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The Victorian Government has announced it will undertake an independent review of its interpreters and translators to ensure Victorians have the support they need when accessing government services.  The review will examine: The procurement of interpreting services The current state o

The Department of Health and Human Services Cultural Diversity Plan is a framework to embed cultural diversity in the Department’s services, programs and policies. Click HERE to read the plan.

An additional $10.9 million over 4 years (not ongoing) was was allocated in the 2016-17 Victorian state budget for health and human services to support rising Syrian and Iraqi refugee settlement. This funding will support: Early health and human services orientation, triage and assess

The new Australasian Society for Infectious Diseases (ASID) and Refugee Health Network of Australia (RHeaNA) Recommendations for comprehensive post-arrival health assessment for people from refugee-like backgrounds were launched in April 2016 Read the full media release HERE Read more

Refugee Legal (Refugee and Immigration Legal Centre) will expand services to people seeking asylum who arrived by boat between 13 August 2012 and 1 January 2014. Victoria Legal Aid directed funds received under the National Partnership Agreement on Legal Assistance to this two year fu

Prime Minister Abbott and Foreign Minister Bishop announced that Australia will be permanently resettling an additional 12,000 people from Syria and Iraq in 2015-16 through the Australian Humanitarian Program. The government have indicated that these places be directed to “women

The Victorian Refugee Health Network is auspiced by Foundation House a member of the Forum of Australian Services for Survivors of Torture and Trauma (FASSTT). FASSTT recently released a statement about the Border Force Act 2015. The Network recommends services that contract to the De

The Victorian Government Department of Health and Human Services have included the former interim fee waiver for people who are asylum seekers receiving Commonwealth Status Resolution Support Services (SRSS) into the the annual Ambulance transport payment guidelines. Verified asylum s

The Safe Haven Enterprise Visa (SHEV) became available on 1 July 2015.  The SHEV is designed to encourage asylum seekers who arrived by boat to work and/or study in a regional area. Asylum seekers who arrived by boat can now choose to apply for either a Temporary Protection visa (TPV)

The Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT) has merged with the Migration Review Tribunal (MRT), Refugee Review Tribunal (RRT) and Social Security Appeals Tribunal  to become the amalgamated AAT. In Melbourne, the new AAT Migration and Refugee Division will remain at the same locations