A Human Rights Activist siad that its time for our Tamil Organisations to make pro-active representations for those thousands of voiceless tamil innocents suffering in North-East of Sri Lanka rather than re-acting slowley. Nordic monitors have recently condemed the indiscriminate use of cluster shells by Sri Lankan military forces targetting civilians targets like Hospitals, Schools etc.

 Full Text of the Media Release by DIMA follows,

2007-08 Humanitarian Programme

Minister for Immigration and Multicultural Affairs, Senator Amanda Vanstone, invites the public to provide a submission on Australia’s 2007-08 Humanitarian Programme.

A Discussion Paper on the 2007-08 Humanitarian Programme which details the issues the Minister is specifically seeking input on this year is below.

The discussion paper is also available in PDF format.
See: 2007-08 Humanitarian Programme - Discussion Paper (202KB PDF)

2007-08 Humanitarian Programme - Discussion Paper

• What is the Humanitarian Programme?
• The onshore component of the Humanitarian Programme: honouring Australia’s protection obligations
• The offshore component of the Humanitarian Programme
• The size and composition of the Humanitarian Programme
• 2005-06 Humanitarian Programme outcome
• The offshore component of the Humanitarian Programme: resettling those in greatest need
• History of Australia’s humanitarian response
• Settlement Issues
• Onshore Assistance for Humanitarian Entrants - the IHSS
• Onshore Assistance for Humanitarian Entrants - the Settlement Grants Programme
• Regional settlement
• Submissions

What is the Humanitarian Programme?

Australia’s Humanitarian Programme aims to:

• Assist people in humanitarian need overseas for whom resettlement in another country is the only available option;
• Share the responsibility for refugee protection with the international community; and
• Honour Australia’s obligations onshore under the Refugees Convention.¹

Australia’s Humanitarian Programme costs approximately $500 million a year, or $2 billion over a four-year budget cycle.

The programme has an onshore and an offshore component.

¹The United Nations 1951 Convention and 1967 Protocol relating to the Status of Refugees (the Refugees Convention) defines refugees as people who are outside their country of nationality and unable or unwilling to return because of a well-founded fear of persecution for reason of race, religion, nationality, membership or a particular social group or political opinion.

It obliges signatories not to expel or return refugees to a country where their life or freedom would be threatened on account of their race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion.

The onshore component of the Humanitarian Programme: honouring Australia’s protection obligations

The onshore component of the programme offers protection to asylum seekers who have entered Australia, either without a visa or as temporary entrants, and who engage Australia’s protection obligations under the Refugees Convention and relevant Australian laws.

For further details please refer to the booklet Refugee and Humanitarian Issues: Australia’s Response.
See: Refugee and Humanitarian Issues: Australia’s Response (856KB PDF file)

The offshore component of the Humanitarian Programme

The offshore, or resettlement component of the programme goes beyond any international obligations and reflects Australia’s desire to assist refugees and other people of concern who are in greatest need of resettlement as a durable solution. It is the principal planned method by which Australia shares the responsibility for refugee protection with the international community, ranking in the top three each year with the US and Canada in the number of people resettled.

The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) is the organisation mandated by the United Nations to lead and coordinate international action for the worldwide protection of refugees and the resolution of refugee situations. Of the three durable solutions promoted by the UNHCR for the longer term protection needs of people displaced by humanitarian crises, voluntary repatriation in conditions of safety and dignity is the preferred option for a majority of these people. It is preferred because no person should be deprived of their home, culture and society. Local integration in the country of first asylum is the next preferred option. Resettlement in a third country is only recommended by UNHCR when the first two options are not possible or suitable.

The size and composition of the Humanitarian Programme

Each year the Government decides the total number of places to be made available for the Humanitarian Programme. The Government also decides the regional focus of the offshore component. These decisions take into account a number of factors which include:

• UNHCR’s assessment of resettlement needs;
• The views of individuals and organisations in Australia; and
• Australia’s capacity to assist.

The programme is set at 13,000 new places for 2006-07. This is the third year it has been set at this level. It had previously been set at 12,000 new places each year since 1996.
See: Media Release: Another 13,000 Refugees to Call Australia Home

Programme management arrangements allow the Government the flexibility to respond to emerging humanitarian crises:

• Places can be moved between onshore and offshore components according to need;
• Places not used by the end of the programme year (because they have been held in reserve for an emergency, for example) can be added to the next year’s allocation; and
• Places can be ‘re-credited’ for (a) visas granted offshore but not used by the holder, and (b) temporary protection visas granted to people who then leave Australia.

2005-06 Humanitarian Programme outcome

During 2005-06, 14,144 visas were granted, including:

• The highest number (12,758) of offshore visas granted since 1995-96;
• The highest number of Woman at Risk visas (995 or 16.5% of offshore Refugee grants against a target of 10.5%) granted since this visa category was established in 1989.

In 2005-06:

• 55.65% of visas granted offshore went to people born in Africa; followed by
• 33.98% Middle East and South West Asia;
• 9.88% other Asian regions; and
• 0.49% Europe and the Americas.

In 2005-06 the top 10 countries of birth of offshore humanitarian visa grantees were:

The offshore component of the Humanitarian Programme: resettling those in greatest need

Question: How can the Humanitarian Programme best target those in greatest need of resettlement?

Question: How can the Special Humanitarian Program best target those in greatest need of resettlement?

The offshore component’s selection criteria are designed to ensure that visas are granted to refugees and others overseas with a compelling humanitarian need for resettlement to Australia.

Applications made overseas for humanitarian visas are processed at designated Australian diplomatic missions. Some Special Humanitarian Program applications are processed onshore in either the NSW Offshore Humanitarian Processing Centre or Melbourne Offshore Humanitarian Processing Centre. Visas granted under the offshore component of the Humanitarian Programme usually confer on the holder the right to Australian permanent residence.

The last ten years have seen the regional focus of the offshore component of the Humanitarian Programme shift from South-East Asia and Central America to the former Yugoslavia, the Middle East and South-West Asia, Africa, and now a greater focus on Asia.   

The offshore component has three categories: the Refugee category, the Special Humanitarian Program and the Secondary Movement category.

The Refugee category is for people who are subject to persecution in their home country and for whom resettlement to Australia is the best durable solution. Australia works closely with UNHCR in selecting people under this category. A sub-category of the refugee category is the Woman at Risk visa subclass for female applicants who are subject to persecution, or registered as being of concern to UNHCR, and who are living outside their home country, do not have the protection of a male relative and are in danger of victimisation, harassment or serious abuse because of their sex.

The Special Humanitarian Program is for applicants who are subject to substantial discrimination amounting to gross violation of human rights and who are living outside their home country. Applications for Special Humanitarian Program visas must be accompanied by a proposal from an Australian citizen or permanent resident over 18 years of age, or an eligible New Zealand citizen, or an organisation operating in Australia.

The Secondary Movement category is for people who are subject to persecution or substantial discrimination in their home country and who move beyond the country of first asylum to seek asylum in a country of their choice. This category was introduced in September 2001 along with other changes intended to deter non-citizens from entering Australia without a visa and to discourage refugees from abandoning or bypassing protection in another country in order to seek a preferred migration outcome.

For more details on these visa subclasses please refer to Refugee and Humanitarian Issues: Australia’s Response.
See: Refugee and Humanitarian Issues: Australia’s Response

For more details on settlement services available to humanitarian entrants please refer to New Beginnings: Life in Australia.
See: New Beginnings: Life in Australia

History of Australia’s humanitarian response

Australia has a proud record of resettling refugees and people in humanitarian need from around the world, beginning with 7,000 German Jews in the late 1930s.

Many refugees arrived in the period following World War II: from the mid-1950s to the mid-1970s Australia resettled people fleeing communist regimes in Eastern Europe.

During the 1970s, the focus of resettlement activity was broadened to include Chileans following the overthrow of the Allende government in 1973 and people from the countries of Indo-China after 1975. Resettlement from Eastern Europe continued, for example, from Poland after martial law was declared in December 1981.

The 1980s were marked by innovative responses to international developments.  For example, in the early years of the decade case‑by‑case refugee selection was introduced at Australian overseas missions, and the Special Humanitarian Program was established to cater for people who were in refugee-like situations but who did not necessarily meet the Convention definition of a ‘refugee’.

The 1990s saw the global focus on mass displacements of people change from South East Asia to Europe (principally former Yugoslavia). Australia, with other resettlement countries, has a significant focus on resettling people from Africa and is reflecting the global trend towards increased resettlement from Asia.

Since the end of World War II more than six million migrants have come to Australia. Over 675,000 of them arrived under humanitarian programmes.

Waves of refugees to Australia

• 170,000 displaced persons from Eastern Europe between 1947 and 1954
• 14,000 White Russians from China between 1947 and 1985
• 14,000 Hungarians after the 1956 uprising
• almost 6,000 Czechs after the Prague Spring of 1968
• 18,000 Lebanese resettled after the 1975 Civil War
• more than 155,000 Vietnamese since 1975
• around 23,000 Iraqis since the early 1990s
• around 41,500 people from the former Yugoslavia since 1991
• more than 20,000 Sudanese since 1996
• around 3,000 Somalis since 1996
• over 1,900 Sierra Leoneans since 1999
• over 1,400 Burmese since 2004

Settlement Issues

Pre-embarkation cultural information and orientation

Question: What information should be included in pre-embarkation information and cultural orientation classes to ensure that humanitarian entrants have realistic expectations of life in Australia? 

Background

Australian Cultural Orientation (AUSCO) is a programme that is currently available to all humanitarian entrants over five years of age. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) is contracted to deliver this programme on behalf of the Australian Government. The AUSCO programmes are delivered to humanitarian entrants in Africa, the Middle East, South Asia, South East Asia and other areas as required.

The core goals of the programme are to provide:

• Accurate information on departure proceedings and initial stage of settlement in Australia;
• Information on the settlement process;
• A realistic picture of life in Australia;
• Practical information about the services available and how to access them;
• Encouragement of self-sufficiency; and
• The necessary tools to deal with initial settlement concerns and with the different stages of cultural, social and economic adaptation.

The government piloted AUSCO in Kenya in 2003. IOM was contracted to conduct this pilot and the programme has since been expanded to other major centres.  The Department of Immigration and Multicultural Affairs (the department), in consultation with IOM, initiated a trial children’s programme in Thailand and a five-day class for pre-literate clients based in Tehran.

Recent initiatives

The contract was recently renewed through a formal tender process. IOM was again the successful tenderer.

Proposed initiatives and improvements that have been successfully negotiated with IOM to strengthen the AUSCO programme are:

• Extension of the programme from three to five days – to ensure that the AUSCO adequately covers all topics in sufficient detail to instil confidence in participants when settling in Australia;
• Expansion of the pre-literate and children’s programmes globally and design of a targeted youth programme for teenagers from Africa that cover the behavioural and learning issues reported in relation to this cohort;
• Expansion to regions not previously covered, principally Malaysia and India;
• Review and development of the curriculum through the establishment of an external expert advisory group comprising refugee educational organisations, Integrated Humanitarian Settlement Strategy (IHSS) providers and community groups as well as recently arrived refugee and humanitarian entrants; and
• Review of the curricula to ensure that entrants:
  • have increased awareness of Australian cultural factors which may be different and potentially confronting;
  • are made aware of the importance of attending their provided English classes and of finding employment as soon as possible; and
  • are made aware that the government will provide services to help them achieve these goals.

Onshore Assistance for Humanitarian Entrants - the IHSS

A comprehensive range of services is provided to new arrivals under the IHSS. The IHSS provides humanitarian entrants with initial intensive assistance on arrival in Australia, including information and orientation, help to find accommodation, a package of goods to help establish a household, and torture and trauma counselling. In 2005-06, the IHSS received substantial funding of $52.3 million.

Key elements of the new arrangements are:

• Significantly strengthened coordination of IHSS service delivery through the creation of IHSS contract regions with one contract per region.  Under the new arrangements there are 20 contract regions across Australia for the delivery of IHSS services.  In most regions services are being delivered through consortium partnerships or prime service provider/sub-contracting arrangements;
• A reduction in  the number of organisations the entrant has to deal with on arrival in Australia by reducing segmentation of services;
• A requirement for the development and implementation of case coordination plans based on an assessment of each entrant family’s needs;
• Strengthening of IHSS support provided to proposers of humanitarian entrants and the families they support; and
• Integration of volunteer support into the mainstream of IHSS service delivery through a volunteer management framework.

Question: Have recent enhancements to the Integrated Humanitarian Settlement Strategy (IHSS) improved the abilities of proposers to provide assistance to Special Humanitarian Program entrants?

The new arrangements under IHSS contracts have enabled proposers and Special Humanitarian Program entrants to receive a full needs analysis and services from service providers. Although proposers assume responsibility for the entrant, they are supported in finding longer-term accommodation and in establishing links with mainstream services. In a large number of cases, Special Humanitarian Program entrants also receive the household goods package.

An Inter-Departmental Committee (IDC) of Australian Government agency heads was convened on 4 April 2006 to examine ways to improve settlement outcomes for humanitarian entrants.

A discussion paper, Measures to Improve Settlement Outcomes for Humanitarian Entrants, was released on 17 October 2006. Public comments were sought until 24 November 2006 on three initiatives:

1. The development of a Complex Case Support Network (CCSN)
2. The expansion of the AUSCO programme
3. Strengthened requirements for Special Humanitarian Program proposers

Comments received on the discussion paper are currently being examined and will inform the further development of initiatives for the government’s consideration.

Onshore Assistance for Humanitarian Entrants - the Settlement Grants Programme

Question: What settlement services are available for humanitarian entrants once they exit the IHSS?

Humanitarian entrants are able to access services delivered under the Settlement Grants Programme (SGP) once they exit the IHSS.

The SGP, combining former Community Settlement Services Scheme and Migrant Resource Centre/Migrant Service Agency funding, commenced on 1 July 2006. Funding for settlement services has increased from $29.7 million in 2005-06 to 30.9 million in 2006-07.  The SGP has a total funding allocation of $31.9 million in 2007-08.

The SGP was developed following a review of settlement services detailed in the May 2003 Report of the Review of Settlement Services for Migrants and Humanitarian Entrants.

The SGP funds eligible organisations to deliver settlement services to clients in the following groups:

• Individual migrants in the Settlement Services Target Group, that is, permanent residents who have arrived in the last five years as humanitarian entrants or as family stream migrants with low English proficiency;
• Communities which require assistance to develop their capacity to organise, plan and advocate for services to meet their own needs and which are still receiving significant numbers of new arrivals in the Settlement Services Target Group; and
• Dependants of skilled migrants in rural and regional areas who have low English proficiency.

For the 2007-08 funding year there will be a focus on more practical and innovative projects which will fall within the broad categories of:

• Orientation to Australia – Practical Assistance to Promote Self-Reliance
• Developing Communities
• Integration – Inclusion and Participation

Funding priorities for the SGP are informed by an annual assessment of settlement patterns and needs at the national, state/territory and regional level.  This information is gathered through processes set out in the National Framework for Settlement Planning.  This is undertaken through ongoing consultation with the community, the settlement services sector and key government agencies, and consideration of data from existing sources such as the department’s Settlement Database.  This approach aims to ensure that services provided through the SGP are targeted towards those communities and locations in greatest need of settlement assistance. 

Further information on the SGP is available.
See: Settlement Grants Programme

Regional settlement

Question: What groundwork is required to prepare for and support establishment of humanitarian settlement in new regional locations? 

The Australian Government is seeking to increase humanitarian settlement in regional Australia in recognition of the potential benefits that regional areas can offer some humanitarian entrants.  Accordingly, the department is aiming to increase both the number of humanitarian entrants settling in regional Australia and also the number of regional locations where these entrants’ settlement is supported.  The department is only able to influence the settlement location of a small proportion of the current intake as the majority of entrants settle close to family and friends already residing in Australia.

Expansion of regional settlement will be undertaken in a targeted manner, taking into consideration the needs of new entrants for both services, the support of other people from similar cultural, religious or social backgrounds, and the capacity of regional locations to deal with potential increases in the demand for services.  The department is focusing on better matching entrants to regional locations, especially in terms of employment available in that location.  Locations will also need to offer affordable housing, infrastructure such as hospitals and schools, services for humanitarian entrants such as counselling services and English language tuition, and have the capacity to build expertise in assisting new arrivals. 

The department will only proceed with settlement in a new regional location once written agreement has been received from the Premier or Chief Minister of the relevant state or territory.  Consultation with State/Territory governments will ensure that necessary State-based infrastructure is in place and State service delivery agencies are prepared for any extra demands arising as a result of new settlement patterns.  Consultation with local Councils, key stakeholders and service providers is critical to ensure that the community is prepared to welcome new arrivals.

Question: What measures are in place to improve health outcomes onshore for newly-arrived refugee and Special Humanitarian Program (SHP) entrants, particularly those from Africa? 

Pre-departure medical screening is a service available to refugee and humanitarian visa holders to reduce the number of medical issues that these visa holders present with after arrival in Australia and to ensure better follow-up onshore of medical issues that have been identified at the point of departure.

Refugee and humanitarian visa holders undergo a medical examination approximately 3 days before they are due to travel to Australia to test for communicable diseases, general health status and fitness to travel. This is in recognition that due to the length of time that may have passed between visa medical and departure to Australia, in combination with living conditions (such as living in refugee camps), a client’s health status may have changed since their initial health screening.

Pre-departure medical screening is voluntary and there is no adverse impact on a client’s status as a visa holder if they refuse to undergo pre-departure medical screening, if they are diagnosed with a medical condition, or are declared as unfit to travel. If a client is found to be unfit for travel, departure is delayed and the client undergoes treatment until they are assessed as being fit to fly. The cost of pre-departure medical screening, and any necessary treatment, is covered by the department.

Pre-departure medical screening is being implemented in key refugee and humanitarian regions globally.

Pre-departure medical screening has been operating in East and West Africa since August 2005. This covers clients from Nairobi, Kenya (including cases transiting from Uganda, Tanzania, Democratic Republic of Congo, Burundi and Rwanda); Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Accra, Ghana, Conakry, Guinea, and Freetown, Sierra Leone.

Pre-departure medical screening has been operation in Thailand, Egypt and Sudan since May 2006.

Pre-departure medical screening will commence in the Middle East and South Asia in late 2006.

The department contracts the International Organization for Migration (IOM) to perform the pre-departure medical screening, where IOM has a medical presence. If IOM does not have a medical presence in a region, then pre-departure medical screening is performed by authorised panel doctors.

Pre-departure medical screening protocols exist for each region. These protocols were developed in conjunction with the Commonwealth Department of Health and Ageing (DoHA) and the Communicable Diseases Network of Australia (CDNA).

The protocols detail the type of pre-departure medical screening services that are to be provided by IOM or the panel doctor. They also describe the processes for ensuring that the results of pre-departure medical screenings are forwarded to health providers onshore.

Submissions

If you would like to provide a written submission on Australia’s 2007-08 Humanitarian Programme, please send it to:

Director
Humanitarian Programme Policy and Management Section
Department of Immigration and Multicultural Affairs
PO Box 25
BELCONNEN ACT 2616

Submissions may also be sent by e-mail to .

All submissions should be received by cob Wednesday 7 February 2007.  Submissions received after the deadline may not be considered.

For further information please phone (02) 6264 4722.