Welcome to our last newsletter for this year!
Our next meeting will be held on WEDNESDAY 26 NOVEMBER 2025 AT 6.30PM.
Minutes of our October meeting can be accessed via thelink L4RNSW-ACTMinMtg22Oct25
Meeting with Immigration Minister Tony Burke Our L4R National Co-ordinating Committee (NCC), met with the Immigration Minister on 15 October last. The following report was compiled by our NSW/ACT Co-Convenor Lauren Honcope. L4R National Co-ordinating Committee Meeting with the Minister for Home Affairs Tony Burke on Wednesday 15 October 2025, at his electoral office in Punchbowl.In attendance for L4R NCC – NCC Secretary Nizza Siano, NCC NSW members Jenny Haines (NSW/ACT Co-Convenor), Sabrin Farooqui (NSW/ACT Senior Vice-President), NCC ACT member Lauren Honcope (NSW/ACT Co-Convenor), NCC Qld member Hanne Worsoe (Convenor L4R Qld). In attendance with the Minister – Rachelle Harika (electoral office) and Ann Clark (Ministerial staffer, virtually, via screen). Topics covered and who spoke to them – 1. Visa Backlog/Legacy caseload from previous government’s so-called ‘Fast Track’ system and recent information concerning pathways through Ministerial Intervention, for permanent settlement – Lauren2. The very poor health status of a few of the remaining men in the PNG (Manus) cohort who are still in Port Moresby – Hanne3. Nauru – the severe health risks and the policy problems of the Labor government’s – (a) continuing use of Nauru as a location that Australia sends people, who try to reach Australia by boat to claim asylum; and (b) new use of Nauru as a place of permanent settlement of non-citizens with ‘character issues’ – L4R’s longstanding opposition to offshoring of any kind. Jenny spoke on this.4. The 2023 ALP Platform – 4 KEY Policies in the 2023 ALP National Platform Commitments which have not progressed so far, and on which we sought an update: (a) Legislating the “90 Day Rule” – at 2023 Platform, page 141, para 7 and page 142 para 8.h – when will we see in this Parliament, ALP Legislation to enact this ALP Platform commitment to 90 day Rule? (b) Establishing a Parliamentary Inquiry into Immigration Detention – at 2023 Platform page 141 paragraph 4 – will this be established prior to 2026 National Conference? The NCC has written to the Attorney- General about this. (c) Establishment of a Special Envoy for refugees – at 2023 Platform, page 134 paragraph 11 – will this Special Envoy be appointed prior to 2026 National Conference? (d) What are the Second Albanese Labor Government’s Attitudes/Plans in relation to Platform commitments to aspiring to 27,000 government funded Humanitarian places per year – at 2023 Platform, page 138, paragraph 8. L4R recently wrote to the Immigration Minister about increasing the intake to 50,000 within five years. Lauren spoke on item 4. Summary of meeting The meeting went smoothly, thanks to Sabrin’s organisation beforehand and management of time on topics in the meeting. The Minister and staff were welcoming and friendly, as we would expect. They are clearly also very busy. The Minister is, of course, very senior (he is manager of business in the House as well as his Ministerial roles) and highly experienced, including in this portfolio, which he briefly held in 2013 when Kevin Rudd was PM the second time.He was very interested to know the issues of concern to L4R and quickly addressed the issues from his perspective as Minister. He clearly stated his strong policy preferences that differ from those of L4R (notably re PNG and Nauru). He was very helpful re the current program of providing visa certainty for people in legacy caseload(s). He was interested in the 4 Platform items we raised with him but non-committal, saying that he would meet with L4R representatives again. I think we established a rapport and some trust. The meeting lasted 30 minutes (11am to 11.30am). Lauren Honcope Co-Convenor L4R NSW/ACT |
Next Year’s NSW and National ALP Conferences NSW Conference 4 and 5 JulyWe need to decide about which issue L4R should advocate at the 2026 NSW ALP Conference. It should be something which can make a positive contribution for refugees and people seeking asylum in NSW. It would be good to see if we can improve their lives, particularly if they are struggling financially. One issue could be the restoration of the Status Resolution Support Service (SRSS). The SRSS provides a basic temporary payment to non-citizens who cannot support themselves while waiting for a resolution to their immigration claim. Designed as a “safety net” and first implemented in 1992 as the Asylum Seeker Assistance Scheme, the payments were essential for people whose visas forbade them to work, or who were sick or parenting young children. Since the safety net was established, a number of policy changes have been made. Successive governments have cut funding by 93 per cent. One in five people sleeping rough in the inner city has uncertain visa status, according to data from the City of Sydney. The Asylum Seekers Centre now estimates every second person seeking help from its centre is either homeless or at serious risk of homelessness. On a daily basis, staff are seeing people who are homeless with no access to work, Medicare or basic services. People arrive at the centre after having slept in the CBD, Parramatta, in parks or streets. Staff attend to mothers with children arriving at the centre after having spent the night at a train station. National Conference 23, 24 & 25 August We have already commenced working on Labor’s National Platform in the lead up to the 2026 ALP National Conference and will advocate for the Labor Government to meet its commitment and implement the refugee policies that L4R negotiated for and won at the 2023 National Conference. Four of these policies are mentioned in the Report of our recent meeting with the Immigration Minister, Tony Burke. We are also currently speaking to those ALP Members who were recently elected to the National Policy Forum (NPF), asking them to advocate for our L4R policies. In NSW, we have already met with Linda Scott, who was the past Co-Convenor of L4R. Linda nominated and ran in the NPF election on a platform that included support for our L4R policies. The problem is that we need to cut through and impress upon Labor MPs, the importance of supporting refugees and people seeking asylum. We are aware that refugees are not uppermost in the minds of Labor politicians (except of course if something controversial happens). The lack of interest in improving the circumstances for refugees living in Australia and towards those desperately fleeing their countries, who would like to settle in Australia, is most likely a reflection of how the community prioritises refugees. Our community is more focused on their own economic woes, housing and the environment, than on the plight of refugees. Secondly, there were no time-lines included in the National Platform commitments made in 2023, so the Government is able to defer the implementation of these policies and focus on what it believes are more important issues. The implementation of some of these policies are also reliant on the allocation of funds so that’s another challenge we face. Another reason refugees don’t feature prominently by the Government is that the Government would like refugees to stay out of sight and therefore, out of mind. The government does not wish to provide the Coalition and right-wing media, with ammunition to wedge it as the Coalition has tried to do each time refugees are in the limelight. L4R believes that with the Coalition in such chaos and the Labor Government still in the early stage of its three year term, the government can afford to implement reforms, without fearing the adverse reaction it may attract. For far too long, we have used the excuse that we cannot afford to be controversial when it comes to refugees, because it might undermine Labor’s chance of winning at election time. Well if now is not the time to be bold, when will it ever be the appropriate time for a Labor Government to introduce reforms? Labor for Refugees Victoria – newsletterI recommend reading the recent newsletter compiled by L4R Victoria as it’s full of useful and interesting information and focuses on the Albanese Government’s record on refugees and people seeking asylum. The link follows L4RVicNewsletterNov25 Report of Kaldor Centre Conference 23 October 2025 – Building Bridges: Advanced Refugee Protection in a Divided World This year’s Kaldor Centre Conference arrived at a fateful time for refugee protection. Displacement is rising by the millions. Funding is vanishing by the billions. Political divides are deepening around the world. Now more than ever, we need to pause, reflect and forge new paths forward – together. The 2025 Kaldor Centre Conference brought together policymakers, practitioners, scholars, civil society and people with lived experience of displacement – to ask the hard questions, share expertise and build practical solutions. The Kaldor Centre described the conference as “a vital meeting point for everyone working to shape refugee policy and practice”. L4R member Cath Crittenden attended this Conference and took notes in point form which she made available to us. Her notes follow: · It’s not rewriting the Refugee Convention that is needed; it is connection, fair and fast procedures, and responsibility sharing.· Crucial to include people with lived experience when developing policy (nothing about us without us). Mohammed Naeem, Senior Director for Advocacy Strategy, Refugees International:· there are leaders, and there are those who lead; we need to remain hopeful; a shared understanding of the issues is failing, and so is shared responsibility; we are reckoning with a crisis of trust; we need a bridge in an age which profits from breaking (clearly the Trump administration front of mind); but citizens are not as polarised as politicians. We need to show that caring works; we need to make the case for the benefits to society of good refugee policy; we need refugee leaders in discussions. One third of Americans have contact with a refugee. The system is not broken, it’s overburdened. We’re too ready to absorb ideas that are constantly repeated; we experience confirmation bias. There is power in listening, even if you don’t agree, but we look for shared values. Community sponsorship programs are excellent at building bridges. James Jegasothy, Deputy CEO, Multicultural NSW; Hugh de Kretser, President Australian Human Rights Commission:· New deal with Nauru, no procedural fairness and heart-breaking human cost.· There is a better way. Safe pathways to protection. Work with regional countries, save lives at sea, support the UNHCR, increase the refugee intake (Australia currently 77th in the world relative to GDP); increase complementary pathways. Be more humane, lead others, don’t follow. Promote peace.· Australia has a strong multicultural culture, but we can’t be complacent about racism.· We need to establish a Human Rights Act; we need to promote the National Anti-Racism Framework.· We need to listen to refugees tell their stories; that way, understanding and empathy will develop.These are wise words and the world would be a more compassionate place if we all heeded them. Australia, International Law and Armed Conflict: What are our obligations? You would have received an email from us early this month, inviting you to this important event which takes place next week on Thursday 27 November. You will need to register to attend.The details are outlined in the leaflet which you can access using the following link IntLawArmedConflictevent27Nov25 I hope to see you at our Zoom meeting next Wednesday – the last for this year. |