The new advisory council will guide the settlement of refugees in NSW. Photo: Steve Kamper MP, Facebook.
The NSW Labor Government has announced the first members of the state’s Settlement Advisory Council, an expert body that will advise Multicultural NSW and the Minister for Multiculturalism on policy regarding the settlement of refugees.
This council is the first of its kind in the state and will continue the government’s focus on improving the refugee settlement process.
One of the council’s tasks is to build on the expertise of the ongoing leadership of the NSW Coordinator General for Settlement, Professor Peter Shergold AC, who will chair the council.
A diverse range of experts has been included on the council, including those with lived experience, who will provide support and advice to Multicultural NSW and further the purpose and objectives of the Settlement Strategy.
The initiative combines existing and new government initiatives to improve settlement outcomes for refugees and individuals with similar backgrounds.
Council members includes:
- Professor Peter Shergold AC — Professor Shergold has a background in academia, not-for-profit governance and the public sector. He is a former chancellor of Western Sydney University and has been NSW Coordinator General for Settlement since 2015.
- Nick Greiner AC — Mr Greiner was premier and treasurer of NSW between 1988 and 1922 and is a board member of the Refugee Council of Australia.
- Jorge Aroche — Mr Aroche is a clinical psychologist and has been the CEO of the NSW Service for the Treatment and Rehabilitation of Torture and Trauma Survivors (STARTTS) since 1997.
- Scientia Professor Jane McAdam AO — Professor McAdam is the founder of the Kaldor Centre for International Refugee Law at UNSW and is an established international authority on the law regarding refugees.
- Mark Morey — Mr Morey has a background in social work and has been secretary of Unions NSW since 2016. He has headed the organisation in establishing numerous programs to support migrant communities, including the NSW Migrant Workers Hub.
- Dr Anyier Youl — Dr Youl is a South Sudanese advocate, speaker and researcher and a former chair of the Australian National Committee on Refugee Women (ANCORW). She currently works as the corporate partnerships manager for the UNHCR in Australia.
Part of the resettlement program’s aim is to better integrate refugees into the community.
“The better we do at settling refugees, the quicker they can become contributing members of our local communities,” Minister for Multiculturalism Steve Kamper said.
“I am so proud of the establishment of the council, a state first, and the incredible calibre of expertise across the inaugural members.”
Australia began to settle refugees in 1947 and has since issued nearly one million humanitarian visas.
“In return, we’ve benefited from their experience, skills and creativity,” Multicultural NSW CEO Joseph La Posta said.
”People from a refugee background have made enormous contributions across every part of society, from business and philanthropy to culture and the arts.”
“The NSW Settlement Advisory Council brings together highly respected and influential experts across government, business, academia, community sector and refugee lived experience to champion better outcomes for refugees and asylum seekers in NSW.”
