Row of country flags outside UN building

Joint submission to the Universal Periodic Review: Papua New Guinea

14 April 2021

Small fishing boat next to navy boat

Submission on pushback practices and their impact on the human rights of migrants

11 March 2021

Gavel on desk next to law books

Submission on the Migration and Citizenship Legislation Amendment (Strengthening Information Provisions) Bill 2020

23 February 2021

Submissions

The Refugee Council of Australia regularly makes submissions to inquiries and reviews on a wide range of issues affecting refugees in Australia. You can also search and find submissions by topic for the past two years here. (For older submissions, see our page on archived submissions below).

Latest submissions

Joint submission to the Universal Periodic Review: Papua New Guinea

In November 2021, the human rights record of Papua New Guinea (PNG) will face scrutiny when the PNG Government appears before the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva for the third periodic review of its human...

14 April 2021

Submission on pushback practices and their impact on the human rights of migrants

On 1 February 2021, the Refugee Council of Australia (RCOA) made a submission to the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Human Rights of Migrants. The submission was made in response to the Special...

11 March 2021

Submission on the Migration and Citizenship Legislation Amendment (Strengthening Information Provisions) Bill 2020

On 19 February 2021 the Refugee Council of Australia (RCOA) made a submission to the Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee on the Migration and Citizenship Legislation Amendment (Strengthening...

23 February 2021

Submission to the inquiry into issues facing diaspora communities in Australia

The Refugee Council of Australia (RCOA) made a submission to the Inquiry into Issues Facing Diaspora Communities which is undertaken by Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade. Download the...

8 September 2020

Intake & archived submissions

Montage of diverse refugee faces

Intake submissions: Our Annual Submissions into the Refugee and Humanitarian Program

7 April 2021

Parliament House, Canberra

Archived submissions

13 April 2020

Submissions on asylum

Submission to the inquiry into the impact of temporary migration

Download our submission here On 5 December 2019, the Senate resolved to establish a Select Committee on Temporary Migration to inquire into and report on the impact temporary migration has on the Australian economy...

11 August 2020

News Submissions

Submission to the inquiry on the Migration Amendment (Prohibiting Items In Immigration Detention Facilities) Bill 2020

RCOA welcomed the opportunity to provide feedback on the Migration Amendment (Prohibiting Items in Immigration Detention Facilities) Bill 2020 and its likely impacts on people in detention, their families and support...

18 June 2020

Submission into the Migration Amendment (Strengthening The Character Test) Bill 2019

Our key concerns We welcome the opportunity to restate our significant concerns about this Bill. We have consistently expressed our profound concerns about the continuing expansion of executive powers under the visa...

13 August 2019

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...

15 April 2019

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...

3 December 2018

Submission on the implementation of OPCAT in Australia: Second stage of consultations

This submission includes recommendations in relation to the implementation of the Optional Protocol on the Convention against Torture. The feedback is submitted to the second stage of civil society consultation...

21 September 2018

Submission into the Migration (Validation of Port Appointment) Bill 2018

This submission strongly opposes the Bill that would retrospectivley authorise the actions of the Australian Government in taking people to Ashmore Reef so that they were treated as offshore entry persons.

4 October 2020

We can and should do more: Intake submission 2018-19

The Refugee Council of Australia's submission into the Department of Home Affair's Discussion Paper on the Humanitarian Program 2018-2019 examines priority needs for resettlement, the need for a larger and more...

11 March 2021

Submissions on settlement

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...

12 April 2019

Submission into the implementation of the national disability insurance scheme in NSW

This submission includes recommendations to improve support and access to services for members of refugee communities with a disability during the implementation of the National Disability Insurance Scheme.

4 September 2018

Submission into the next generation of employment services

This submission begins with the reason refugees are likely to need more intensive employment assistance and the assistance of specialist providers. We then address issues relating to the compliance requirements and the...

4 October 2020

Submission on efficacy of current regulation of Australian migration agents

This submission addresses concerns about the inadequate regulation of migration agents and the lack of free funded legal advice for refugees.

27 April 2018

Australian Citizenship Legislation Amendment Bill (Strengthening Requirements) Report

This summary outlines the report by the Standing Committee on Legal and Constitutional Affairs. RCOA has previously detailed its position on the amendment.

27 April 2018

Submission on the Australian Citizenship Legislation Amendment (Strengthening Commitments) Bill 2018

This is our submission into the inquiry on another Bill changing citizenship requirements, proposed by Pauline Hanson's One Nation.

17 April 2018

2018-2019 Pre-Budget submission

On 20 September 2017, the Assistant Minister to the Treasurer called for submissions from individuals, businesses and community groups seeking their views regarding priorities for the 2018-19 Budget. This submission...

1 March 2021

Submission to the inquiry into regional development and decentralisation

In this submission, we argue that the movement of refugees to regional areas can sustain and grow the population base, bring about economic opportunities, grow and diversify the regional economy and employment base, and...

2 February 2019

Submissions on international issues

Submission on the implementation of OPCAT in Australia: Second stage of consultations

This submission includes recommendations in relation to the implementation of the Optional Protocol on the Convention against Torture. The feedback is submitted to the second stage of civil society consultation...

21 September 2018

Submission to the inquiry into Australian aid strategic effectiveness

This submission into the inquiry into the strategic effectiveness of Australian Aid makes recommendations to improve the use of aid.

15 June 2018

We can and should do more: Intake submission 2018-19

The Refugee Council of Australia's submission into the Department of Home Affair's Discussion Paper on the Humanitarian Program 2018-2019 examines priority needs for resettlement, the need for a larger and more...

11 March 2021

We acknowledge the traditional owners of the land we work on - the Gadigal people of the Eora nation, and the Wurrundjeri people of the Kulin nation. We pay respects to elders past and present, and acknowledge sovereignty was never ceded. We also acknowledge the unique role Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander people have in welcoming refugees and people seeking asylum to this land.