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| Asylum Seekers Resource Centre | |
|---|---|
| Name | Asylum Seekers Resource Centre |
| Formation | 2000 |
| Type | Non-profit organisation |
| Headquarters | Melbourne, Victoria, Australia |
| Region served | Victoria, Australia |
| Leader title | Director |
Asylum Seekers Resource Centre is an Australian non-profit organisation founded in 2000 to provide practical assistance to people seeking asylum in Australia, particularly in Melbourne, Victoria. The organisation developed from grassroots activism linked to high-profile events such as the Tampa affair and the Pacific Solution, and has operated alongside institutions like Refugee Council of Australia, Red Cross Australia, UNHCR, Amnesty International Australia, and Human Rights Watch. Its activities intersect with legal actors such as the High Court of Australia, Federal Court of Australia, and advocacy networks centered around figures like Julian Burnside, Gideon Haigh, Sally McManus, Philip Ruddock, and Peter Dutton.
The organisation emerged in the wake of policy shifts following the Howard government's immigration measures and public controversies including the Children Overboard affair and policy responses during the 2001 Australian federal election. Early volunteers came from student groups linked to Melbourne University, faith communities like the National Council of Churches in Australia and the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference, and legal clinics associated with Monash University and La Trobe University. Over time the centre collaborated with services such as Article 1 Refugee Law Clinic, Jesuit Social Services, Brotherhood of St Laurence, St Vincent de Paul Society (Australia), and municipal bodies including the City of Melbourne and Victorian Department of Health. Major moments in its history include campaigns concurrent with rulings by the High Court of Australia on detention and ministerial powers, public protests involving GetUp!, and media coverage by outlets like ABC (Australian Broadcasting Corporation), The Age, The Australian, SBS (Special Broadcasting Service), and international reporting from BBC News and The Guardian.
The organisation's mission focuses on humanitarian assistance, social support, and legal referral for people in immigration processes overseen by agencies such as the Department of Home Affairs (Australia), the Department of Immigration and Multicultural Affairs (Australia), and detention centres like Port Hedland Immigration Detention Centre and Curtin Immigration Detention Centre. Services include food provision, casework compatible with standards from UNHCR, mental health referrals to clinics affiliated with Royal Melbourne Hospital and St Vincent's Hospital, Melbourne, and linkages to pro bono law firms such as Human Rights Law Centre and chambers linked to barristers including Julian Burnside QC. The centre partners with organizations such as Migrant Resource Centre (Victoria), Victorian Legal Aid, Asylum Seeker Resource Centre (Melbourne)-adjacent community groups, and multicultural services like Foundation House and Multicultural Australia.
Operational programs have included weekly food hubs, health clinics in collaboration with Doctors Without Borders affiliates and local general practitioners, employment programs modelled on initiatives by Jobs Australia, and volunteer coordination similar to practices at Volunteering Victoria. Educational workshops have been offered with partners such as Melbourne Polytechnic and RMIT University, while youth programs have linked to Headspace and community sports partnerships with clubs like Melbourne Victory and Collingwood Football Club. Logistics have relied on supply chains from food banks including SecondBite, donations from retailers like Woolworths Group (Australia) and Coles Group, and workplace giving partnerships mirroring those of Bendigo Bank and Commonwealth Bank of Australia.
Advocacy has involved public campaigns around detention policy, refugee status determination, and family reunion in policy debates involving politicians such as Scott Morrison, Tony Abbott, Kevin Rudd, Julia Gillard, Malcolm Turnbull, and Anthony Albanese. The organisation has filed submissions to parliamentary inquiries including committees of the Parliament of Australia and engaged with international mechanisms such as the Universal Periodic Review at the United Nations Human Rights Council. Campaigns have coordinated with NGOs including Australian Council of Social Service, GetUp!, Refugee Action Collective, and global networks like Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, and have sought to influence legislation such as the Migration Act 1958.
Funding sources historically have included private philanthropy from foundations such as the Ian Potter Foundation and the Myer Foundation, public fundraising campaigns with support from media partners like The Age and corporate donors in the style of ANZ Bank community programs, as well as grants from state agencies such as Victorian Multicultural Commission and emergency relief funds administered by entities like Foundation for Rural & Regional Renewal. Governance has been overseen by boards drawing directors with experience from institutions such as University of Melbourne, Monash University, La Trobe University, Griffith University, and legal advisors connected to firms like King & Wood Mallesons and MinterEllison.
The organisation has been credited by partners including UNHCR Australia, Human Rights Law Centre, and Jesuit Social Services for reducing food insecurity and improving access to legal aid for asylum seekers, while critics aligned with political figures like Peter Dutton and commentators in The Australian have contested aspects of its advocacy. Academic evaluations from scholars at Monash University, University of Melbourne, and RMIT University have examined its role in civil society responses to migration policy, and media coverage by outlets such as The Guardian Australia, ABC News, and SBS News have highlighted both community support and political controversy. The organisation's model has informed comparative studies with international NGOs such as Refugee Council of the United Kingdom and service providers in cities like Toronto and London.
Category:Non-profit organisations based in Victoria (Australia)