Jane Prentice (Ryan, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

Refugees are the backbone of our country. Australia has a proud record over many decades of welcoming refugees who have fled disaster and conflict to seek safety and a new life in our country. Government provides substantial financial and social support for refugees once they arrive in Australia. However, we Australians are a generous people, and I am regularly contacted by constituents wanting to know what they can do personally to assist refugees in our community. In response, I was pleased to organise and facilitate a presentation by the Multicultural Development Association on how individuals can offer practical and social support and create a warm welcome for refugees.

I was delighted that more than one hundred local people turned up for the presentation to understand what they can do to contribute. There are things such as the family match program, the job club and little things like helping new refugees go to official appointments, explaining the local facilities to them, providing extra English classes, helping prepare them for business and work or perhaps volunteering to pay public transport costs for them.

We also provide information on the many support services in the community like the Romero Centre, who also ask for food hampers. I was appalled to hear from a support worker who went to help one group that they did not know that they could freely access the green space opposite the local park. These are things where we can all help. I thank the Multicultural Development Association.

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