Refugees and Australia.

Australia, like many other countries in the world, has offered asylum to refugees in their time of need, emphasizing the importance of human connections, which has been underscored by wars, failing economies, and the pandemic. ?

In a recent interview with Rob Cameron for Pulse Radio, our CEO and Principal Migration Agent Melanie Macfarlane talked about why refugees seek asylum in Australia and how they contribute to the economy and diversity.?

You can find the link to the full interview below:?

In her interview, Melanie highlights that there hasn't been a sudden influx of refugees due to the current global geopolitical situation; however, as the situation around the world worsens, we should expect an increasing number of individuals seeking asylum. As part of a global community, Australia has certain humanitarian obligations that it should fulfill. ?

With the recent change in government, Australia emphasizes its humanitarian obligations above all and acknowledges that refugees often make the best migrants; they are always very grateful and give back so much to the community and the economy. For example, with the recent war in Ukraine, the Australian government has allowed Ukraine to hold a 3-year visa and set up opportunities for themselves. We have seen from previous Ukrainian refugees that Australian Ukrainians are actively engaged in developing a multi-cultural society that recognizes religious and ethnic diversity.? ?

We often find the situation of refugees and their migration being weaponized; however, we cannot emphasize that we need to de-weaponize the topic, Melanie stated in the interview.?

Melanie's insights were positive when questioned about the attitude, fears, and underlying resentment that a few Australians might hold towards refugees. She explained that she had seen a shift in people's attitudes, be it from the vast array of information available to us or the ability to view situations from different standpoints. With the rise of social media and increased connectivity, we see those individual perceptions towards refugees and what they bring to the table slowly but surely changing. ?

We encourage organizations and individuals to celebrate our refugees, which would facilitate healing and subsequent rejuvenation.??