Refugees and regional settlement: balancing priorities - summary

Abstract

Refugees and regional settlement: balancing priorities Summary The issue A simple equation is sometimes presented, that regional areas need population and workers and that refugees need jobs and therefore the refugees should go to regional areas. Our research suggests the equation is not necessarily simple. Both the Federal Government and the Victorian State Government have been developing policies to encourage migrants and refugees to settle in regional areas, in order to assist the newcomers to gain employment and to help build regional economies. This involves both relocation from metropolitan areas and direct settlement from overseas. However, the settlement needs of refugees cannot be assumed to be the same as those of other migrants.

The research The Brotherhood of St Laurence has studied the settlement experiences of two recent refugee groups (Iraqi and Sudanese) in regional Victoria (Shepparton, Colac and Warrnambool) and examined factors that promote successful settlement.