Funding will aid refugees

SUDANESE migrants living in Greater Dandenong learned more about how a State Government funding commitment will benefit their settlement this week.
Deputy Premier and Attorney-General Rob Hulls met with leaders from Melbourne’s Sudanese community on Tuesday to discuss the Government’s new strategy to assist refugees.
The government last week announced $19.7 million in funding through the State Budget for interpreting services and the creation of a Refugee Support Strategy focusing on health, education and justice initiatives.
“The Brumby Government has a strong position on immigration. We believe Australia is richer for the diversity,” Mr Hulls told the Sudanese Leadership Dialogue group.
“We can and we must do a better job at helping migrants settle in Victoria. I am proud to say this government is committed to the task.”
The strategy will provide for expansion of the Refugee Health Nurse Program.
Mr Hulls said it would develop and maintain the capacity of Victorian schools to provide effective education to young people from refugee backgrounds. The Justice for Refugees program will build on partnerships between the State and local governments.
One such initiative is a mediation course organised by the City of Greater Dandenong, and run in conjunction with the Dispute Settlement Centre of Victoria. Nine of the participants in the mediation course come from the Southern Sudanese community, many of whom are part of the Sudanese Leadership Dialogue group.