A review of migration policy is underway and will include "critical policy shifts", a spokesperson told the ABC. The federal government plans to release its new Migration Strategy later this year. Meanwhile….
Experts say migration key to Australia's growth as population ages. SBS News
Over the next 40 years, the number of Australians aged 65 and over will more than double.
That's the forecast from the government's Intergenerational Report. It means a significant proportion of Australians will age out of the workforce in the coming years.
Economists and groups like the Business Council of Australia are among those urging the government to look to migration to fill the vacancies those retirements will create.
Experts say migration key to Australia's growth as population ages. SBS News
Tiff fled Malaysia in fear. But starting a new life here as a trans man wasn’t easy. By Sandra Fulloon, SBS News
Tiff is packing donated clothing at a not-for-profit in Melbourne that supports refugees and asylum seekers.
The service is based in the city’s west, and has helped Tiff and thousands like him through extreme hardship during the pandemic and the current cost of living crisis.
“Without services like West Welcome Wagon, I would not be here. I would not have put food on my table, or have clothing, a bed to sleep on. Maybe I would be sleeping on the street.”
VIDEO: UN sounds alarm on declining food assistance for Rohingya refugees. ABC News
Médecins Sans Frontières Australia's Jennifer Tierney shares her experience of visiting a Rohingya refugee camp.
VIDEO: UN sounds alarm on declining food assistance for Rohingya refugees. ABC News
Refugees are finding it hard to rent a home in Australia for this 'pervasive' reason. SBS News
Ziersch also noted that racial bias could stem from how refugees are talked about by media and politicians.
"Some of the negative discourse around asylum seekers and refugees plays into it (the selection process) where landlords think people are going to be problematic because of their refugee background," she said.
Refugees are finding it hard to rent a home in Australia for this 'pervasive' reason. SBS News
Remembering escaping from Vietnam: SBS News in Depth, By Mahnaz Angury
"From 1977 through to 1991, Australia resettled around 150 thousand Vietnamese refugees and migrants. As we know the White Australia policy ended 50 years ago this year in 1973 so we could see that the arrival of Vietnamese refugees was really the first test to the disestablishment of the White Australia policy."
Fewer than 700 Australians reported Vietnam as their birth place in the 1971 census - but that number grew to more than 80 thousand 15 years later.
In the latest census, there were more than 268 thousand people who reported Vietnam as their country of birth.
Remembering escaping from Vietnam: SBS News in Depth, By Mahnaz Angury
Dear son, why I left you in Afghanistan – Full Story podcast. Presented by Jane Lee with Shadi Khan Saif and Ben Doherty, The Guardian
Forgive me Walo, perhaps I am not as powerful as you might think. In fact I often feel very hopeless as nothing seems to be working right to get us reunited. But hang in there, I have not given up and I will not!
‘Governments should grow up’: Liberal heavyweight Nick Greiner says refugee limbo must end. By David Crowe, SMH
The comments highlight the plight of more than 1000 refugees and asylum seekers who are being refused settlement in Australia because they arrived by boat and were processed on Nauru and Manus Island, a key policy under Labor and Liberal leaders over the past decade.
Victorian recycling company found to have systematically underpaid refugees and asylum seekers. By Ben Doherty, The Guardian
Refugees and asylum seekers employed to sort rubbish were systematically exploited and underpaid by one of the biggest recycling organisations in Victoria.
A recycling company formerly known as Polytrade, a linked subsidiary, and its owners, were fined more than $375,000 in the federal court this month, over what a judge described as “obnoxious conduct” and a “cavalier disregard” for the law, grossly underpaying migrant workers who spoke little English and were vulnerable to exploitation.
The five workers were in Australia on protection visas and bridging visas, pending the approval of protection visa applications. They had arrived in Australia as asylum seekers from south Asia.
Iranian asylum seekers share stories of living 'in limbo' as marathon quest for freedom drags on. By James Manley and Bransen Gibson, ABC Shepparton
Despite being offered a scholarship, Ms Kashani says she is unable to study law because a condition of her bridging visa is that she cannot study at university.
"You're meant to have the right to study. You're meant to have the right to education," she said.
"That's been deprived of me."
Refugee sent away by Australia savours life in Canada. By Abdul Hekmat, The Canberra Times
"The difference between Australia and Canada is that you are imprisoned in Australia, and now you're free in Canada," he said.
"They (the Australian government) took our freedom, made us sick, punished us every single minute and separated us from our families."
While in Canada, Myo has used his experience as an application writer to help medically evacuate refugees and asylum seekers from Nauru.
Refugee sent away by Australia savours life in Canada. By Abdul Hekmat, The Canberra Times
Labor national conference: who won, who lost and where is the party going next? By Sarah Basford Canales, The Guardian
Refugee and asylum seekers
Delegates passed amendments to grant asylum seekers study and work rights while their protection claims are processed.
The party’s policy platform was also changed to back the appointment of a special envoy for refugee and asylum seeker issues and to initiate a parliamentary inquiry into immigration detention.
Don’t shut the door on Afghans. The people deserve connectivity and all its hope and promise. By Nicola Gordon-Smith, The Guardian
Nicola Gordon-Smith is a former Australian diplomat. She served as ambassador to Afghanistan from 2018-2019 and head of the taskforce for Australia’s Afghanistan assisted departure team.
While Australia managed to get many locally employed Afghans and their immediate family out, many family members remain behind. And that is very hard for those people, who are experiencing fear and anxiety being separated from family members, loved ones. The issue of refugees requires regional approaches, and global. It is not simple, there are many aspects of domestic and international policy involved. It’s about people – it matters and it’s very difficult.
Hopes landmark move will expose 'invisible' barriers migrants face. By Finn McHugh, SBS News
For the first time, migrants will be able to use their native language to take part in a major review of the government's multicultural policies.
Submissions for the federal government's Multicultural Framework Review have opened and, in a landmark move, the Home Affairs Department will accept input in all languages.
Submissions will close on 29 September, with the review expected to be handed down early next year.
Hopes landmark move will expose 'invisible' barriers migrants face. By Finn McHugh, SBS News
Refugee mother says giving birth in Wollongong Hospital one of most traumatic experiences of her life. By Penny Burfitt, ABC News
A review of 27 studies on migrant women's experiences of maternity care in Australia published by the University of Melbourne in 2022 showed many struggled to access interpreters, experienced hostile treatment and did not feel able to give informed consent.
Australia settles with family of refugee Reza Barati, murdered on Manus Island in 2014. By Ben Doherty, The Guardian
“While there is nothing that will bring our Reza back or lessen the pain of his loss, we are glad that this case is over. We are satisfied that we fought for justice for Reza and are relieved now that we can try to move on with our lives.”
Asylum seekers left living in poverty as government payments dry up. By Maryanne Taouk, ABC
Kindness keeps Ali* fed each night.
His upstairs neighbour cooks dinner for the 33-year-old, who fled the so-called Islamic State more than a decade ago. Without it, he would not eat.
Asylum seekers left living in poverty as government payments dry up. By Maryanne Taouk, ABC
Business lobby rejects Coalition’s ‘disingenuous’ claims Labor pursuing big Australia policy. By Paul Karp, The Guardian
The BCA chief executive, Jennifer Westacott, said “two-thirds of Australians believe that properly planned and well-managed migration is beneficial to the nation”.
“However, there is a current misconception that our migration figures are higher than normal,” she said.
“It is important to recognise migration numbers currently recorded simply reflect a rebalancing after the pandemic border closures in 2020 and 2021.
“Our population is actually expected to be smaller than previously forecast irrespective of the current catch-up period of migration.”
Australia's humanitarian intake will rise to 10-year high, but still short of Labor's pledge. SBS News
Australia is raising its annual humanitarian program intake from 17,875 to 20,000 people.
"With more people displaced worldwide than ever before, the Albanese Labor government is stepping up to play its part in the global resettlement effort in a responsible way," Immigration Minister Andrew Giles said.
Amar is driving from Sydney to Darwin to engage diverse communities with the Yes campaign. By James McManagan, ABC News
Mr Singh says that a shared collective experience between Australian migrants helps communicate the significance of the referendum.
"Most migrants have seen the struggle themselves — they've landed here with a suitcase and understand that it's a time to appreciate our First Nations people, whose land we are on," he says.