Refugee intake to gradually increase at a time of great global need
The Australian Churches Refugee Taskforce (ACRT) was pleased to hear the Australian Government’s announcement on 11 August that it will increase Australia’s annual humanitarian intake from 17,875 to 20,000 people. This restores Australia’s humanitarian intake to 2012-13 levels, and is a positive step towards Australia doing more for refugees.
The announcement by Immigration Minister Andrew Giles comes at a time of great need.
The global refugee population is greater than ever before at 35.3 million, and 2.4 million refugees are identified by the UN refugee agency UNHCR as being in urgent need of resettlement.
“The Government is committed to upholding generous and flexible Humanitarian and Settlement Programs that meet Australia’s international protection obligations” the National Council of Churches in Australia (NCCA) was told in a recent letter dated 4 August.
“In recognition of the global need that your (NCCA) letter identifies, the Government aspires to gradually increase the size of Australia’s Humanitarian intake to deliver on Australia’s global resettlement commitments.
“More than 950,000 refugees have settled in Australia since the end of World War II, and the Government recognises the valuable contribution refugees have contributed to Australian society, culture and prosperity”, says the letter to NCCA.
UNHCR estimated in 2022 that there are 100 million displaced people, over 1.2% of the global population that have been forced to leave their homes. Among these people are over 32.5 million refugees and 72% of those refugees come from just six countries.
Australian Churches Refugee Taskforce (ACRT) is an activity of the National Council of Churches in Australia (NCCA).
We believe our faith calls us to welcome the stranger and care for the people who find themselves displaced, marginalised or homeless, and those in need of protection. We want to see a compassionate and generous response to welcoming refugees into Australia.
