By Cam Lucadou-Wells
Asylum-seeker families are at crisis point due to being deprived from the Federal Government’s $130 billion JobKeeper coronavirus relief package.
Since the Covid-19 lockdown, Friends of Refugees chief executive Sri Samy has been facing a deluge of desperate people in need of food and material aid – including Australian citizens laid off from work since March.
Faced with greater need, FoR’s food stocks and donations had dwindled to nothing.
The charity was saved by material aid packages from Greater Dandenong Council’s $330,000 Covid-19 relief response on 9 April.
“Normally we have two weeks of stock available.
“We were seeing a lot more young families and we weren’t getting financial donations – everyone was tightening their belts because of the financial uncertainty.
“We were in a very bad situation until fortunately the council came in. We hadn’t been able to help families for two weeks – we ran out of everything.”
The council’s packages put “food on the table” for 100 FoR families in the past week – but the outlook was “really scary”. Families in need of food had surged 50 per cent – up to 150 a week.
“We hope things will get back to normality soon.”
The JobKeeper allowance, designed to help corona-struck businesses and about 6 million workers, has also stemmed the tide to some extent, Ms Samy said.
But it provides nothing for so many asylum seekers on bridging visas and refugees on temporary visas who have lost their jobs.
Some were even denied the meagre Status Resolution Support Services (SRSS) payments – tied to 89 per cent of NewStart.
“It’s really sad. We try to do what we can to help.”
Those who arrive on temporary work visas have also been excluded, but at least they have a choice, Ms Samy said.
“These people who seek asylum don’t have a country to go back to.
“Even though there’s a lot of desperation, they understand the situation. They want to work but they know we need to bunker down.”
The Federal Government’s position has been to prioritise Australians and permanent residents with Covid-19 welfare support.
Acting Immigration Minister Alan Tudge recently said of the plight of “temporary visitors”: “If you cannot support yourself over the next six months, then you should consider leaving the country and going home to a place where you can be supported.”
To donate food and money, go to friendsofrefugees.org.au/
