ISEC Australian Studies

Multiculturalism in Australia

Refugees
Refugees are people who have experienced torture or trauma because of war or
persecution in their own country. They usually have no money or home and have often
lost their families. Refugees usually cannot go back to their countries for fear of being
punished or killed. They need to find another country to live in.

There are about 22.3 million refugees in the world. Australia accepts about 12, 000
refugees every year. They come from countries such as Afghanistan, Iraq, Somalia, and
East Timor. The Australian government has a strict selection process for refugees as it
does for migrants. For, example, refugees must have a genuine fear of persecution in their
homeland. Refugees are not expected to speak English.

Refugees come to Australia with very

few possessions and so need special
assistance to help them start their new
lives in Australia. The government pays
for their airfares and they are given a
home, food, clothes and medical
assistance for their first few months in
Australia. Many refuges do not speak
English and so English classes are
provided as well.

Tan Le came to Australia as a refugee when she was four years

old. With her mother and her sister, she sailed by boat from
Vietnam to Malaysia, where they spent two months in a
refugee camp. Finally, they were allowed to migrate to
Australia. Tan won the Young Australian of the Year Award in
1998 for her work in community services.