Darwin consultation to improve refugee services
4 August 2009
The Parliamentary Secretary for Multicultural Affairs and Settlement Services, Laurie Ferguson, will today meet with Darwin community organisations to discuss ways to improve services for refugees.
The consultation will help develop the tender for the Integrated Humanitarian Settlement Strategy (IHSS) worth $62 million annually.
Consultations cover on-arrival reception, case coordination, referral to mainstream services, information about life in Australia, assistance finding accommodation and short-term torture and trauma counselling.
'I am keen to look at how we can best support refugees to transition in Australia and to learn about their new home. Every city is different so travelling to all States and Territories is crucial,' Mr Ferguson said.
Mr Ferguson also met yesterday with representatives from the Bhutanese, Indian and Filipino communities.
'By obtaining feedback from community organisations, other interested parties and refugees themselves, the consultation will help us to improve and strengthen the services,' the Parliamentary Secretary said.
'Australia is consistently ranked in the world’s top three refugee resettlement countries, and we should feel proud of what we contribute to international efforts to make many people’s lives more secure.'
The consultations are taking place nationally, with the first in Newcastle on June 29 and the last in Albury on August 12. Eleven different communities in every state and territory in Australia will have been covered.
'This extremely valuable process will doubtless unearth many ideas and suggestions to further improve Australia’s settlement services,' Mr Ferguson said.
People unable to attend the consultations are welcome to provide written feedback on the IHSS discussion paper through the Department of Immigration and Citizenship website.
See: www.immi.gov.au/about/contracts-tenders-submissions/ihss-procurement.htm
Media contact: Carla Wilshire 0432 755 935
URL: http://www.minister.immi.gov.au
/parlsec/media/media-releases/2009/lf09040.htm
Last update: 04 August 2009 at 09:58 AEST