The Asylum Seeker Resource Centre (ASRC) has said asylum seekers and refugees have been “left behind” in the 2022-2023 Federal Budget.
The Budget, announced March 29, states that the government’s Humanitarian Program will remain at 13,750 places in 2022-23.
The ASRC has called this intake “a ceiling”, and referred to the fact that Australia only granted 5947 resettlement visas (4558 offshore visas and 1389 permanent Protection visas) last year, well under the allocated limit.
They also expressed frustration at the exclusion of refugees and asylum seekers from the $250 Cost of Living Payment, intended to help eligible recipients with higher cost of living pressures.
The government announced they will provide $665.9 million over 4 years from 2022-23 for an additional 16,500 humanitarian places for Afghan nationals, a move that the ASRC said was positive.
In addition, they pledged $9.2 million in 2022-23 to extend Youth Transition Support services, which will continue to support increased participation in education and community sport, as well as help with the transition to employment.
Chief executive and founder of the ASRC Kon Karapanagiotidis OAM said despite some positive announcements, the Budget was still “a missed opportunity to correct the many issues with our current immigration and refugee system.”
“Additionally, expenditure continues to be wasted on the chaotic, cruel and broken detention and offshore processing system,” he said.
“The additional humanitarian intake from Afghanistan, thanks to the tireless work of people from Afghanistan in Australia, is welcome.”
ASRC director of advocacy and campaigns Jana Favero said while it was clear public sentiment had changed in regards to refugees, she was concerned about how excluded they still were from mainstream support services such as Centrelink.
“People who arrived on our shores seeking safety are still held against their will in detention and excluded from mainstream social services when released,” she said.
“But we will keep fighting so the winds of change go from a slight breeze to gale force until all refugees and people seeking asylum are treated with the dignity and fairness they deserve.”
