Refugee program is non-discriminatory

Letter to the Editor - The Australian
5 September 2003

Dear Sir/Madam

Dr William Maley (It's a lottery, 5 September) is mistaken in his understanding of Australia's Offshore Humanitarian Program.

Australia operates a global non-discriminatory refugee and humanitarian program. Places in the Offshore Humanitarian Program are arrived at through consultation with the Australian community, including organisations such as the Refugee Council of Australia and the UNHCR.

Contrary to Dr Maley's claim, refugee places are a significant component of the offshore program. In 2002-03 refugee places made up 38 per cent of the Offshore Humanitarian Program. In 2001-02, it was 49 per cent.

It is wrong for Dr Maley to give the impression that we exclude people with medical concerns. A number of humanitarian entrants have been resettled in Australia with HIV or other serious medical conditions. Australia also resettles victims of torture and trauma, which is why the Humanitarian Program is such a significant burden on Australia's budget.

It is not uncommon for humanitarian entrants in the Refugee and Special Humanitarian programs to have physical and or psychological concerns requiring subsequent counselling and other health care. This is a tangible demonstration of Australia's commitment to assisting those in greatest relative need of humanitarian resettlement.

As Dr Maley suggests, applicants in the Special Humanitarian Program must be proposed by a permanent resident, citizen or body operating in Australia. What he does not say is that it is the proposer's responsibility to assist the entrant with airfares and medical costs and accommodation. This ensures that people in the Australian community can play a significant role in assisting and resettling their relatives in vulnerable situations overseas.

Stewart Foster
Director
Public Affairs
DIMIA