Thursday, 19 June 2025

Ministers statements: Refugee Week

Ingrid STITT (Western Metropolitan – Minister for Mental Health, Minister for Ageing, Minister for Multicultural Affairs) (12:41): This week is Refugee Week, and I want to acknowledge the profound impact that the refugee story has had on our state. Supporting people who seek refuge is part of our identity as modern Victorians. We welcome between 4000 and 6000 refugees every year, and we are proud to live in a state that is enriched by their contribution, from the migration of Vietnamese refugees 50 years ago to more recent arrivals from places such as Afghanistan, Ukraine and Palestine.

We know our refugee communities face significant barriers in accessing opportunities, which can make their journey to settle here very challenging. It is why we are supporting our refugee communities with over $20 million in programs through the 2025–26 Victorian budget. We are investing $3.6 million over two years to support regional organisations to deliver settlement supports and for the fantastic supported playgroup programs of the Victorian Cooperative on Children’s Services for Ethnic Groups, which connect refugee mothers and families with their community. We are also delivering $7.6 million to the Migrant Workers Centre to protect vulnerable workers and a range of initiatives to provide health and education supports for newly arrived migrants in Victoria, including over $56 million through the education portfolio for English as an additional language classes. We are also supporting the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre to provide targeted mental health supports and to Foundation House to continue the delivery of their trauma-informed counselling and group programs.

Refugee Week is an important opportunity for communities across Victoria to come together, to listen, to learn and to stand in solidarity with refugees and people seeking asylum. Our government is proud to continue to support our refugee communities.