Humanitarian Program 2023-24

The St Vincent de Paul Society in Australia has lodged a submission to the Australian Department of Home Affairs Discussion Paper on Australia’s 2023-24 Humanitarian Program.

The Humanitarian Program provides resettlement services for refugees and others who are displaced as a result of conflict, persecution and human rights abuses.

In its submission, the Society reiterated its call for the Albanese Government to expedite implementation of the Australian Labor Party National Platform to progressively expand the Program to 27,000 people per annum—with 5,000 additional places for community sponsored refugees—by 2025-26.

The Society emphasised the importance of the Program being flexible in responding to global events and to ensure Australia continues to play its part in providing humanitarian support, particularly in relation to the Afghan cohort.

‘Afghans who worked for the Australian Government and others in very high-risk occupations who have close links to Australia are not being sufficiently prioritised,’ National President Mark Gaetani said.

‘An implementation plan towards an annual Humanitarian Program of 27,000 places, with 5,000 additional places for community sponsored refugees, by 2025-26, is essential.

‘It is also critical that the Government recognise the need to offer additional places above the annual humanitarian intake in response to crises as they arise,’ Mr Gaetani said.

The Society also called for the Community Support Program (CSP) to be wound up and the Community Refugee Integration and Settlement Pilot (CRISP) to be expanded, with places to be additional to the Humanitarian Program.

‘The Society shares the concerns of the Refugee Council of Australia about the CSP – namely its costs, exclusionary criteria, requirement to purchase settlement support and high Approved Proposing Organisation fees,’ Mr Gaetani said.

‘We support the Council’s calls for CSP to be wound up and the CRISP to be expanded, with places made additional to the Humanitarian Program.

The Society also recommended:

• Rapid introduction of a fairer process for those rejected by, or still subject to, the fast-track process. And, in the meantime, immediate suspension of detention or deportation action for those rejected by the fast-track process, with them instead being granted visas to live in the community until they are able to access the new process
• Reform of the family reunion program
• Eligibility criteria for the SRSS be expanded and funding reinstated. Specialist support should be provided to help people navigate the complex social services system, including access to Special Benefit.
• Implementation of the ALP National Platform’s pledge to work with Indonesia to assess asylum seekers there and consider accepting those found to be refugees within Australia’s increased humanitarian intake, beginning in 2023-24. The same help should be extended to refugees in similar circumstances in other countries including Malaysia, Thailand, Pakistan and India.

For more information on the St Vincent de Paul Society, visit www.vinnies.org.au

MEDIA CONTACT DETAILS: MOB: 0475 068 209 | E: media@svdp.org.au