What does the Federal Budget hold for refugees and people seeking humanitarian protection? This analysis provides a full briefing of those changes.
Latest news
Australians welcome NZ’s generosity to refugees in offshore processing
Media release 24 March 2022 The New Zealand Government’s announcement today of 450 resettlement places over three years for refugees caught up in Australia’s offshore processing regime will be welcomed by millions of...
Refugee Council of Australia welcomes the Federal Government’s decision to provide temporary humanitarian visas for Ukrainians
The Refugee Council of Australia has welcomed the Federal Government’s announcement of temporary humanitarian visas for Ukrainian people seeking safety in Australia. “Enabling Ukrainian people to arrive in Australia and...
Your Voice Newsletter (March 2022)
In this Your Voice newsletter, we share the latest updates on our work for the Afghanistan crisis, Operation #NotForgotten, advocating for humane policies in an election year, electing a former refugee to lead RCOA as...
Refugee groups urge immediate action to reinstate humanitarian visas ahead of Federal Budget
The proposal includes 20,000 humanitarian visa places plus an additional intake of 20,000 places for refugees from Afghanistan. Community and refugee groups from across Australia have come together with the Refugee...
Open Letter – Urgent action to reinstate the Refugee and Humanitarian Program to previous levels is required immediately
March 2022 Dear Prime Minister, Re: Urgent action to reinstate the Refugee and Humanitarian Program to previous levels is required immediately As Australians watch in horror at the escalating humanitarian situation...
Support for Australian refugee communities impacted by coverage of crisis in Ukraine
As the situation in Ukraine deteriorates, the Refugee Council of Australia (RCOA) is concerned not only for the impact the conflict has on the enormous number of people forced to flee their homes and seek protection in...
Australians want a more open-hearted national response to refugees
The Australian Government must reverse its recent cuts to the Refugee and Humanitarian Program to meet community expectations that the nation can do more to respond to refugees displaced from escalating conflicts in...
Come to the first of our new Refugee Alternatives webinars!
Following on from our successful annual Refugee Alternatives conferences, the Refugee Council of Australia will now host regular webinars exploring important issues in refugee policy and practice. We will kick off our...
Australia’s Treatment of Afghan Refugees
How their date and mode of arrival matters more than their persecution Since 2013, more than 23,000 Afghans have come to Australia – or sought to do so – to escape the Taliban’s insurgency and ultimate takeover of the...
Australia’s Afghan resettlement response a bitter disappointment
Media release 21 January 2022 The Australian Government’s refugee resettlement response to the Afghanistan crisis is so bitterly disappointing that it will leave Afghan Australians and their millions of supporters...
Australia must match other nations on Afghanistan aid to save lives
Media release 18 January 2022 Australia should at least match comparable nations for humanitarian aid to Afghanistan to help avoid a “humanitarian catastrophe” – as nearly a million children face starvation. Additional...
Djokovic case exposes unfair treatment of refugees in Australia
Media release 11 January 2022 Statement by Paul Power CEO of the Refugee Council of Australia Djokovic case exposes unfair treatment of refugees in Australia Novak Djokovic’s detention and subsequent speedy appeal...
RCOA Impact Report 2020-21
This report highlights just some of our achievements in the past year in our efforts to promote fairer and more humane refugee and asylum policies and to educate the public about the refugee journey and the important...
Australia finally gets the refugee sponsorship model the community wants
The Refugee Council of Australia (RCOA) has welcomed the Federal Government’s new refugee sponsorship pilot, saying it is the model Australian communities have been seeking for more than a decade. The Community Refugee...
Refugees start new lives in Canada
Refugees trapped for years in Australia’s cruel offshore processing system are starting new lives in Canada after landing in Vancouver and Toronto yesterday (Dec 11). Eight refugees, who were sent to detention on Manus...
Lifting of travel restrictions welcome news for refugee visa holders
The Refugee Council of Australia (RCOA) has welcomed today’s announcement that fully vaccinated refugee and humanitarian visa holders will be able to enter Australia from 1 December 2021. RCOA chief executive officer...
Refugee Council celebrates 40 years
As the Refugee Council of Australia celebrates its 40th anniversary, CEO Paul Power says the organisation “sadly” is as essential as ever before for refugees to “get a fair go”. Mr Power said this was because political...
