Wendy Askew (Tasmania, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Australia is often described as a multicultural country. We have for many years relied on skilled migration to support our growing economy, and this chamber has debated those benefits on many occasions. As a nation, we've relied on skilled migrants to help build and expand this country, from the postwar 10-pound Poms through to the thousands of workers, of over 30 nationalities, working on the original Snowy Mountains hydro-electric scheme in the fifties and the sixties. Australia has been fortunate to benefit from the migration.

As an island, Australia is the ultimate migrant destination. It could be argued that, outside those of First Nations descent, every Australian, at some point in their family tree, is a migrant, and we come from a diverse range of countries and cultures. Migration is what has supported our economy for decades, and skilled migrants have helped to stimulate our economy through recessions and the fiscal challenges of most governments in this place.

Migration is like moving out of the family home, but on a much larger scale. Do you remember what it was like to move out of home? Were you nervous or maybe excited? I suspect you were a little of both. Now imagine if the place you were moving to had an economic and social system that was not one you were familiar with, was a place that didn't often fully understand or recognise your social customs or was even a place where you struggled to understand or speak the language. While I acknowledge that this is the experience of many thousands of people every year and that many of them navigate it with resilience and grace, it's equally important to note that taking that leap can be destabilising, which is why it's crucial to have services in place like those provided by the Migrant Resource Centre of Northern Tasmania.

The Launceston based, not-for-profit Migrant Resource Centre recently celebrated 40 years of service. That is four decades of support for Launceston and the region's expansive migrant community, who have come from all over the world to Tasmania. It provides welcoming and non-judgemental support for migrants, including services such as NDIS support and settling and social experiences. The organisation is led by CEO Ella Dixon, who has lived experience as a migrant herself—experience that has been crucial for the role. Ella was born in the Philippines and moved to Australia with her family in 1981, when she was a young girl. Ella says the overarching goal of the organisation is to facilitate independence, but what they provide is so much more. They provide non-judgemental support for migrants which allows them to succeed, find employment and contribute to Tasmania's social fabric. Ella describes it best when she says they do a raft of things to increase people's capacity to participate in life. While that might seem simple to some, it's the capacity for kindness of Ella Dixon and the Launceston Migrant Resource Centre that drives this organisation, because sadly, migrants often bear the brunt of racism and antisocial behaviour. But having a support network like the Launceston Migrant Resource Centre means migrants do not feel alone when they arrive in Tasmania, and it means they have someone to fall back on when they are navigating things such as finding employment, finding social networks or even traversing government systems like the NDIS. Launceston Migrant Resource Centre assists around 500 clients every year. Clients have come from countries such as Bhutan, Nepal, Afghanistan, Sudan, Eritrea, Burma, Sierra Leone, Iran and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Migration is good for regional economies like those of Tasmania. Skilled migrants help address skill shortages and, by relocating, they stimulate the local economy and support small businesses. As we are all aware, there are great benefits in increasing the number of skilled migrants coming to Australia. It's one of the main themes to emerge when discussing the current jobs and skills shortage crisis that we face. Helping migrants navigate the cultural and social challenges of moving to a foreign country helps make their relocation so much easier. I'm in no doubt that the Migrant Resource Centre has been responsible for fostering healthy migrant populations in Tasmania and ensuring they have the capacity to succeed.

I'm extremely grateful for the work the Migrant Resource Centre does. So, tonight, during Harmony Week, I want to formally thank everyone associated with the centre for their hard work and the worthy goals they pursue in assisting migrants to gain independence and settle into their new communities in Tasmania. Many are volunteers and they do it for the love of the job. So thank you very much, Ella and your team. I look forward to many more years of success of the Migrant Resource Centre.