Many people settled in Australia’s capital cities say they would have preferred to resettle in regional towns had they known what opportunities were available to them outside of metropolitan centres. As the lifestyle and employment opportunities become more widely known, many migrants living in big cities are raising their hands to move to regional communities.
AMPARO Advocacy has produced two fact sheets to provide information to people from culturally and linguistically diverse communities about disability and the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS)
SBS EXPLAINER: The controversial requirement is often the one thing standing between many migrant families and permanent residency in Australia. It affects nearly everyone with a disability or illness applying for an Australian visa, it’s been around for decades and has been labelled as discriminatory and ableist – but many people have no idea that the immigration health requirement even exists.
The Ethnic Communities’ Council of Victoria (ECCV) consulted with migrant and refugee community members to identify what facilitates or hinders access to the NDIS and other disability services for them, their families, and their communities. ECCV wanted to better understand if and how the NDIS has improved the lives and wellbeing of Victoria’s culturally diverse communities. It was found that many community members face significant difficulties accessing appropriate disability services, lack adequate knowledge, and are currently prevented from participating and reaching their full potential in society.
The Regional Australia Institute has released a new paper aimed at helping regional communities to attract and retain migrants from Australia’s cities or overseas, new arrivals on skilled working visas, or humanitarian grounds.
Violence Against Women occurs across the social spectrum and in all cultures. However certain groups of women are particularly vulnerable to being victimised, and men to perpetrating violence, owing to their greater exposure to known risk factors for this violence. Among these are some CALD communities. This report examines this issue from many perspectives and is a well-resourced overview for those entering the field of dealing with Violence Against Women in CALD Communities.
The Victorian Government has amended the Planning and Environment Act 1987 to define affordable housing. This is to encourage an increase in affordable housing through local councils seeking a voluntary affordable housing contribution, as part of planning approval processes.
The City of Greater Shepparton has taken action to lay the foundations for a Draft Greater Shepparton Affordable Housing Policy. This policy will look at how issues around social housing, affordability and homelessness can be addressed at a local level.
The UN Migration Agency (International Organization for Migration) visited Ethnic Council of Shepparton and District during July 2019. Staff members attended and heard about the activities and services of UN Migration Agency IOM.
The Australian Human Rights Commission has recently conducted a risk management audit of all detention centres in Australia. A comprehensive – and pictorial – report was compiled. People held in immigration detention, as well as staff working in detention facilities, face genuine risks to their health, safety, security and their human rights more broadly.
People are the single most important factor for an innovative economy. As Prime Minister Turnbull said recently, “Our greatest asset is not the rocks under the ground but it’s the people that walk on top”. Knowledge and skills circulating through a network of people builds to a critical mass where innovation can prosper. Silicon Valley didn’t pop up overnight, it took 60 years to build. People were and continue to be the essential component. Immigration is not the first thing that springs to mind when considering innovation policy.
The effect of migration on productivity is complex. On the one hand, productivity receives a boost because migrants are concentrated in the prime working age group and are relatively highly educated. Moreover, they are more likely to participate in the workforce and have higher levels of personal productivity.
Employment is a crucial step in the process of settling in Australia. Through work, refugees become self-reliant and empowered to build a future for themselves and their families. Hence, the Migration Council of Australia in collaboration with Friendly Nation Initiative and TENT have produced this Australian Guide to Hiring Refugees.