Hoax refugee email

Letter to the Editor - The Daily Mercury
08 May 2009

The Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) totally rejects the false claims circulating on the internet that asylum seekers on Christmas Island and refugees permanently settling in Australia receive more in benefit payments than Australian pensioners.

The figures quoted in the email bear no resemblance to income-support payments to pensioners, or to payments to asylum seekers and refugees settling in Australia.

The text and figures in the email appear to have originated in Canadian emails, websites and internet chatrooms. We suspect that the email circulating here has been cut and pasted from these sources.

Asylum seekers in Australia who have not yet had their protection claims decided have no access to Centrelink benefits.

Asylum Seeker Assistance Scheme payments to eligible asylum seekers and allowances paid to people in community detention on Christmas Island are the same rate – 89 per cent of Centrelink Newstart allowance.

In Australia, refugees granted permanent visas may gain access to benefits on the same basis and at the same rates as other Australian permanent residents.

There is no separate rate of benefit payments for refugees. Refugees receive no cash payments under Australia’s Integrated Humanitarian Settlement Strategy.

DIAC helps eligible refugees with English-language lessons and settling-in assistance including basic goods to start a household, subsidies for rent and utilities for their first four weeks in the country.

We would strongly encourage anyone who receives an email claiming asylum seekers or refugees are treated more favourably than Australian permanent residents to hit the delete button and ignore these scurrilous claims.

Sandi Logan
National Communications Manager,
Department of Immigration and Citizenship

20 May 2009