By JOHN VAN KLAVEREN
NEW changes to asylum seeker policy could have a significant long-term impact on Geelong’s refugee resettlement program, according to Geelong’s peak multicultural community services provider.
Diversitat chief Michael Martinez said the organisation employed 20 staff to assist asylum seekers resettling locally.
Diversitat was contracted to continue resettling asylum seekers until March, he said.
“Staff have been questioning what will happen with the program, although there are some 9000 refugees still being held in detention.”
Geelong received another 90 asylum seekers this week in the city’s largest single release of refugees into the resettlement program.
“We’ve had 300 come here in the past two months and we’ve leased 100 houses, fitted them out with furniture and got kids into local schools,” Mr Martinez said.
“Changes to policy such as this can create fear mongering, xenophobia and potentially a backlash.”
Mr Martinez said relocating asylum seekers to Papua New Guinea was “risky policy”.
“PNG is a country that has political, financial and social risk because it’s so underdeveloped. People have to live in compounds with armed guards for safety.
“I applaud anything that stops people dying at sea because that’s a tragedy but this is another quick fix and we need a longer-term solution.”
Mr Martinez called for a comprehensive Asian regional policy with access to processing and refugees flown into the country to avoid the boat route.
