Settlement of African refugees can work

Australia can make settlement work for African refugees and on the whole it already has been successful, the Brotherhood of St Laurence said today.

“If refugees from countries other than Africa are more in need of refuge and settlement in Australia than we should adjust the composition of our refugee intake,” Executive Director of the Brotherhood, Mr Tony Nicholson said today.

“But we should never base our intake on the perceived basis that refugees from a particular area somehow don’t fit in.

“We know that recent refugee arrivals, where they have fled war-torn homelands, face significant barriers in settling into their new life and that their needs and the challenges they face are often very complex.

“However these are exactly the reasons why Australia should assist those most in need to rebuild their lives in a safe country.

“We have some of the best settlement services in the world and we are making settlement work for African refugees.
 
“A key part of the solution is linking economic needs with social needs. The Brotherhood’s experience is that assisting refugees to become “job ready” is the best basis for building a new life and identity in Australia.

“And this is what refugees want – to put their past behind them, find work and contribute to the social and economic life of the Australian community.”

Mr Nicholson said the Brotherhood has proven that specialised assistance that helps refugees into work it is cost-effective and fast tracks the settlement process.

“We acknowledge the additional money the Federal Government has directed towards the Settlement Grants Program in 2008-2009 and the Brotherhood and other agencies are developing new proposals to meet current gaps in settlement support to refugees. But this money is not available until July 2008 and we need more targeted responses to the settlement process,” he said.

“We can help turn refugee settlement into a positive but we need leadership, political will and partners to work with us to give refugees a chance to contribute to this wonderful country we share.

“Such smart investment to bring refugees into the mainstream economy would assist us as nation to continue to enjoy our prosperity.”