I commend the Federal Government on its announcement in 2023 of a pathway to permanency for around 19,000 refugees living on Temporary Protection Visas and Safe Haven Enterprise Visas across Australia.  

The week prior to this announcement, I shared the story of one such refugee, Jan Ali Haidari, in Parliament.  Click here to listen to this speech in the Federation Chamber.  

Many community groups in Curtin and all over the country refused to accept our treatment of refugees in Australia and kept advocating for those living in limbo.  I am proud that I, and other crossbenchers, have kept this issue front and centre for the Government and will continue to hold the Government to account in implementing this announcement. 

There is still much more work to be done in relation to offshore and onshore detention and our humanitarian intake.  Despite the Government’s 2023 announcement many of those19000 refugees living on temporary visas shave not been processed and cannot make long-term plans and fully commit to their lives in Australia.

I am keenly aware of the need and the challenges of the current crisis in global refugees now worsening with conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine. I was heartened by the ALP’s pre-election promise of increasing the government funded humanitarian program to 27,000 places over four years and increasing the community sponsored refugee program to 5,000 places.

The 2024-25 Budget indicated that the refugee and humanitarian program will remain at 20,000 places however refugee settlement support services will receive additional funding of $120.9 million over five years $2.9 million will be allocated to support for people who have fled the crisis in Gaza and Israel and $1.9 million to extend access to Medicare for Ukrainians on bridging visas. 

I meet regularly with refugee groups and have worked closely with the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre as well as local refugee advocates in Curtin,. I also meet regularly with Minister for Immigration to raise refugee and asylum seeker issues.

I will continue to advocate for the humane treatment of refugee and asylum seekers. I will keep this issue front and centre for the Government.