By Cam Lucadou-Wells
A multi-council taskforce led by Greater Dandenong has hired a public advocacy PR firm to lobby against deep welfare cuts to community asylum seekers.
Agenda Group will spearhead the campaign on behalf of the Local Government Mayoral Taskforce Supporting People Seeking Asylum.
It is expected to be launched this month.
The campaign’s chief targets are the Federal Government’s cuts to Status Resolution Support Services (SRSS) payments and more State Government support services for asylum seekers.
About 300 asylum seekers in Victoria – many of whom live in Greater Dandenong – have been recently cut from the SRSS program. They are at high risk of homelessness and poorer mental health.
Up to 600 more in Victoria could be removed from SRSS payments by December.
It removes them from their allowance – which is just 89 per cent of a NewStart payment – but also access to trauma counselling and support services.
Greater Dandenong councillor Matthew Kirwan said one of the tasks is to get more cut-through with metropolitan newspapers, TV, radio and social media.
He said there was little public awareness of the SRSS changes, and the impacts on asylum-seekers in the community.
Very few seemed to realise there were 2000 asylum seekers living in Greater Dandenong, waiting in limbo as to whether they’ll be accepted as refugees or deported, Cr Kirwan noted.
“Our own local newspapers have covered the impact of the changes to the (SRSS) support very well but so far only limited state and national media coverage has occurred.”
A second wave of advocacy is expected to coincide with a Federal election – which is due anytime until May 2019.
The mayoral taskforce consists of 12 Victorian councils – with five on the executive, including Greater Dandenong.
Greater Dandenong is also secretariat for the taskforce; its mayor Youhorn Chea is the chairman.
