As the Albanese Government enters its second term, advocates for refugees and asylum seekers are calling on Labor to lead with humanity and deliver refugee policy grounded in protection and justice.
Voters at this federal election decisively rejected fear and division, the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre (ASRC) says, with a clear message sent: Australians want fair and compassionate politics, including for refugees and those seeking asylum.
“People seeking asylum are locked out of work, study and basic support — and Labor now has a clear mandate to fix it,” says Sobia Shah, Founder of the Professional Migrant Women’s Network.
“Excluding people seeking asylum from child care subsidies punishes families and holds women back. Even Australian citizen children are missing out just because their parents are seeking asylum,” says Shah.
“We are ready to work, study and contribute — but the system keeps shutting us out.”
The ASRC is calling on the Albanese Government to set a positive tone within the first 100 days of this new term by prioritising providing pathways to permanency for the 8,500 people still in limbo from a flawed Fast Track process.
The organisation is also asking for the government to medically evacuate refugees and people seeking asylum in PNG and Nauru to Australia and prioritise their resettlement.
“Urgent action is required to address the worsening health crisis and human rights abuses occurring in offshore detention centres,” ASRC advocates say.
In addition, there’s a call to repeal punitive amendments made to the Migration Act in 2024. These laws allow the minister for home affairs to deport people, overturn their protection finding, and ban people from certain countries from entering Australia.
For people seeking asylum who are waiting for up to a decade to hear back about their visa outcome, the ASRC calls on the government to provide them the right to work and study, access to Medicare and a means-tested income safety net throughout the refugee determination process.
“I’ve spent over a decade building a life in Australia. My children were born here, this is our home,” says Rathy Barthlote, a human rights activist and refugee from Sri Lanka.
“Like thousands of others, I’ve worked hard, paid taxes, and contributed to my community, yet we remain trapped in limbo by the broken Fast Track system. The harm it has caused is deep and ongoing. We are still waiting for justice. Labor now has both the power and the responsibility to fix this: if not now, when?”
The Deputy CEO of Asylum Seeker Resource Centre, Jana Favero says that the national swing against the Liberal party in the recent election showed that voters saw through the politics of fear and voted for compassion.
“Across the country, migrants and refugees mobilised throughout the election campaign, demanding fair treatment and compassionate policies,” Favero said. “While many were scapegoated and demonised by candidates attempting to distract from real issues, refugees resisted — challenging misinformation and supporting progressive candidates at forums, pre-polling booths and on election day. Hoping that voters would see through the politics of fear and vote for compassion.”
“The re-elected Albanese Government can now turn people’s hope into reality and provide fairness, safety and freedom to thousands of people seeking asylum in our community.”
“In all the talk about and commitment to making a positive difference to the lives of Australians and opportunity for everyone to be their best, people seeking asylum and refugees must be included in this.”