Migration Council of Australia

Migration Council of Australia
Name	Migration Council of Australia
Formation	2012
Headquarters	Sydney, New South Wales
Type	Non-profit advocacy organisation
Focus	Migration policy, settlement services, multicultural affairs
Leader title	CEO

Migration Council of Australia

The Migration Council of Australia is an independent Australian peak body established in 2012 to influence national debate on immigration to Australia, asylum seekers, refugees and multiculturalism in Australia. It engages with Australian institutions such as the Parliament of Australia, the Australian Human Rights Commission, the Department of Home Affairs (Australia), and state bodies including the New South Wales Government and the Victoria State Government to promote evidence-based policy on settlement, workforce participation and social cohesion. The organisation works alongside sector actors like Settlement Council of Australia, Refugee Council of Australia, Australian Red Cross, Foundation House, and academic centres at University of Melbourne, Monash University, and University of Sydney.

History

Founded in 2012, the council emerged amid public debate following events involving Operation Sovereign Borders, legislative changes such as the Migration Amendment (Complementary Protection) Act 2013 and shifts in judicial review after decisions by the High Court of Australia. Early governance included leaders drawn from corporate and non‑profit sectors with links to institutions like Business Council of Australia, Australian Council of Trade Unions, and philanthropic organisations such as the Myer Foundation and Paul Ramsay Foundation. The organisation has responded to international developments like the Syrian civil war, the Global Compact for Migration, and crises that affected arrivals to Christmas Island and other regional processing sites. It has hosted forums with figures from bodies including the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, the OECD, and the International Organization for Migration.

Governance and Leadership

The Migration Council of Australia is governed by a board comprising directors with backgrounds in corporations such as Westpac, Commonwealth Bank, ANZ, and consultancies like McKinsey & Company and Deloitte. Past and present chairs and board members have included executives formerly associated with BHP, Qantas, Telstra, and universities including Australian National University and Griffith University. Leadership teams have liaised with ministers from the Liberal Party of Australia, the Australian Labor Party, and crossbenchers in the Senate of Australia. The organisation’s chief executive officers have engaged with legal professionals linked to firms like King & Wood Mallesons and Clayton Utz, and with community leaders from groups such as Federation of Ethnic Communities’ Councils of Australia and Islamic Council of Victoria.

Mission and Activities

The council’s stated mission is to improve outcomes for migrants, refugees and asylum seekers by influencing policy across areas involving employer engagement, regional settlement, and social inclusion. It runs programs and roundtables with partners such as BaptistCare Australia, Australian Council of Social Service, Cultural Diversity Network, and multinational employers including Google (company), Microsoft, and Accenture. Activities have included convening research colloquia with academics from University of New South Wales, University of Queensland, Deakin University and policy briefings for parliamentarians, public servants from the Productivity Commission, and judges with interest in migration law from the Federal Court of Australia.

Policy Positions and Advocacy

The council has advocated for reforms to skilled migration pathways, engagement with regional development agendas like those promoted by the Regional Development Australia committees, and measures addressing temporary skilled visas such as Temporary Skill Shortage visa settings. It has taken stances on offshore processing, mandatory detention and visa cancellation powers, referencing legal frameworks such as the Migration Act 1958 and decisions by the High Court of Australia and the Full Court of the Federal Court of Australia. The organisation has submitted policy proposals to inquiries by the Parliamentary Joint Committee on Human Rights, the Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee, and reviews led by the Australian Border Force. It has campaigned alongside actors like A Just Australia, GetUp!, Human Rights Law Centre, and employer groups including the Australian Industry Group.

Research and Publications

The council commissions research and publishes reports, briefs and submissions drawing on data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics, the Department of Home Affairs (Australia), and international sources such as the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Publications have dealt with labour market integration, credential recognition, language acquisition and regional settlement, citing studies from the Lowy Institute, Grattan Institute, Kaldor Centre for International Refugee Law and think tanks like the Centre for Policy Development. It disseminates findings through events featuring commentators from The Conversation, reporters from Australian Broadcasting Corporation, The Australian Financial Review, and researchers affiliated with Lancaster University and University of Oxford.

Funding and Partnerships

Funding has been drawn from philanthropic foundations including the Paul Ramsay Foundation, Ian Potter Foundation, and corporate sponsors from sectors represented by Commonwealth Bank, Telstra, Wesfarmers and professional services firms such as PwC (PricewaterhouseCoopers) and KPMG. The council has partnered with NGOs like Amnesty International, Save the Children Australia, and academic partners at institutions including Macquarie University and La Trobe University for joint projects. It has also engaged with diaspora organisations like Federation of Indian Associations and cultural organisations including Australia China Business Council.

Criticism and Controversies

The organisation has faced critique from advocacy groups such as the Refugee Action Coalition and commentators in outlets like The Guardian (UK newspaper) and The Sydney Morning Herald over perceived proximity to corporate donors and positions on temporary migration that some migration scholars at University of Western Australia and activists argue favour employer interests. Tensions have arisen with unions including the Construction, Forestry, Maritime, Mining and Energy Union and some members of the Australian Council of Trade Unions over labour market impacts of migrant worker policies. Debates have also involved legal scholars from institutions like University of Technology Sydney and civil society actors focused on detention policy and offshore processing at facilities linked to Nauru and Manus Island detention centre.

Category:Migration in Australia Category:Advocacy groups in Australia Category:Non-profit organisations based in Australia