Govt calls on Churches and Charities to Help House Asylum Seekers

Catholic Communications, Sydney Archdiocese,
8 Dec 2010

Asylum seekers arriving by boat

The Federal Government is keeping its promise to release a significant number of women, children and vulnerable families from its over-crowded Christmas Island detention Centre and has called on the Red Cross along with Australian church groups and charitable organisations to help find accommodation to house them in the community.

Under the Government's plan, as many as 1500 unaccompanied children and family groups are expected to be relocated from Christmas Island, and other immigration detention facilities, into local communities where they will be able to move about freely and live as normal a life as possible.

The process of what the Department of Immigration and Citizenship is calling an "expansion of its residence determination program" will begin later this year and continue until June 2011.

This does not mean, however that the detainees who are moved into Australia's cities and towns will have any lawful status, and while their applications for asylum in Australia are processed, they will not be entitled to work or to study. In addition the asylum seekers will be required to regularly report to the Department and for some, conditions of their release into the community may include supervision and curfew arrangements.

To explain these restrictions and to inform Australian community and welfare agencies about exactly what is involved, the Department has invited a wide range of potential service providers including non government and faith-based organisations to a series of round table consultations.

Asylum Seekers

Government Begins Round Table Discussions
 
The first of these round tables was held in Melbourne on 7 December and tomorrow, 9 December the Department will host a similar round table discussion at Sydney's Mercure Hotel. Among those attending will be Frank Quinlan, Director of Catholic Social Services, Fr Sacha Bermudez-Goldman sj, Director of the Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS); Fr Jim Carty, Co-ordinator of the Marist Asylum Seeker and Refugee Service; and Cyril O'Connor from the House of Welcome (HOW) at Carramar. Also attending the meeting will be representatives from the Australian Red Cross, which has been appointed lead agency by the Department to implement its expanded community-based program for asylum seekers, together with members of the Society of St Vincent de Paul, United Care, Anglicare, the Salvation Army, the Brotherhood of St Lawrence and other community groups.

According to the Department, a series of round table meetings will be held in cities and towns across Australia. These will provide an opportunity for all interested parties to come together to discuss ways to source accommodation for the asylum seeker children and vulnerable families. The meetings will source out of home care, or foster care as it is better known, together with case worker and other services that may be required.

However until tomorrow's meetings details of how many detainees might be housed in Sydney and the type of financial arrangement being offered by the Government to welfare agencies and faith-based organisations for their support and the provision of accommodation remains unknown at this stage.

Christmas Island Detention Centre

Detention Release Welcomed by Refugee Groups

Nevertheless news that many detainees will be released from behind razor wire and permitted to live freely within the community while their applications for asylum are assessed, has met with a positive response from Australia's refugee advocates and agencies.

"I applaud the Government's decision and welcome the fact children and families can live in communities rather than held in detention," says Cyril O'Connor, Manager of the House of Welcome (HOW) and adds the decision has been "a long time coming."

HOW together with the Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS), is one of only two agencies that offer accommodation to refugees and asylum seekers. The Society of St Vincent de Paul (Vinnies) also provides shelter but is extremely limited and mostly confined to emergency accommodation which Vinnies uses as a back up to its financial assistance program for refugees. This programme helps them to sustain tenancies after their arrival in Australia when they are battling to learn English, trying to find a job and struggling to make ends meet.

First Small Step but Much More Needs to be Done

But while Cyril endorses and welcomes the Government's decision to release women, children and vulnerable families into the community, he hastens to point out that this is only "the first small step" and that "much more needs to be done where asylum seekers and refugees are concerned."

Cyril Connolly
(Courtesy Catholic Weekly)

He points out that the difficulties encountered by refugees, including the large numbers who arrive by air, also needs to be addressed, particularly with regard to housing.

Currently refugees who are processed at refugee camps overseas, arrive by air in Australia, but are given little Governmental help and find themselves desperate for accommodation, unable to speak the language and with no money, no income and no job.

In the 1950s, there were migrant hostels where people lived until they got on their feet and found work and could support their families. But according to refugee advocates, these days those who are granted asylum and visas, are simply "dropped" into the community and left to fend for themselves as best they can.

Luckily for some, there is the HOW or JRS to turn to.  A project of the Ecumenical Council of NSW, and largely financed by the Catholic Archdiocese of Sydney, HOW was initially established to help temporary protection visa holders who were unable to work, earn money and were virtually destitute as they waited for their cases to be assessed.

Since then, HOW has  been expanded to meet the ongoing needs of refugees whether they are on bridging visas, temporary humanitarian visas or in refugee limbo while waiting decisions on their applications or appeals.

Currently HOW is giving shelter and support to 60 refugees and asylum seekers as well as providing financial assistance to a further 80 or more. In addition HOW provides a haven and friendly faces for asylum seekers and refugees to call in, have a cup of coffee and access valuable resources, including classes in English, lessons in computer skills, medical help, schools or whatever else they might need.

Asylum boat

Housing Urgently Needed for Valid Visa Holders as well as Asylum Seekers

Currently the 14 houses HOW operates in Sydney for refugees and asylum seekers, house 11 families, one couple and nine singles - or 60 people in total - as well as offering much needed financial support to a further 80 refugees to help them buy food, pay for utilities as well as assist with the cost of accommodation.

Even those earning good money have a problem finding rentals in Sydney where demand far exceeds supply. For refugees and asylum seekers it is almost impossible.

"The Government's move is a good one but it only addresses a narrow, very specific group," Cyril says and adds that the Government must also look at income support and affordable housing for asylum seekers and refugees, pointing out that many in these groups having suffered severe emotional and sometimes physical trauma are now also facing homelessness, social exclusion, destitution, discrimination and psychological stress..

"What is needed is a coordinated approach between the Government and NGOs such as ourselves and groups like the Asylum Seeker Centre in Surry Hills, the Jesuit Refugee Centre, Vinnies and the Red Cross," he says and hopes the meeting on Thursday will signal the beginning of this which will lead to forward planning and a joint effort between NGOs and the Government.