The unfolding number of refugees escaping from war-torn Syria has brought about much talk and speculation about the arrival of refugees in Australia in recent months.
News reports have shown that, in recent years, groups of refugees arriving in Australia have been from persecuted minority groups, some of whom are Christian.
Archdiocese of Perth Manager for Social Services Development Renay Grech this week told The eRecord that he is continuing to take calls from members of the Catholic community enquiring how they might provide assistance.
“To this end, I have been working with a group of Catholic agencies across the Archdiocese to determine how we can best support these people on their arrival,” Mr Grech said.
“It is still not clear when the refugees will be arriving in Perth, but it may not be until early next year,” he said.
Mr Grech went on to explain that the Australian government has well-organised strategies for supporting refugees on their arrival.
Upon their arrival, refugees will be assisted in the immediate term by Federal Government-contracted agencies, Communicare and the North Metropolitan Migrant Resource Centre, which will include meeting people at the airport and helping them to find immediate accommodation for up to 12 months.
Other forms of support provided include assistance with finances, educational needs, counselling for the traumatised and general community and cultural orientation.
“These are delivered in a planned and co-ordinated manner by non-profit organisations which employ highly trained and skilled staff,” Mr Grech explained.
“I have been in discussion with both these organisations and have agreed that the Church will work with them to ensure the best outcomes for this very vulnerable group of people.
“My sense is that parishes will probably be able to play a very important role in providing ongoing support after the initial six to 12 month settlement period.
Bring compassion and respect back into the asylum seeker and refugee debate, says St Vincent de Paul Society
The St Vincent de Paul Society is calling for a new asylum seeker and refugee debate in
Australia that is more compassionate and adheres to international law.
The Society’s National Council has recently adopted a new policy framework that is based on the shared humanity with asylum seekers and refugees, underpinned by the principles of international cooperation, onshore resettlement and proper support to help people after they arrive.
The new policy comes in the wake of international condemnation of Australia’s asylum seeker and refugee policy at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, and calls from hundreds of prominent Australians to close offshore detention centres.
St Vincent de Paul Society National Council Chief Executive, Dr John Falzon, called on political leaders to accept Australia’s obligations under international law.
“To protect the rights of all people, especially those who are fleeing war and persecution and who need our help,” Dr Falzon said.
“The Society continues to oppose mandatory detention and offshore processing of asylum seekers and calls for the timely processing of applications and immediate removal of children, women and men from detention centres.
“A number of countries have raised significant issues with Australia’s asylum seeker and refugee policy, including some of our closest allies, such as the United States and Britain.
“This criticism of Australia’s policies should be a wake-up call for the government to start to put in place a more humane and fair policy.”
Some main points from The Society’s Policy and Position Statement for People Seeking Asylum include:
- Australia’s response to the needs of people seeking asylum should be generous and flexible. Policies imposing sanctions on people seeking asylum in order to deter others from coming here are an unjustifiable breach of human rights.
- The Society encourages the Government to work harder with other nations to protect vulnerable people, and to support more effectively the efforts of the countries to which people first flee when they leave their own lands.
- Australia must adhere to international treaties and international law designed to protect people fleeing from danger.
- The Society recognises that a regional response to coping with the flow of people seeking asylum could reduce the need for them to risk the hazardous open sea voyage to Australia. The Society supports efforts to establish such responses in transit countries, but only if those states can provide legal protection to people seeking asylum, humane living conditions and work rights.
- The Society believes in equal treatment of all people seeking asylum, irrespective of their mode of arrival or at which part of Australian territory they arrived.
- The Society believes that it is always unjustifiable to deport people to any place where they face a dangerous situation or persecution.
- The Society continues to oppose all mandatory detention and offshore processing of asylum seekers, and calls for the timely processing of applications and immediate removal of children, women and men from detention centres.
- The Society advocates for the appointment of an independent guardian for unaccompanied children seeking asylum in Australia. Children seeking asylum in Australia and their families must also receive priority in release from detention.
Read more at www.vinnies.org.au/asylumseekerpolicy.