By Sahar Foladi
Asylums seekers in Greater Dandenong are set to face harsher circumstances due to a decline in social support in the Federal Budget, advocates say.
The Asylum Seeker Resource Centre has labelled the budget as “breadcrumbs for compassion” after a 54 per cent social support funding decline for 2024-’25.
The non-for-profit ASRC, which advocates and supports the rights of asylum seekers and refugees in Australia, has criticised the budget for not delivering for people seeking asylum.
Social support funding had dropped to $17 million, down 95 per cent from $300 million in 2015-2016.
Jana Favero, ASRC’s head of systemic change said this year’s budget only adds to the limbo, despair and destitution.
“What was announced in Canberra is a far cry from what we are witnessing on the ground in Footscray and Dandenong.
“It’s a budget bereft of compassion, fairness or hope for families, children, women, and men seeking our protection.”
The tight spend on the social support means asylum seekers will be heavily dependent on community organisations such as Refugee Resource Hub (RRH) powered by ASRC for emergency food support, crisis housing and urgent medical care.
The RRH currently supports 160 people per month and their families seeking asylum who need financial and material support, food, health services and legal support.
According to Qutbiallam Timor director of RRH, some have only been in Australia for a year whilst majority are stuck in limbo close to a decade now “with no certainty about their future”.
“Most of the people who come through our doors don’t have access to work or study rights, Medicare or any other form of government support putting their health and wellbeing at risk which is incredibly stressful for them.
“The rising cost of living is proving even more challenging for our members who are already struggling to feed their families and feeling nervous about the future.”
Asylum seekers are excluded from mainstream support including childcare subsidies and Job Seeker while costs of living have soared. This goes hand in hand with some being denied the right to work and to access higher education.
“At the same time as charities are inundated and seeking greater investment in frontline services, Labor is happy to pay $600,000 per person to hold people on Nauru,” Ms Favero said.
“Where is the sense and compassion in that? It’s totally out of step with the poverty and destitution facing people seeking asylum.”
Since 2018, Greater Dandenong Council has led the Local Government Mayoral Taskforce Supporting People Seeking Asylum, which advocates for the rights of people seeking asylum to Federal and State governments.
Greater Dandenong mayor, Lana Formoso agrees with ASRC’s budget disappointment.
“I agree with the ASRC that the most recent Federal Budget was a disappointment for people seeking asylum and the organisations and charities that are forced to pick up the slack.
“There is unprecedented demand on these organisations and Council is working closely with local charities to support local individuals and families in the greatest of need.
“Alongside our calls to simplify the system and provide timely and fair reviews, we have been campaigning for access to work and study rights, income support and reliable healthcare,“ she said.
“People seeking asylum are no different to you and me – they need the foundations. A place to call home, food on the table and an opportunity to contribute back to society.“
The council is also part of a number of initiatives such as Back Your Neighbour campaign to “amplify the voices of people seeking asylum and ensure their stories are heard by all Australians, particularly those in power”.
Its Multicultural and People Seeking Asylum Advisory Committee includes “informed, engaged and qualified” representatives from the community and local organisations working in Greater Dandenong.
Despite the downside, ASRC welcomed some positive Budget news which includes the extension of Medicare eligibility for Bridging Visa E holders to support people from Palestine and Israel and $2 million to Red Cross for emergency financial assistance for recent arrivals.
There were no promises on the pathway to permanent visas for the 7500 asylum seekers on temporary visas who were ‘left behind’, the ASRC stated.
However, ASRC welcomes the $854.3 million funding over the next four years allocated for the roll-out of a replacement for the previous defective Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT) and flawed Fast Track process which “resulted in thousands of people seeking asylum receiving unfair and unjust outcomes”.
