By CAM LUCADOU-WELLS
GREATER Dandenong is recruiting Victorian councils to join them in a fight for more federal funding for support services for asylum seekers and refugees in the community.
Councillor Roz Blades said many asylum seekers had limited income and English and no work rights, putting them at acute disadvantage.
She said the flow-on crisis was putting immense strain on under-resourced charities, which were providing food, clothes, provisions, funds, health advice and language classes.
“It’s getting worse because the conditions are getting worse. Asylum seekers used to get some (government) help, now they get none.
“For us, that’s just a matter of fact. We’ve got to put the case to the Federal Government.”
Greater Dandenong has about 2000 asylum seekers living in the community – the most of any Victorian council.
In a council report last Monday, it was noted that asylum seekers suffer from a lack of community services, affordable housing, financial independence, boredom and social isolation.
Cr Blades was confident of winning the support of Victoria’s 77 other councils at a Municipal Association of Victoria meeting in July.
“Even though asylum seekers don’t affect every council, every council can relate to the draining of resources.”
David Spitteler, who runs the Asylum Seekers Centre in Dandenong, said the region’s charities were buckling under the “disproportionate” burden.
His charity provides food and clothes to about 320 families a week, without state and federal funding.
Mr Spitteler reluctantly limits each family to six months’ assistance, to control demand.
“People spend 18 months in the community with nothing and no long-term solution. They get angry, down and depressed, or they seek an illegal pathway.”
The council last Monday committed itself to developing a four-year action plan for “community detention refugees”.
The council will set up a working group of agency representatives, council officers and councillors to refine the plan.
