To: The Minister for Immigration, Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs, The Hon Andrew Giles MP

Support people seeking asylum and refugees

We are calling on the Federal Government to:

1. Replace the existing ‘Fast Track’ system with a single RSD process and an independent, timely and fair merits review
2. Abolish temporary visas like TPVs and SHEVs and replace them with permanent protection visas and pathways to citizenship for all humanitarian arrivals
3. Invest resources to urgently clear the backlog of asylum applications/appeals in order to create an efficient system
4. Provide access to Medicare, income support, employment support, mental health, NDIS and other vital services
5. Ensure people seeking asylum have work and study rights, including access to local fees for university and TAFE

Australia continues to deny a fast and fair process to people who are seeking asylum in our country. Many have been in limbo for ten years or more.

This prevents individuals and families from gaining the stability that refugee status provides. The result is vulnerable people living on the edge for years.

Many people seeking asylum who live in the community are also denied access to programs, including income support, Medicare, housing, education, mental health, the NDIS, local student status and material aid.

This leaves individuals and families with nothing to survive on, except for unfunded support from charities and local councils who are stepping in to help.

The Federal Government has a responsibility to process asylum claims efficiently and support people until their status is resolved.

Replacing temporary humanitarian visas such as TPVs and SHEVs with permanent protection and a pathway to citizenship is another important reform that must not be delayed any further.

Australians support each other in hard times and we are asking the Federal Government to play its part in creating a community where we are all respected.