What is the Back Your Neighbour campaign?
The Back Your Neighbour campaign is coordinated by the Mayoral and Councillor Taskforce Supporting People Seeking Asylum.
The Taskforce’s mission is to coordinate joint advocacy by Australian local governments to the Federal Government about refugee policies and programs, which are negatively impacting people who are living in our local communities and seeking asylum.
The Taskforce is currently made up of more than 40 Local Governments nationwide and speaking up for thousands of people living without support while their wait on their refugee protection applications to be processed. Some people have been waiting over a decade for a final decision.
Watch the video below to learn about our advocacy priorities from former Mayor of Greater Dandenong:
We urge the Federal Government to:
- Provide a pathway to permanency for people with a long-term unresolved immigration status.
- Approximately 7,700 people who arrived in Australia by sea over a decade ago, have been failed by the ‘Fast Track’ refugee determination process. It has been widely criticized for its lack of procedural fairness as evidenced by the Albanese government’s abolition of its review component in 2024.
- The process has left people waiting in lengthy appeals and people are told to engage in return processes despite changed conditions in their country of origin. Many have lived in Australia for over a decade on temporary visas, contributing to their communities, yet remain in a state of uncertainty, unable to reunite with family or access stable employment.
- Addressing their situation by providing a clear pathway to permanency would rectify past injustices and allow these individuals to fully participate in Australian society.
- Read more about the Fast Track process in this briefing paper that we have developed with the refugee sector.
- Provide people with a valid Bridging Visa and the opportunity to work.
- Currently, 2,500 people seeking asylum do not have a valid visa and work rights. As a result, many live in poverty while others work illegally to keep food on the table.
- Expand access to health care, income support and essential services so that people can fully participate in society.
- Federal government support for people seeking asylum is a basic living allowance of $49 per day administered by the Status Resolution Support Services (SRSS) Program. Federal funding of this program has been cut by 95% since 2015.
- People in need cannot access this program because of its restrictive eligibility criteria. Expanding the program’s eligibility criteria and simplifying the application can ensure people’s most basic needs are met and they can rebuild their lives safely.
- Read more about the SRSS Program in this briefing paper that we have developed with the refugee sector.
Our History
Since 2018, the Mayoral and Councillor Taskforce Supporting People Seeking Asylum has been advocating for the rights of people seeking asylum to the Federal and Victorian Government.
Through a Mayoral Roundtable held on 31 July 2018, it was determined that there is a need for a collaborative approach by local government to advocate on behalf of community members seeking asylum, who were affected by cuts to the Federally funded Status Resolution Support Services program.
Led by Greater Dandenong City Council, a group of Councils agreed to establish a taskforce and on 3 December 2018, the Taskforce launched the ‘Back Your Neighbour’ campaign. The campaign symbolises a unified approach with Councils together with community ambassadors to advocate for respect and fairer treatment of people seeking refugee protection in Australia.