Department offering refugee support
Letter to the Editor - Northern Daily Leader
9 January 2007
Dear Sir/Madam
The Department of Immigration and Multicultural Affairs (DIMA) has a proven track record of successful refugee settlement to many regional areas.
Russell Jordan is incorrect to suggest Tamworth was mooted as an “experimental” settlement centre (Letters, 4/01/07).
In 2004-05, the DIMA-funded Integrated Humanitarian Settlement Strategy (IHSS) assisted the settlement of refugees in regional locations such as Coffs Harbour, Goulburn, Wagga Wagga, Shepparton, Logan/Beenleigh/Woodridge, Toowoomba, Townsville, Cairns, the Gold Coast, Launceston and Mandurah.
The department is open to any approaches from regional areas, through state governments, wishing to be considered as a resettlement area.
Further, Wayne Thompson (Letters, 4/01/07) has wrongly assumed that no DIMA office means no support for refugees.
DIMA funds local service providers to ensure a smooth transition for refugee arrivals.
Refugees are given assistance with orientation to their new environment; links to essential services (health, schools, housing and income support); access to a community funded organisation for on-going settlement support; access to English language tuition under the Adult Migrant English Program (AMEP) and access to interpreters and translators through the Translating and Interpreting Service (TIS).
Regional refugee settlement will not take place in Tamworth without the support of local government and the community.
Susie van den Heuvel
Acting National Communications Manager
Department of Immigration and Multicultural Affairs