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2012-13 Submission on the Refugee and Humanitarian Program

RCOA's annual submission on Australia's Refugee and Humanitarian Program is now available for download here.

2012-14 Refugee Week theme: 'Restoring Hope'

RCOA has chosen 'Restoring Hope' as the Refugee Week theme for 2012 to 2014. For further details, visit the Refugee Week website.

Plight of refugees with adverse ASIO findings raised with Canberra

RCOA has written to Attorney-General Nicola Roxon on the predicament of recognised refugees who remain in immigration detention because of adverse ASIO findings. Read the letter here.

Nauru is not an option

RCOA acted strongly to reject any return to offshore processing in Nauru following revelations the Federal Government was willing to negotiate with the Opposition on asylum seeker policy. Read our media release.

Refugee and asylum seeker policy on a positive pathway

RCOA has welcomed the announcement by the Federal Government that it had begun to wind back its policy of indefinite mandatory detention for asylum seekers who enter Australia by boat. Read our media release.

A vital national voice for refugees since 1981

RCOA was founded in 1981 by Paul Cullen (left), pictured here receiving the prestigious Nansen Refugee Award from the then UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Poul Hartling.

Read more about: RCOA's history

NSW Refugee Week Small Grants Program

Since 2005, RCOA has run a small grants program to encourage community groups and organisations to in NSW to celebrate Refugee Week by holding local events and functions. These grants have been made possible through the generous support of the NSW Community Relations Commission.

The grants are designed to enable grass-roots community participation in events that include refugee communities during Refugee Week. The aim of events is to encourage Australians to think about the reasons refugees flee their homelands, the importance of providing safety and lasting security to people fleeing persecution and the positive contributions that refugees make to Australian society.

Applications for the 2011 NSW Refugee Week Small Grants Program have now closed. Subject to funding, the next round will open in April 2012.