Australia’s Humanitarian Program Submission 2023-24

by | May 31, 2023 | Posted to: Publications | Tags: , ,

This submission is made in response to the Discussion Paper published by the Department of Home Affairs
(the Department) in connection with Australia’s 2023-24 Humanitarian Program.

Australia’s humanitarian migration program is an important and celebrated part of Australia’s post-colonial
history and has enjoyed support across the political spectrum over many decades. Australia has resettled
more than 900,000 refugees since the Second World War – migrants who have made enormous
contributions to the social and economic fabric of Australia.

In recent decades, every year has seen the number of refugees and other forcibly displaced people in the world grow to new record levels, and over recent years the resettlement of refugees has been at a recent historic low due to the pandemic and other
factors. Never has the need been greater for the peaceful and prosperous countries of the world to do more to respond to the needs of refugees.