seeking asylum in Australia, Employment and training, Housing, Australia's refugee and asylum policies
Hot topics
Statistics
Statistics on refugees resettled in Australia
Who does Australia resettle under Australia's Refugee and Humanitarian Program? Who applies for and is granted a visa? How long does it take?
Background information
Defending Australia’s Legacy: Why we need to safeguard our Humanitarian Program
Last week, RCOA submitted our response to the Australian Government discussion paper on Australia’s Humanitarian Program 2026-27 and beyond. The information provided and questions asked in the discussion paper signal...
Reports
How Australia can Support Refugee Protection in Southeast Asia
In Southeast Asia, over 400,000 refugees and asylum seekers face significant humanitarian challenges. This report details Australia’s strategy to enhance regional refugee protection, driven by humanitarian...
