Cash call to help refugees settle from fleeing conflict

Fairfield and Liverpool councils ‘need $80,000 to $100,000’

WSROC president Tondy Haddchiti is calling for more funding to help refugees. Picture: Melvyn Knipe

Sticking points remain on the allocation of $146 million for refugee resettlement as western Sydney gears up to receive the bulk of the extra refugees fleeing conflict in Syria and Iraq.

Western Sydney Region Of Councils president Toni Hadchidi said he was proud to be part of the whole of community approach that included representatives from government, business and non-government organisations, but said councils needed extra funding to co-ordinate the efforts.

“It would only have to be relatively little, $80,000 to $100,000 for the main councils like Fairfield and Liverpool,” he said.

“You can’t expect councils to take on the extra responsibilities without extra money.”

The NSW Government appointed Western Sydney University Chancellor Peter Shergold as Coordinator-General for Refugee Resettlement and pledged $146 million over four years.

This includes $93 million in education support, $32.4 million for specialised health services, $4 million in legal services and $2.5 million in employment support for refugees across the state.

Mr Hadchidi lauded this approach, saying it was a vast improvement from early proposals.

“I think we’re all proud now it’s being taken more seriously by the governments,” he said.

“This is a positive outcome for Western Sydney and the whole of Australia.”

Fairfield Mayor Frank Carbone also raised concerns about the allocation of funding for non-government organisations.

“My concern is that funding has been centralised,” he said.

“When organisations are too large, the resources aren’t able to be put in areas that are needed.

“We need more funding for local organisations that know what’s needed on the ground.”

While not responding to these specific concerns, a spokeswoman for the NSW Government said they were committed to a collaborative approach.

“Peter Shergold recently held a roundtable forum with council mayors and senior representatives from Western Sydney to discuss the refugees arriving in NSW and how we can work together to best support our new arrivals,” she said.

“It is important that we deliver a collaborative approach throughout Sydney and NSW and we are working closely with experienced settlement service providers to do this.”