Wednesday, 18 June 2025

Refugees and asylum seekers

Anasina GRAY-BARBERIO (Northern Metropolitan) (18:05): (1720) My adjournment matter this evening is for the Minister for Multicultural Affairs, and the action I seek from the minister is that she publish a list of community-led organisations specialising in refugee support that received funding in both the 2024–25 and 2025–26 budgets.

Victoria receives around one-third of all refugees and people seeking asylum entering Australia, more than any other state or territory. In 2024 over 6600 refugees settled in Victoria, and an estimated 11,000 to 20,000 people seeking asylum live in our communities on bridging visas while awaiting decisions on their claims. As these numbers grow so too does the demand for culturally responsive community-based services – services that only grassroots organisations can provide with authenticity, trust and local knowledge. Community organisations play a vital role in delivering refugee services. These community-led organisations provide culturally appropriate, trusted and accessible support to refugees and people seeking asylum. While it is encouraging to see the Victorian government’s commitment of over $3.4 million in the 2025–26 state budget to support asylum seekers and newly arrived refugees, it would be great to understand if this is funding for frontline community organisations who are embedded in the communities they serve and who fill critical gaps that larger service providers may not reach. Many of these community organisations operate with volunteer staff, with minimal resources and are forced to rely on short-term competitive grants just to stay afloat.

In the Northern Metropolitan Region of Melbourne small initiatives supporting refugees have faced significant funding challenges. While many organisations receive support through programs like the settlement engagement and transition support program, also known as SETS, some small initiatives struggle to secure sustainable funding. Investing in these grassroots organisations is essential for building a more inclusive and effective refugee support network and closing service gaps. Minister, will you commit to publishing a list of these community-led organisations in the 2024–25 budget as well as the 2025–26 budget?