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Last Updated: Thursday, 29 June 2023 10:05

Published: Thursday, 29 June 2023 09:49

Toowoomba Region Mayor Paul Antonio will call on the Commonwealth Government to increase funding for relevant Toowoomba refugee and migrant service providers.

Mayor Antonio this week (June 27 Ordinary Meeting of Council) gained the support of his Council colleagues to send an email to Immigration, Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs Minister Andrew Giles requesting more funding for providers to appropriately service the Region’s growing refugee and migrant population.

Councillors also endorsed inviting Minister Giles to visit the Region to meet the community support agencies and their clients.

“Council is pleased to lend its voice to the growing chorus calling for an increase in funding to allow community service providers to continue their vital work supporting refugees and migrants who are adjusting to new lives in a foreign land,” Mayor Antonio said.

“Council has previously advocated for an increase in funding, which ultimately was successful in the short term, with the assistance of the then Federal Member for Groom John McVeigh. Apart from sending this latest correspondence, it might be necessary to visit Canberra to impress on the government how vital this financial support is for the Region’s service providers.

“We have heard CatholicCare’s recent plea for an extension of funding to allow its Toowoomba Refugee and Migrant Service (TRAMS) to continue its resettlement work.

“There are many other service providers that are facing extra demands driven by the increase in the refugee and migrant population.

“Supporting people who have endured and survived traumatic experiences, let alone helping them adjust to everyday tasks, requires specialised support workers and services to help them settle and successfully navigate their new lives.

“I’m proud of our community response to welcoming people from different countries and cultures, but we need the Commonwealth Government to boost its financial support in line with the rise in our new arrivals.

“The value and importance of this sector’s work (including TRAMS’ efforts over the past 20 years) was emphasised by speakers at Monday’s 10th anniversary of Toowoomba’s declaration as a Refugee Welcome Zone.

Mayor Antonio said Toowoomba had Australia’s largest Kurdish population (predominantly followers of the Yazidi faith), comprising 3000 refugees who had been settled here through the Commonwealth Government’s channels, along with around 2000 additional Kurdish people who moved here from other parts of the country.

“Kurdish Kurmanji is the second most frequently used language at home in Toowoomba after English, according to 2021 Census data,” Mayor Antonio said.

“Today we are home to residents who hail from many parts of Africa, especially North and South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo, as well as the latest arrivals from Afghanistan and Middle Eastern countries, such as Iran, Iraq, Syria and our Kurdish community.

“Council is indebted to the organisations and individuals who set the groundwork for our acceptance as a Refugee Welcome Zone.

“I especially acknowledge Dr Mark Copland, in his then role as the Executive Officer for the Catholic Diocese Social Justice Commission, his wife Amber, who formerly was the Coordinator for Toowoomba Refugee and Migrant Support (TRAMS) services at CatholicCare and Leah Percival, from the then Multicultural Development Australia (now Multicultural Australia), who progressed the groundwork. Council’s Community Development Officer Roberto Garcia played a prominent role working with community groups and continues this work today.

“While challenges will arise, including our current advocacy for adequate funding, I’m confident our community has a deep wellspring of compassion that will provide comfort, purpose and extend a welcome to new residents into the future.”

Refugee Council of Australia Manager Rebecca Langton said the role of councils and Mayors in sending a positive message that refugees would be accepted was immensely powerful.

She said more work was needed to highlight the positive contribution refugees can and do make to Australia.

Multicultural Australia CEO Christine Castley said Toowoomba was internationally famous because of its refugee story.

She said the 10-year anniversary was a time to celebrate the success of the recent settlement story.

Caption: CatholicCare Director Kate Venables (left), with TRC Multicultural Advisory committee member Anyuon Liai Mager, Toowoomba Region Mayor Paul Antonio, Refugee Council of Australia Manager Rebecca Langton, Multicultural Australia CEO Christine Castley, Geneene Meijer (who performed the Welcome to Country) and TRC Community Development Officer Roberto Garcia at the 10-year anniversary commemorations.

Background:
Toowoomba became the third Refugee Welcome Zone in Queensland when Mayor Antonio and Mr Bobby Whitfield, the Refugee Council of Australia representative, signed the Declaration at St Luke’s Anglican Church on June 22, 2013. (Pictured below)

There are 173 Refugee Welcome Zone Councils across Australia, including eight in Queensland.

TRC also is a signatory on the Welcome Scroll, which was a joint project of Refugee Welcome Zone (RWZ) Councils, the Refugee Council of Australia, and Rural Australians for Refugees.