Refugee Support and Health Services
Associated Organisations
International
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
Facts, statistics, research, publications and news related to refugees.
National
Australian Capital Territory
Companion House
Torture and trauma service.
Address: 41 Fairfax Street , O'Connor, ACT 2602, Telephone: 02 6247 7227, Fax: 02 6247 1416, Email: comhouse@bigpond.com.au
Migrant Resource Centre
Providing settlement services to refugees.
Telephone: 62488577, Fax: 62577655, Email: mrccanbr@cyberone.com.au
Queanbeyan Multilingual Centre
A not-for-profit organisation which assists migrants and refugees with issues related to settling in Australia .
New South Wales
Anglicare Migrant Servces
Providing settlement services to refugees
Asylum Seekers Centre
A referral base and hospitality centre for asylum seekers.
Auburn Migrant Resource Centre (AMRC)
Provides information, assistance and settlement support to migrants, refugees and humanitarian entrants living in Auburn Local Government Area.
Baulkham Hills, Holroyd, Parramatta Migrant Resource Centre (BHHP MRC)
A community based, non-profit organisation promoting the well-being of migrants, refugees and humanitarian entrants from Non-English Speaking Background (NESB).
Blacktown Migrant Resource Centre (MRC)
Assisting with the settlement needs of migrants and refugees in the Blacktown Local Government Area (LGA).
Fairfield Migrant Resource Centre
Provides settlement services to newly arrived immigrants and refugees to improve access to services, address special settlement needs and help develop skills and confidence.
Friends of STARTTS
Friends of STARTTS supports the NSW Service for the Treatment and Rehabilitation of Torture and Trauma Survivors (STARTTS) through community education, youth camps, English classes and fundraising.
House of Welcome
Assists Asylum seekers to settle in the community, find accommodation, look for work and attend English and Computer classes. Based at Carramar ( Western Sydney ). Contact Volunteer Coordinator on (02) 9727 9290 or email: thow@tpg.com.au
Illawarra Migrant Resource Centre Inc.
An independent community organisation assisting immigrants and refugees in Wollongong , Shellharbour and the Shoalhaven.
Legal Aid New South Wales
PO Box K847 , HAYMARKET NSW 1238 J, (02) 9219 5790
Mercy Refugee Service
Providing settlement services to refugees.
Migrant Resource Centre of Newcastle and Hunter Region
Providing settlement services to refugees and migrants in the Hunter Region.
NSW Refugee Health Service
Provides clinical assessments, orientation to the health system, advocacy, and works with health services to improve health and health service access for refugees. Contact: Dr Mitchell Smith (director), Tel: 02 8778 0770, Fax: 02 8778 0790, Email: mitchell.smith@swsahs.nsw.gov.au
Refugee Advice and Casework Service
Specialist non-profit legal advice service for refugees and asylum seekers.
Suite 8C , 46-56 Kippax Street , Surry Hills NSW 2010, (02) 9211 4001
Fax: (02) 9281 8078
Service for the Treatment and Rehabilitation of Torture & Trauma Survivors
Address: 152-168 The Horsley Drive, Carramar, NSW 2163, Telephone: 02 9794 1900
Fax: 02 9794 1910, Email: startts@s054.aone.net.au
Northern Territory
Anglicare Top End
Providing settlement services to refugees
Northern Territory Legal Aid Commission
Level 6, National Mutual building, 9-11 Cavenagh Street, DARWIN NT 0800 J
(08) 8999 3000.
The Multicultural Council of the Northern Territory
The peak community advocacy body in the Northern Territory representing the interests, concerns and aspirations of people of Non English Speaking Background and aiding the settlement of refugees.
Torture and Trauma Survivors Service of the Northern Territory
Address: 1 Phoenix Street , Nightcliff , NT 0810, Telephone: 08 8985 3311, Fax: 08 8985 3322, Email: ttssnt@austarnet.com.au
Queensland
Anglicare Refugee and Migrant Services (ARMS)
Providing settlement services to refugees.
Qld Programme Of Assistance To Survivors Of Torture & Trauma
Provides Counselling Adovcacy & Support Services to refugees, survivors of torture and trauma.
Refugees online
A Brisbane City Council Project to assist refugees to access the internet.
South Brisbane Immigration and Community Legal Service
Specialist non-profit legal advice service for refugees and asylum seekers.
PO Box 5143, WEST END QLD 4101, Tel: (07) 3846 3189
The Brisbane Refugee and Asylum Seekers Health Network
Advocacy group of doctors, nurses, dentists, pharmacists, allied health workers and community development workers that meet monthly in Brisbane to work out strategies to improve the health of asylum seekers and refugees.
The Refugee Claimants Support Centre
Assists asylum seekers in Brisbane . Services provided include a drop in centre, English language classes and assistance with accommodation, food, employment and health (including dental health).
Townsville Multicultural Support Group
Providing personal and small group support to newly arrived migrants and refugees.
Phone 4775 1588, Fax 4775 1588, Email tmsg@beyond.net.au
South Australia
Anglicare SA
Refugee Housing program.
Australian Refugee Association
In a number of ways ARA helps refugees establish a life and settle in South Australia . Services include migration advice, settlement help
Community Support for Refugees (CSR)
Volunteers helping newly arrived refugees to feel welcome, through friendship and social support. For more details contact the CSR Co-ordinator in SA on 8232 3966 or at csrsa@bigpond.net.au
Health network
The following individuals have volunteered to act as contacts while the establishment of a formal network of health professionals assisting refugees and asylum seekers gets underway in South Australia:
Dr Sally Cole, Email: drsal@picknowl.com.au;
Dr Belinda Capon, Email: belinda.capon@internode.on.net;
Ms Susan Lane (RACGP), Email: susan.lane@racgp.org.au.
Refugee Advice and Casework Service
Specialist non-profit legal advice service for refugees and asylum seekers.
Adress: c/- Australian Refugee Association, 2 Brown St, West Croydon SA 5008,
Tel: (08) 8340 4700.
Survivors of Torture and Trauma Assistance and Rehabilitation Service (STTARS)
Address: 12 Hawker Street , Bowden, SA 5007, Telephone: 08 8346 5433, Fax: 08 8346 5755, Email: sttars@chariot.net.au
The Refugee Advocacy Service of SA
RASSA is an organization which operates as a community legal centre to provide pro-bono legal advise and representation to refugees and asylum seekers currently detained in SA.
Tasmania
Social Action & Research Centre, Anglicare
Support for refugees and asylum seekers.
Migrant Resource Centre of Northern Tasmania
Provides a range of settlement services including legal assistance for migrants / refugees from diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds.
Phoenix Centre: Migrant Resource Centre of Southern Tasmania
Support services to newly arrived refugees and people who have survived torture and trauma.
Victoria
Asylum Seeker Project, Hotham Mission
Material aid, advocacy and support.
Asylum Seeker Resource Centre
Material aid, counselling, legal advice, advocacy, support and information.
Asylum Seeker Specialist Clinic for Medicare - Ineligible Asylum Seekers
A clinic specifically designed to offer general specialist services to asylum seekers who do not have access to Medicare. Clients require a referral from a General Practitioner in the community. Address: 75 Brunswick St. , Fitzroy, Tel: 03 9388 2459.
Asylum Seeker Welcome Centre
Case work, social support for asylum seekers.
Australian Red Cross Asylum Seeker's Assistance Scheme (ASAS)
A government funded scheme established to offer income and health support to eligible Asylum Seekers.
Bula Bula Health Centre for Asylum Seekers, Footscray
Offers a range of primary and specialist health services as well as allied health and alternative health therapies. Eligible clients include TPV holders and asylum seekers (with or without Medicare access) Address: 207 & 211 Nicholson St. , Footscray, Tel:03 9689 5075 & 03 9687 1434.
Geelong Migrant Resource Centre
General Welfare and Immigration Services.
Inner Western Region Migrant Resource Centre (MRC)
Providing advocacy and welfare service delivery agency for migrants and refugees.
Migrant Resource Centre North East
Promoting the well-being and successful settlement of migrants and refugees living in the northern region of Melbourne .
Migrant Resource Centre North West Region
Providing settlement support for refugees.
Melbourne Refugee and Asylum Seeker Network (RASHN)
The Network is a voluntary alliance of hospital and community organisations addressing the health care needs of refugees and asylum seekers.
Refugee Action Collective
A grassroots collective, comprising a broad cross section of people who aim to change Australian government policy to refugees.
Refugee and Immigration Legal Centre
Melbourne-based community legal service providing advice and casework practice for refugees.
Refugee Health Research Centre
A La Trobe University and Victorian Foundation for the Survivors of Torture
Partnership. The RHRC promotes the health and well-being of refugee communities through applied and foundation research, teaching, continuing education and professional development.
Victorian Foundation for Survivors of Torture (VFST)
The Foundation provides direct care to survivors of trauma and torture in the form of counselling, advocacy, family support, group work, psycho-education, information sessions and complementary therapies.
Victoria Legal Aid
Address: 350 Queen Street, MELBOURNE VIC 3000 J, Tel: (03) 9269 0280.
Wombat Asylum Seekers Support Program
Supporting asylum seekers to access services, food and long-term Housing.
Western Australia
Association for Services to Torture and Trauma Survivors
A non-profit, non-government organisation which provides treatment and support to people who have been tortured or traumatized by violent conflicts.
Coalition for Asylum Seekers, Refugees and Detainees CARAD
Since January 2000 CARAD has provided settlement services for over 2000 refugees who are sent to Perth from detention centres.
Directory of Services for New Arrivals in WA
Immigration and settlement services.
Northern Suburbs Migrant Resource Centre
Address: Unit 1, 14 Chesterfield Road , Mirrabooka , WA , 6061,
Telephone: (08) 9345 5755, Fax: (08) 9345 5036, Email: admin@nsmrc.org.au
Legal Aid Western Australia
Address: 55 George's Terrace, PERTH WA 6000 J, tel: (08) 9261 6282.
Southern Communities Advocacy Legal & Education Service (SCALES)
SCALES offers initial legal advice and referrals to people who live or work in the Rockingham, Kwinana, Mandurah and Pinjarra areas.
South Metropolitan Migrant Resource Centre
Providing a culturally sensitive counselling, advocacy and referral service for the general migrant and refugee community.
WA Refugee Health Network
A network of doctors in WA created to help refugees with their health problems. Contacts: Dr Gervase Chaney, Tel: 08 9340 8222, Email: Gervase.Chaney@health.wa.gov.au ; Ms Penny Anderson (RACPWA), Tel: 9380 8699, Email: college.wa@surgeons.org ; Amanda Barnard (UWA), Tel: 08 9449 5132, Email: wnorris@cyllene.uwa.edu.au ).
Directories and Background Materials
The Age - Immigration News
Latest refugee and immigration articles online.
A Last Resort?
The HREOC National Inquiry into Children in Immigration Detention.
Alternative detention model
Submitted by the Justice for Asylum Seekers (JAS) Detention Reform Working Group to the HREOC inquiry into children in detention.
Amnesty International Australia's Fact Sheet on alternatives to detention .
An alternative policy
By Peter Mares, ABC broadcaster and author of 'Borderline: Australia 's treatment of refugees and asylum seekers'.
An alternative to indefinite mandatory detention of asylum seekers
By Chris Sidoti, former Human Rights Commissioner.
asylumlaw
A free website with the sole purpose of using the Internet to help lawyers and their clients worldwide prepare the best asylum cases they can.
Australia IS Refugees - Children's Stories and AAR School Projects
School projects conducted by Australians Against Racism including downloadable winning stories from the 2002 nationwide competition 'Australia IS Refugees'.
Australian Lawyers for Human Rights Refugee Kit
A plain language guide to the international and domestic laws and processes for dealing with asylum seekers and refugees (written in May 2003 for Australian Lawyers for Human Rights)
Edmund Rice Centre for Justice and Community Education
Established by the Christian Brothers, has downloadable publications addressing myths about asylum seekers.
Forced Migration Review
Practitioner Journal on Refugee Studies published three times a year in English, Spanish and Arabic.
Guide to International Refugee Law Resources
Guide to key texts, Journals and Bibliographic Tools available on the web that can help shed light on refugee issues.
HREOC National Inquiry
Submissions to the National Inquiry into Children in Immigration Detention.
Mental Health and trauma Help Sheets
Provided through the Global Information Networks in Education (GINIE) which serves as a 'virtual learning community' for education innovation in nations in crisis and transition.
Promoting Psychosocial Well-Being Among Children Affected by Armed Conflict and Displacement: Principles and Approaches .
International Save the Children Alliance Provided online through INEE ( The Interagency Network for Education on Emergencies)
Psycho-Social and Mental Health Programmes: Useful Resources and Information Guide Interventions
Annotated bibliography (pdf) of large number of resources and references on psycho-social and mental health programmes in refugee and refugee-like situations over the last decade.
Refugee Case Law Site
Promotes transnational analysis of refugee law by providing access to selected recent court decisions that interpret the legal definition of a "refugee."
Rethinking the Refugee Crisis
By Neville J. Roach AO (who resigned as chairman of the Council for Multicultural Australia) - from the Bulletin magazine, Feb 6 2002.
Select Bibliography of Refugee Literature
September 2002 pdf bibliography identifying some major publications and recent literature relating to refugee issues.
Spare Laywers for Refugees
Non-profit support and advocacy network for people being held in Australian immigration detention centres. Lawyer and education resources, speeches/presentations by Julian Burnside QC and Speaker Booking are all available online.
There are alternatives to mandatory detention
By Sarah Stephen; from Green Left Weekly, March 13, 2002.
Those who've come across the seas: detention of unauthorized arrivals
HREOC's report on mandatory detention, tabled in federal Parliament on 12 May 1998, includes an alternative model [PDF 1.6 MB]