Australia must turn its focus from harsh deterrence policies to positive and solutions-focused diplomacy if it is to have any influence on the growing global trend of forced displacement, the Refugee Council of...
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From Syria to Sydney: Meet Rnita, the face of Refugee Week 2019
23-year old Rnita Dacho couldn’t have timed it better. Having fled Syria with her family and spent months in limbo in Lebanon, she touched down in her new home of Australia right in the middle of Refugee Week 2015 – the...
A new vision for community refugee sponsorship in Australia
Today the Community Refugee Sponsorship Initiative (CRSI) launched a new vision for an expanded and improved community sponsorship scheme at a community summit in Melbourne. The CRSI vision will allow ordinary...
Medical crisis on Manus and Nauru escalates: Morrison Government must act to avoid further tragedy
Joint media release by the Medical Evacuation Response Group After six years of offshore detention there is an unprecedented medical crisis on Manus and Nauru. Men and women, who have been detained by the Australian...
Morrison’s inclusive rhetoric cast aside with a harsh Budget for refugees
Prime Minister Scott Morrison's plan to be more welcoming and inclusive since the Christchurch terrorist attack has been cast aside with a Federal Budget which deals harshly with refugees and people seeking asylum.
Australia’s Political Opportunists Foster an Environment of Fear, UN Human Rights Council Told
Political opportunists in Australia who have built their political careers on scaremongering and dehumanising minorities have fostered an environment hospitable to hatred, the Refugee Council of Australia has told the...
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Latest publications
Momentum builds as UNHCR plans first global refugee forum
Report on Australian NGO and Refugee Advocacy In Geneva – June-July 2019 The growing impact of refugee-led advocacy and plans to use December’s first Global Refugee Forum to build momentum behind the Global Compact on...
A new model for community refugee sponsorship in Australia
This position paper is published by the Community Refugee Sponsorship (‘CRSI’), an independent organisation established by the Refugee Council of Australia, Save the Children Australia, Amnesty International Australia...
A new opportunity for global leadership: Options for Australia’s Refugee and Humanitarian Program in 2019-20
Consultations for the 2019-2020 Humanitarian Program For more than 25 years, the Refugee Council of Australia has been gathering community views on the Refugee and Humanitarian Program. Every year, we conduct a series...
Submission into evaluation of the Adult Migrant English Program (AMEP) new business model (NBM)
In December 2018 the Department of Education and Training commissioned Social Compass to conduct an evaluation of the Adult Migrant English Program (AMEP) new business Model (NMB). RCOA welcomes the opportunity to voice...
The Federal Budget: What it means for refugees and people seeking humanitarian protection
What does the Federal Budget hold for refugees and people seeking humanitarian protection? This analysis provides a full briefing of those changes.
Barriers and exclusions: The support needs of newly arrived refugees with a disability
© UNHCR/G.Welters Executive summary Due to experiences of conflict, torture and displacement, people from refugee backgrounds are more likely to have a disability than other populations. However, until 2012, people with...
Submission into the Migration Amendment (Strengthening the Character Test) Bill 2018
Our key concerns We welcome the opportunity to state our significant concerns about this Bill, and to state our opposition to it in the clearest possible terms. We have consistently expressed our profound concerns about...
Until when: The forgotten men of Manus Island
This joint report, in partnership with Amnesty International, tells the story of the men who have been sent by Australia to Manus Island, Papua New Guinea (PNG), and what has happened to them after they were forcibly...
After the boats have stopped: Refugees stranded in Indonesia and Australia’s containment policies
This brief provides an overview of Australia’s role in stopping refugees leaving Indonesia en route to Australia, and highlights the precarious situation refugees now face in Indonesia.
RCOA Impact Report 2017-18
We promote humane and compassionate policies for people seeking safety in Australia and around the globe. While we cannot predict the wars, conflicts and oppressive regimes that will force people to seek asylum, we can...
An unnecessary penalty: Economic impacts of changes to the Status Resolution Support Services
This paper finds that the changes to Status Resolution Support Services (SRSS) will force people into situations of material poverty rather than assisting them to find employment. Removing income and case management...
Refugee Alternatives: Conference Report 2018
The Refugee Council of Australia and Melbourne Social Equity Institute's conference, Refugee Alternatives: Improving policy, practice and public support, was held 13-14 February 2018. The two-day conference, hosted at...
