“One Labor MP was frank about the chaos. The party would be at war if the cuts went ahead, they said. Members of Labor’s left faction were “pretty outraged”, and said caucus had not been consulted. More than a few MPs went straight to the offices of Albanese and the home affairs minister, Tony Burke, seeking an explanation. One Labor source said that Burke told MPs no decision had been made on cutting the intake. Labor for Refugees, a rank and file group, said in a statement released on Friday that it was “grateful” for the prime minister’s intervention in “ensuring Australia’s humanity hasn’t been forgotten”.

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2026/aug/28/labor-wrestles-with-migration-figures-but-opponents-struggle-to-find-the-target

LABOR FOR REFUGEES – MEDIA RELEASE (27/8/26)

Maintaining Australia’s Refugee and Humanitarian Program
Labor for Refugees is grateful for the Prime Minister’s intervention to reverse a Government decision reported earlier today, to cut the humanitarian refugee program.

This intervention accords with the recent decision made by the Party at Labor’s National Conference in Adelaide in July.

L4R congratulates the PM on ensuring Australia’s humanity hasn’t been forgotten.

Australia is built on immigration and now more than ever we need immigrants, including highly motivated refugees to help build our most needed local industries, staff our services, staff our agricultural resources and meet the shortages of skilled and unskilled areas of employment.

Now is not the time to give in to the ignorance and bigotry of One Nation.

Labor for Refugees has worked within the Labor Party for 25 years to make the party a party of humanity and compassion for refugees. Now more than ever there is a need for a fair and just system of resettlement of refugees from countries torn by war, terror and starvation.

The nation recently celebrated the successful resettlement of a million refugees since 1947, contributing to every facet of Australian life including our much-loved Socceroos team.

Labor for Refugees recently proposed at Labor’s National Conference, the need to maintain the intake at 20,000 places per year while aspiring to achieve numbers up to 27,000 per
year.

Conference delegates approved an amendment to the ALP Platform, stating: “Labor will seek, in the short term, to maintain Australia’s government funded humanitarian intake numbers at 20,000 places per year while also continuing to aspire to achieving 27,000
places per year.”

This amendment was moved by the National Co-Convenor of Labor for Refugees and was adopted as part of the 2026 ALP National Platform.

Labor for Refugees appreciates very much the Labor MPs who respected the decision of Conference, worked hard to overturn the reported cut and ensured the PM was aware of the
depth of concern about this issue.

For more information contact Peter Lynch, Labor for Refugees National Co-Convenor 0401 141
359.

Alicia Payne MP (Labor) speaking on refugees and asylum seekers in the ACT Legislature 20.8.26

Our next L4R meeting will be held on Wednesday 26 August at 6.30pm 

Anyone who supports our L4R goals is welcome to attend.

Minutes of our July meeting follow:  L4RNSW-ACTMinMtg29Jul26

National Labor Conference:  the outcome National and NSW/ACT Secretary Nizza Siano attended the Conference in Adelaide as an Observer from Wednesday 22 to Saturday 25 July.  She spent most of her time at the L4R stall, together with other L4R volunteers. L4R was lucky to secure a stall at the last minute due to a cancellation by another group. The CEO of the Chifley Research Centre Emma Dawson, kindly offered the stall to L4R. Two L4R members, Nasrin Azzizi and Lynne Murphy staffed the stall over the two and a half days together with Nizza. We are very grateful for all the time they dedicated. L to R:  Nizza Siano, Peter Lynch, Nasrin Azizi, Lynne Murphy at the L4R stall ALP National Conference 2026. The stall was a great opportunity to promote L4R and a total of 19 ALP members from a number of states, applied to join and become members of L4R.  Five of them were from NSW/ACT.  We look forward to seeing these new members at our meetings.  The Secretary encouraged the new members from SA, to start a L4R group in their own state. Many connections were made with supporters.  Some were MPs who volunteered to provide support for a new group in their state. Nizza Siano and L4R National Co-Convenor Peter Lynch, represented L4R at the Conference.  Peter, who was a Proxy Delegate from Victoria, had ongoing discussions with Assistant Minister for Citizenship, Customs and Multicultural Affairs Julian Hill, on the sidelines of the Conference re the Platform amendments we had submitted to the Conference.  We had also submitted a Special Resolution about the humanitarian refugee intake numbers. This Resolution was reproduced in our last L4R newsletter. Our L4R national group (NCC) had decided to withdraw our proposed Platform amendments after meeting with the Senior Advisers to both Tony Burke and Julian Hill, the week prior to Conference as it was apparent that these amendments would not get up.  However, we decided to leave it until the last day before withdrawing them.   A Win  On the evening prior to Chapter 7 being debated on Day 3 of the conference, Julian Hill agreed to convert our Special Resolution (which Peter planned to speak to on the floor of Conference on Saturday morning), to a Platform Amendment.  This was good news and a positive outcome because at one stage, after meeting with Minister Burke late last year, we were concerned that the Government would drop this clause from the Platform, due to budgetary considerations and because Labor did not want to be targeted by the Right re the number of refugee intake. Peter spoke eloquently to our amendment on Saturday morning.  The speech follows – Speech on behalf of L4R delivered by Peter Lynch on Saturday 25 July 2026 in favour of amending the ALP National Platform to maintain Australia’s Humanitarian and Refugee Intake at 20,000 per year in the short term, whilst still aspiring to achieve 27,000 places per year   “Delegates: Australia is a successful multicultural country – as our Platform states – a “Nation built on Migration”.   We should be proud that this includes the now just over a million refugees who have joined us since WW2 have come to Australia through the refugee & humanitarian program.   Refugees are particularly well represented amongst the migrants who have helped shape modern Australia.   Australians who were refugees are statistically more likely to start a small business, work in the care economy or doing hard agricultural jobs than those of other backgrounds.   118 million people worldwide are currently displaced – meaning the need for resettlement has never been greater.   But in the past year the number of refugees resettled globally has actually dropped by more than a half to just 81,000 in 2025.   This drop means that even with an intake of 20,000 per year Australia is one of the world’s leading resettlement countries.   Thus, Australia’s contribution to refugee resettlement is more significant and more important than ever before.   We congratulate the Albanese Labor Government on lifting the humanitarian intake from the 13,500 places per year under the former Coalition government to 20,000 places per year which has been maintained for the four years since coming to government in 2022.   Despite the noise from some on the political Right, there is every indication that most of the population strongly support the Refugee humanitarian program. There are hundreds of refugee support groups around the country, and thousands participate in refugee community support programs like CRISP (Community Refugee and Integration Program) – especially in rural & regional areas.   Labor for Refugees understands the budgetary and other pressures the Government is under in relation to this program. The demand is high. Clearly there are limits to how much can be done. But delegates, this is not a big fiscal program!   $910 million has been allocated in the Budget for this program for 26/27 financial year – although actual 25/26 financial year spending was $1.1billion.   We’ve noted the forward projections in the Budget papers.   In the coming months the government will decide on the size of the program from July 2027. We understand there are pressures to reduce the intake back to the Coalition levels of 13,500 per year.   In the face of huge global need, maintaining the humanitarian intake at 20,000 places per year in the short term, whilst working towards the aspiration of 27,000 per year, will mean we will continue to enjoy the contributions to the nation of the diverse range of refugees who have joined us since 1947.   By doing this, Labor in government will not only enhance us domestically, but also will maintain Australia’s role as one of the great resettlement countries in a troubled and changing world.     Delegates, I commend the amendment to the Conference for endorsement.”         Secretary, Nizza Siano would like to thank Peter for all the hard work he did in negotiating with Julian Hill, right throughout the Conference up to the night before Platform 7 was debated. The Amendment which was adopted by Conference Delegates, follows:  Urgent follow-up action  Australia’s migration and refugee protection system is facing significant proposed changes that could have serious consequences for refugees, people seeking asylum and migrant families. The Federal Government has proposed several sweeping changes to the migration system. These changes include removing work rights for people seeking asylum, limiting appeal rights in refugee protection cases, increasing visa charges and creating additional barriers to family reunification. These changes risk pushing people into poverty, increasing vulnerability to exploitation, separating families for longer periods, and weakening fundamental safeguards within Australia’s migration system. Australia needs a migration and refugee protection system that is fair, effective and well-managed. We can address delays and backlogs without removing people’s rights, forcing people into poverty or creating additional barriers for families trying to reunite.  CAMPAIGN ON HUMANITARIAN REFUGEE NUMBERS In these uncertain and fraught political times, Labor for Refugees wants to ensure that our hard fought for and won amendment at the National Conference, which commits to maintaining Australia’s Humanitarian and Refugee intake at 20,000 per year in the short term, whilst still aspiring to achieve 27,000 places per year, will be honoured. We therefore ask for your support to contact your local MP and Senators and also send a letter to the Minister for Home Affairs, Immigration and Multiculturalism Affairs Tony Burke at Tony.Burke.MP@aph.gov.au and Assistant Minister for Multiculturalism Affairs Julian Hill at julian.hill.mp@aph.gov.au  urging them to honour this commitment in Labor’s National Platform.   Ask them to provide an assurance that the Humanitarian visa numbers in the Platform remain untouched and that the number of family reunions are also not reduced.  Find your nearest Labor MP or Senator here. Thank you for your support. Living Conditions for Detainees in the Regional Processing Centre in Nauru  1.      The Senate Committee Inquiry into Offshore processing and resettlement arrangements report was released on the 2 July 2026. To quote the Asylum Seekers Resource Centre –  “For more than a decade, people who survived the Australian Government’s offshore detention regime have been waiting for justice and certainty. A report released by the Senate was an opportunity to finally deliver that – instead, it fell far short”.It goes on to say –“After hearing evidence from people who survived offshore detention and whistle-blowers who witnessed it first-hand, you’d expect the report to confront the devastating harm caused by this policy.Instead, it barely does. In fact, the word “harm” appears just once in the Committee’s official report, and only when referring to harm to Australia’s international relationships.It says almost nothing about the lasting harm inflicted on the people Australia sent to its brutal offshore processing centres.That matters because people remain trapped in PNG and Nauru, and more than 700 people evacuated from offshore detention are still living with its consequences in Australia today.Many have spent more than a decade rebuilding their lives in Australia. They’ve become part of our communities, working, studying and raising families. For them, Australia is the only home they’ve ever known.Many are still trapped on short-term Exit Visas. Instead of being able to rebuild their lives, they’re repeatedly forced to reapply just to stay in Australia, living with the constant fear that they could be told to leave. No one can truly rebuild their life while living with that uncertainty”.  We say this was a lost opportunity.”  At our last L4R meeting,  it was decided to write to Tony Burke, copied to Pat Conroy, Penny Wong, Matt Thistlethwaite and Julian Hill, outlining the dreadful conditions being experienced by the detainees in the Regional Processing Centre in Nauru and referred them to the ASRC Report on hunger among the detainees as well as the huge costs to taxpayer.  We also wanted to ask the Australian Government,  if people are still starving, how our taxpayer’s money being allocated?  The link to our letter follows L4RletterNauruLivingConditions7Aug26 I look forward to seeing you at our meeting next Wednesday evening. RegardsNizza Siano Secretary L4R NSW/ACT email:  contact@labor4refugees.com

 

 

Dear friends

You will have seen updates from us over the past week about the migration changes the Albanese Government is considering and our concerns about what they could mean for people seeking asylum.

As part of our response, more than 160 organisations and groups have now signed a joint letter calling on the Government not to proceed with changes that would take away work rights, weaken appeal rights or make it harder for families to stay together.

This morning, we publicly launched the letter and issued a media release sounding the alarm about what these changes could mean for people seeking asylum and the organisations and communities that support them.

You can read and share the media release here:
More than 160 organisations sound the alarm on proposed migration changes

Now is the time to turn up the pressure.

After weeks of uncertainty, the Financial Review is reporting that Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke is expected to announce Labor’s proposed migration changes this week. That means we could have only days left to influence what the Government ultimately decides to do.

There are signs that pressure is having an impact, but we have not won yet. We need to work together now to stop the worst of these changes from being implemented.

Whether or not your organisation was able to sign the joint letter, there are two important things you can do right now:

1. Contact Labor MPs and Senators. If your organisation has relationships with MPs, Ministers, advisers or Labor offices, please use them now. Call, email or request a meeting. Make clear your opposition to removing work rights and weakening appeal rights, and explain what these changes would mean for the people and communities you work with.
2. Help build public pressure. Please share the joint letter and media release across your social media channels and encourage your networks to speak up. We’ve attached unbranded social media tiles that any organisation is welcome to use and share through your own channels.

More than 160 organisations coming together has already demonstrated the breadth of concern about the changes being considered. Now we need to make sure the Albanese Government hears that message everywhere.

The more of us speaking up at the same time, both publicly and directly to the Albanese Government, the stronger that message will be.

Thank you for everything you can do over the coming days.

Please feel free to reach out if there is anything else the ASRC can do to support your advocacy.

Talk soon

Ogy

—

Ogy Simic (he/him)

Head of Refugee Leadership, Advocacy and Communication

Asylum Seeker Resource Centre

214 – 218 Nicholson St, Footscray, VIC 3011

Wurundjeri Country

Mobile: 0402 651 002

Email: ogy.s@asrc.org.au

Our next L4R meeting will be held on Wednesday 29 July at 6.30pm on Zoom

NOTE THAT OUR JULY MEETING WILL TAKE PLACE ONE WEEK LATER THAN USUAL.

Anyone who supports our L4R goals is welcome to attend.

Minutes of our last meeting on the 24 June 2026 follow L4RNSW-ACTMinMtg24Jun26 

NSW Labor Conference – what happened? Brief Background After conducting a campaign for the NSW Labor Conference, to gain support for our refugee motion on homelessness, we sent our motion to the NSW Minister for Housing and Homelessness Rose Jackson early this year.  L4R then met with the Minister on the 31 March 2026.  Shortly afterwards, a wording was agreed to by both the Minister and L4R. However, a few months later, we become aware that the Minister had changed her mind and we discovered that our motion, together with its Background, which appeared in the Policy Committee’s Report under the Chapter “Social Justice and Legal Affairs”, was only being supported in principle, instead of being supported outright.  We next attempted a compromise on words that would be acceptable to both parties.   The Minister’s Deputy Chief of Staff then came back with a significant one word change to our motion which was a proposal to delete the word “shelter” and replace it with “support”.  Not happy with this change, our Office Bearers decided to leave the final decision to our members.  After a discussion at our June meeting, members unanimously decided to reject this change.  It was felt that “support” could mean anything or nothing, so we may as well leave our motion in its original form. To recap, the motion (without the Background) follows: Homelessness Support Should be Based on Need and not Visa Status – That this NSW Labor Conference recognises the right to housing is a human right. Humans include people in our community without visas and we recognise that the Commonwealth controls who gets visas and when, as well as the conditions on those visas, including withholding the right to work.  In these circumstances, to ensure homelessness is rare, brief and non-recurring in NSW, we call on the NSW Labor Government to include accessible, safe, affordable shelter for non-residents and asylum seekers in the NSW Homelessness Strategy 2025-2035.  The State Conference 4/5 July, 2026 On the first morning of the Conference, a group of L4R members met at 7.15am and handed out our L4R Leaflet, which contained our Conference motion, to Delegates as they queued up at the entrance to the Sydney Town Hall, waiting for the doors to open. The Conference agenda listed the “Social Justice and Legal Affairs” Chapter as the 2nd last item on day two.  We were aware that Conference usually finishes early and consequently, Delegates would never get around to debating this Chapter. There was an attempt by the Left early on the first day of Conference, to force this important Chapter to be debated on Saturday morning instead, but the motion was lost, even though Delegates’ voices sounded quite even on the vote from the floor.  A call by L4R Secretary Nizza Siano, for a count, was ignored by the Chair. So as predicted, that Chapter was not debated at all and our refugee motion on homelessness slipped through Conference as only being “supported in principle” which means the NSW Government’s housing policy remains unchanged and our motion was not adopted.  Thank YouI would like to thank those dedicated L4R members who showed up on an early cold winter’s morning, to hand out our leaflet and kept handing them out to Observers inside the Town Hall. Thanks also goes to those members who took our motion to their branch meetings and had their members support it.  There were a substantial number of branches who supported our L4R motion. We did the best we could under a very toxic anti-immigration, anti-refugee environment but would have had no chance at all were it not for the support we received from our members.    L4R Fringe Event”Housing is a Human Right” Fringe Event took place on Saturday 4 July at 2pm. It was scheduled at the same time as the Chapter on “Prosperity and Fairness at Work” was being debated by delegates upstairs in the main hall. That Chapter was attended by delegates from the trade union movement and may have been the reason that our Fringe Event was not well attended.  About 50 people turned up.  Our three guest speakers were very eloquent.  They were Elijah Buol OAM, the CEO from the Asylum Seekers Centre, Shaheen Whyte, Snr Policy Officer of the Refugee Council of Australia and Nadia, a person seeking asylum with lived experience of housing insecurity.  L4R’s Co-Convenor, Lauren Honcope, did an excellent job of moderating the event and asked each guest a series of questions.  It ended with a Q&A from the audience.

L4R Fringe Event L-R Sabrin Farooqui, Lauren Honcope, Elijah Buol, Nadia, Shaheen Whyte, Nizza Siano. ALP National Conference 23/24/25 July 2026 Our L4R national group, the National Co-ordinating Committee (NCC), worked hard throughout the year, examining each clause of Chapter 7 of the Draft Platform 2026.  This Chapter entitled “Australia’s Place in a Changing World”, will be debated and voted on by Delegates at the forthcoming National Conference on Saturday morning of the 25 July, the last day of Conference. We took every opportunity available, to make submissions beforehand, to the National Policy Forum (NPF), on those clauses in the Draft Platform that impacted on refugees and people seeking asylum.  Each time the Committee met, our supporters on the Committee, advocated for our refugee amendments but each time, these amendments were rejected by members of the NPF. We have now reached the stage where we will advocate at the forthcoming National Conference, for reforms to refugee policy, with a final smaller list of amendments as well as advocating for a Special Resolution that our NCC developed over some months.  Our Special Resolution focuses on Australia’s humanitarian refugee intake and follows:  Recommended Special Resolution by the 2026 ALP National Conference on Australia’s Humanitarian Refugee Intake (from Labor for Refugees)   The 2026 ALP National Conference celebrates Australia as a successful multicultural nation built on migration programs. National Conference specifically celebrates the contribution to the nation of the now one million people who have come to Australia since World War 2 as refugees.  Conference notes the ever-increasing global numbers of displaced persons due to conflict and persecution but also acknowledges the economic challenges for Labor governments in maintaining a responsible refugee intake. Conference again reaffirms the aspiration of Federal Labor to achieve a humanitarian refugee intake of 27,000 places per year from overseas locations in combination with a complementary resettlement intake pathway including community sponsorship of 10,000 places per year.     Conference congratulates the Albanese Labor Government since its election in 2022 for lifting the humanitarian refugee intake from 13,500 places per year under the previous Coalition Government to 20,000 places per year under Labor. The 2026 National Conference calls on the Albanese Labor government to maintain the humanitarian refugee intake numbers at 20,000 places per year whilst continuing to progress towards achieving 27,000 places per year.  We hope that we’ll have the support of Conference Delegates for our amendments to the Draft Platform and our Special Resolution.  Labor for Refugees will be promoting our Special Resolution at the Conference by handing out our leaflet, which includes our Resolution.  The Leaflet can be viewed at L4RNatConfLeaflet2026 Family Reunions On the 25 June last, we wrote to both the Minister for Finance and Women Senator Katy Gallagher and the Minister for Immigration and Citizenship Tony Burke, asking that they remove the cost burden for families in the form of fee waivers for visa applications for partners and their dependents.  In 2023, we had written to Senator Gallagher about this very issue, but received no response.   In our letter, we argued that introducing visa application charge concessions, will make it more affordable for people to reunite with their partners and/or children.  We submitted a number of other suggestions that would address the visa processing challenges facing them.  Our letter can be viewed at L4RFamReunions25Jun26  I hope to see you at our next meeting on 29 July when we will report to you on the National Conference.  RegardsNizza Siano Secretary L4R NSW email:  contact@labor4refugees.com

Refugees: Out of Sight … (but not) Out of Mind – Australia’s Offshore ‘Processing’ ONLINE FORUM – Tuesday 21 July 2026, 7.30pm AEST Zoom link Click here Hosted by the Australian Refugee Action Network (ARAN), the forum will shine a spotlight on:The ongoing harm caused by Australia’s offshore ‘processing’ regime and resistance in the face of cruelty Key critiques of Australia’s offshore regime and ‘externalisation’ of our responsibilities to people seeking asylum Alternative approaches and discussion on effective activism and advocacy.Speakers  Laura Johns – Associate Legal Director at the Human Rights Law Centre Sr Jane Keogh – Manus Lives Matter  Senator David Shoebridge – Greens senator and member of Senate Committee 9 July 2026, marks 13 years since then PM, Kevin Rudd, took Australia’s treatment of people seeking asylum to a new moral low, ruling that anyone arriving by boat from July 2013 would never settle in Australia. This decision entrenched Australia’s use of third countries to site its offshore immigration ‘processing’, this policy regime dates back further to 2001 under John Howard. However, under Howard’s laws, people assessed offshore and found to be refugees were still able to settle in Australia, but Rudd’s ruling removed this possibility for those arriving after 19 July 2013, irrespective of their refugee status.ARAN – Australian Refugee Action Network  Website FacebookIf you need more information email austrefugeenetwork@gmail.comPlan to join this important discussion – and share with others

Renew your membership Renew here

Labor for Refugees (L4R) is a group of party members and trade unionists, formed in 2001, to advocate for progressive reforms to the Labor Party’s policies on refugees and people seeking asylum. We believe Australia must uphold humane, just, and effective policies for those who seek refuge.

L4R Branches exist in Queensland, NSW – ACT and Victoria. There are many hundreds of individual ALP Members who have committed to support our aims and many local Branches in each State who have pledged support. Our influence is evident in improvements to Labor’s National and State Platforms. 

 HUMANITARIAN REFUGEE INTAKE – PROPOSED MOTION BY LABOR FOR REFUGEES

The 2026 ALP National Conference celebrates Australia as a successful multicultural nation built on migration programs.

National Conference specifically celebrates the contribution to the nation of the now one million people who have come to Australia since World War 2 as refugees.  

Conference notes the ever-increasing global numbers of displaced persons due to conflict and persecution but also acknowledges the economic challenges for Labor governments in maintaining a responsible refugee intake. 

Conference again reaffirms the aspiration of Federal Labor to achieve a humanitarian refugee intake of 27,000 places per year from overseas locations in combination with a complementary resettlement intake pathway including community sponsorship of 10,000 places per year.    

Conference congratulates the Albanese Labor Government since its election in 2022 for lifting the humanitarian refugee intake from 13,500 places per year under the previous Coalition Government to 20,000 places per year under Labor.

The 2026 National Conference calls on the Albanese Labor government to maintain the humanitarian refugee intake numbers at 20,000 places per year whilst continuing to progress towards achieving 27,000 places per year.

THE ALBANESE GOVERMENT’S RECORD

POLICY REFORMS AND ACHIEVEMENTS 

The most significant achievement of the Government has been the provision of permanent residency to individuals who were previously languishing in crippling uncertainty under Temporary Protection Visas (TPVs) and Safe Haven Enterprise Visas (SHEVs). Following L4R’s advocacy, the government offered permanency to people in these groups. Approximately 25,000 people who held TPVs or SHEVs have been, or will soon be, granted permanent residency. 

Similarly, since the second half of 2025, Federal Labor has been offering a pathway to permanent settlement to around 7,000 people treated unjustly under the former LNP government’s so-called ‘Fast Track’ visa application processing, which kept many vulnerable people in indefinite bridging visa limbo. L4R is hopeful that people in this group will have settlement certainty by early next year.

CONTINUING PROBLEMS

• PEOPLE IN AUSTRALIA WHO WERE PREVIOUSLY IN NAURU AND MANUS 

The Government continues to refuse to permanently settle 800 or so individuals and families who were sent to Manus (PNG) and Nauru from 19 July 2013 but are now in Australia (so-called ‘Transitory Persons’). Some are medical evacuees and others were brought by Federal Labor to Australia. All require permanent settlement. 

• HIGH COURT RULINGS, INDEFINITE DETENTION AND THE DEPORTATION BILL

The Labor Government’s approach to detention and deportation has come under intense scrutiny in the wake of recent High Court rulings. The Albanese Government rushed three unsatisfactory laws through Parliament to give itself new powers to force people to cooperate with deportation, to enter paid arrangements with third countries to accept people deported from Australia, and to limit people’s rights in immigration detention.  

• THE SITUATION IN NAURU NOW

L4R is deeply concerned by Federal Labor’s two arrangements with the Republic of Nauru. The first is revival of Nauru as a place to process people seeking asylum in Australia who arrived at the sea border without a visa. As of 30 September 2025 there were, 91 asylum seekers in Nauru, according to the Refugee Council of Australia, using Home Affairs’ reports. Uncertainty remains around the future of refugees and people seeking asylum on Nauru.

The second arrangement with Nauru, set up in September 2025, allows the deportation to Nauru of non-citizens with adverse character assessments, who cannot be deported to their countries of origin, including refugees and people seeking asylum in Australia. 

Both arrangements have been criticised by the UNHCR and Australian Human Rights organisations.  

• REFUGEES IN PAPUA NEW GUINEA (PNG)

The situation in PNG is equally troubling. L4R understands that, as at June 2026, there are 56 refugees living in Port Moresby (24 men who were originally sent to Manus Island from 19 July 2013, together with twelve partners and 20 children). Of those 8–10 are known to be so mentally unwell that they cannot engage with any settlement processes. An Australia-based small private charity has supported this group for many years, through financial aid and visits.  Federal Labor did provide some support for them until April 2026 but will not re-settle any of them in Australia (the 2013 Rudd rule). Some await resettlement in New Zealand and Canada, which may happen but is very slow. 

The Australian Government maintains that the future of these refugees now lies with PNG authorities and the UNHCR, which works to provide permanent settlement in other countries. Given the USA de-funding of UNHCR and the increasing trend across first world countries to reduce refugee settlement, third country settlement looks increasingly unlikely. L4R has repeatedly expressed its concerns to the Federal Government, particularly regarding vulnerable individuals who are physically and/or mentally unwell who cannot engage with the UNHCR process and need to be medivaced to Australia. Labor for Refugees continues to press for urgent humanitarian solutions.

• WORK AND STUDY RIGHTS

Labor’s 2023 National Platform affirms that people on bridging visas should have work and study rights while their asylum applications are processed.  In practice many continue to encounter barriers to employment, education, housing and healthcare. Over the years, successive Federal Governments have reduced Status Resolution Support Services (SRSS) funding and eligibility and removed many non-residents’ work rights and access to Medicare. Consequently, non-residents are locked out of work and mainstream social services and there is no safety net in place to prevent destitution and homelessness. Charities and frontline asylum services are left to fill the gap. These services are stretched beyond capacity and rely heavily on donations and community goodwill. RCOA noted that in the May 2026 Budget a planned reduction in the Federal SRSS funding allocation did not proceed and that for 2026-27, the actual funding spent on SRSS in 2025-26 would continue. 

THE PATH FORWARD

The Albanese Government has taken important steps toward a more humane and just refugee policy, but the journey is far from complete. The plight of refugees and asylum seekers—whether stranded offshore, mired in bureaucratic delays, or struggling to access essential services—demands continued vigilance and advocacy. L4R remains committed to holding the government accountable and ensuring that Australia meets its obligations to the world’s most vulnerable people, upholds its international commitments and builds a society rooted in fairness, dignity and hope for all who seek safety on its shore.

Key priorities moving forward include:

• Securing permanent and humane solutions for those Australia sent to Nauru after May 2022 and still in Nauru, and those Australians sent to PNG (Manus) after 19 July 2013 and still in PNG, most urgently the physically and mentally unwell. 
• Securing safe permanent settlement of refugees currently in Indonesia who arrived over 10 years ago.
• Facilitating family re-unions wherever possible in cases where people seeking asylum and refugees already have close relatives in Australia.
• Providing pathways to permanency for all refugees living in Australia, including former detainees in Manus and Nauru, on indefinite bridging visas.
• Restoring subsistence income support and expanding access to work, healthcare, education and housing, including for new arrivals.
• Safeguarding legal rights and opposing any legislative measures that risk arbitrary or indefinite detention and forced deportations.
• Increasing Australia’s humanitarian intake.
• Ensuring robust consultation with refugee communities, advocacy groups and stakeholders in the ongoing reform of refugee policy.

Authorised by Nizza Siano, National Secretary, Labor for Refugees.

For further information, to purchase merchandise or join Labor for Refugees email contact@labor4refugees.com

1. https://www.refugeecouncil.org.au/operation-sovereign-borders-offshore-detention-statistics/3/
2. Please contact L4R if you are interested in donating to this group

Our next L4R meeting will be held on Wednesday 24 June at 6.30pm

Anyone who supports our L4R goals is welcome to attend.

Minutes of our last meeting on the 27 May 2026 follow L4RNSW-ACTMinMtg27May26 

NSW Labor Conference – L4R campaign on homelessness – latest development After first meeting on the 31 March 2026 with NSW Minister for Water, Housing, Homelessness, Mental Health and Youth Rose Jackson, L4R and the Minister, negotiated a form of wording for a motion, that would be acceptable to both L4R and the NSW Government.  On the 18 May, the Minister’s Adviser confirmed to L4R’s Secretary, Nizza Siano, that they were happy with the final wording of the motion. This motion was to be included on the agenda at the NSW ALP Conference under the Chapter “Social Justice and Legal Affairs”.  We assumed this was a done deal and that our motion would sail through, unopposed at the Conference on the 4/5 July.  Our motion was the outcome of a campaign conducted by L4R since early 2026.  It was supported by the Refugee Council of Australia and Asylum Seekers Centre and endorsed by a number of ALP branches. The motion and background follows:HOMELESSNESS SUPPORT SHOULD BE BASED ON NEED AND NOT VISA STATUS The NSW Labor Government Homelessness Strategy 2025-2035 acknowledges that the right to housing is a basic human right.  The Strategy estimates that more than 35,000 people are experiencing homelessness in NSW.  There is an increase of 27% between the censuses carried out in 2011 and 2021. The Refugee Council of Australia (RCOA) reported in 2025 that in the City of Sydney alone, nearly 20% of people sleeping rough are non-residents on uncertain visas, including asylum seekers. Over the years, successive Federal Governments have reduced Status Resolution Support Services (SRSS) funding and eligibility and removed many non-residents’ work rights and access to Medicare, while the NSW State Government has excluded non-residents from homelessness support.  Consequently, non-residents are locked out of mainstream social services and there is no safety net in place to prevent destitution and homelessness.  The RCOA reported that currently, charities and frontline asylum services are left to fill the gap.  They provide food, emergency accommodation, rent assistance, transport and healthcare but with little or no government funding.  These services are stretched beyond capacity and rely heavily on donations and community goodwill. The Asylum Seekers Centre (ASC) reported in 2024 that homelessness is detrimental to the welfare and mental health of non-residents.  Subsequently, this affects their ability to lodge and progress visa applications.  This motion is about giving all non-residents and asylum seekers access to homelessness support.  No one should be excluded based on their visa status!    MOTION That this NSW Labor Conference recognises the right to housing is a human right. Humans include people in our community without visas and we recognise that the Commonwealth controls who gets visas and when, as well as the conditions on those visas, including withholding the right to work.  In these circumstances, to ensure homelessness is rare, brief and non-recurring in NSW, we call on the NSW Labor Government to include accessible, safe, affordable shelter for non-residents and asylum seekers in the NSW Homelessness Strategy 2025-2035.  LATEST DEVELOPMENT IS A BLOW Disappointingly, we have since learned, that the Policy Committee that examined our motion, decided that our motion should only be “Supported In Principle”, rather than being “Supported” outright. This was a blow for us as we had not been officially informed of this decision and the change of position by the Minister, until early this week.  The L4R Secretary had attempted on numerous occasions over the last month, to make contact with the Minister’s Adviser to discuss the motion, but to no avail.  Since discovering this bad piece of news, The L4R Secretary has requested to speak to the Minister’s Chief of Staff, in the hope that L4R and the NSW Government can find some common ground, that can result in an outcome that will benefit homeless asylum seekers and non-residents living rough on our streets. If you want to read all the motions submitted to NSW Conference by ALP Branches, trade unions, and other ALP units (including our motion on homelessness) and see the response each motion received by the Platform Committees, the Policy Committees Report can be found by clicking here.  Volunteers needed at NSW Conference We are asking for volunteers to assist us in handing out our L4R leaflet early on Saturday morning at the Sydney Town Hall, to Delegates arriving on the first morning of the conference on Saturday 4 July.  Registration for Delegates commences at 7.30am so that’s when we plan to be there. In order to assist us, you will need to be a member of the Labor Party and register as an Observer, otherwise, we don’t know if the security measures surrounding the conference, will allow you to stand and hand out on the steps of the Town Hall.   To register please click NSW Labor Observer Registration Please get back to Nizza Siano at contact@labor4refugees.com if you have any time to offer L4R or let her know at our meeting next week. L4R Fringe Event at NSW Conference L4R has organised a fringe event on the theme of our campaign on homelessness.  It will take place on SATURDAY 4 JULY AT 2PM in the Lower Town Hall.  NSW Labor is in the process of producing a booklet for the Fringe Event and you will find all the details in this publication.  Details of our Fringe Event follow: Title:  “HOUSING IS A HUMAN RIGHT” Guest speakers:  ELIJAH BUOL OAM, CEO of the Asylum Seekers Centre  SHAHEEN WHYTE,  Senior Policy Officer of the Refugee Council of Australia   and NADIA who is a person seeking asylum with lived experience of housing insecurity in NSW.  She is a mother of three and runs her own catering business.   Please attend and promote our event so we can show the government (both State and Federal), that many people care about the plight of asylum seekers.  Pauline Hanson’s One Nation  Listening to Pauline Hanson list all of her One Nation policies at yesterday’s National Press Club, sickened me.  I was amazed that her attack on the media, did not elicit a walk-out by the media representatives who attended this event.  They were being directly attacked by Ms Hanson yet just sat there, too timid (or stunned), to speak out (with a very few exceptions).  This compliance and willingness to view One Nation as a mainstream, respectable Party, worthy of consideration, is exactly how fascism grows.  My family experienced it in Nazi Europe.  It’s because the “ordinary” voter, is unable to see how voting for change, for the sake of change, can damage whole communities and our society.  This reluctance to see beyond populist rhetoric, is what allows these extremists to flourish.  Unfortunately, only too late, people realise that the destruction of institutions that support them and enhance their quality of life, have vanished under these right-wing governments.  Instead, many become targets.You just have to look at Trump as an example of this and see how he has destroyed the lives of people living in the USA (and elsewhere).   Refugees and migrants have always been the scapegoats for Pauline Hanson and we must fight with all our might, to prevent her popularity from growing because of the misguided views people hold, who are suffering for all sorts of reasons, but who instead, apportion blame on others who are also suffering. These people will NOT benefit from a change of government from a Labor Government to an Australia ruled by One Nation.

I hope to see you at our online meeting next Wednesday. RegardsNizza Siano Secretary L4R NSW email:  contact@labor4refugees.com