The federal government has vowed to reduce Australia’s visa backlog to make sure the nation remains competitive in the global skills market. And immigration minister Andrew Giles says the government had already made progress in tackling what he called “massive”…

Craig Foster says that football is the perfect metaphor for a just and humane world. The former Australian soccer captain and human rights advocate says football represents a world view that sees everyone as essentially equal. “There are rules in…

The inspirational, heart-wrenching and hair-raising stories of refugees who have found safety and new a life in Australia are told in compelling, first-hand detail in a new book. Refugee Heroes: has collected the visceral accounts of dozens of refugees who…

Newly minted federal MP Cassandra Fernando is the living embodiment of her South East Melbourne electorate. She’s a migrant, she’s hard working and she speaks her mind. And the new member for Holt, the first Sri Lankan-born member of Australia’s…

Afghan sports administrator Kushal Malikzai was threatened with death by the Taliban. He and his eldest son were brutally beaten after Taliban fighters forced their way into his house at midnight. They had weapons pointed at them and they were…

An Afghan doctor has begun rebuilding his career in Australia after being forced to flee when the Taliban seized control of the strife-torn nation. Dr Helmand Hassas managed to escape through a secretive, clandestine route operated by opponents of the…

Australians’ sense of belonging to the nation has declined over time, according to a new study from the Scanlon Foundation. But it also found that Australians are finding more meaning in their links to their local neighbourhood, local community and…

A puppet depicting a 10-year-old Syrian refugee has become a symbol of the refugee experience, bringing wide awareness of the millions of people forced to flee their homes in search of safety. The puppet ‘Little Amal’ has been journeying around…

An enterprising Syrian refugee has embarked on her dream of starting her own beauty business. Mnirfa Shakour has started a TAFE course to improve her English after arriving Australia in December, last year. She plans to ultimately attain beauty qualifications…

The death of a young woman who fell foul of Iran’s draconian dress code has ignited protests by Iranians and their supporters around the globe. Marches and protests have been held in dozens of cities, including Melbourne, demanding an end…

The influx of Ukrainian refugees to Germany has pushed the country’s population to a new all-time high of more than 84 million, the German Federal Statistical Office has revealed. By the end of June, the country’s population had increased by…

The Melbourne Society of Women Painters and Sculptors (MSWPS) has used its 113th annual Exhibition to show support for the Ukrainian community through a fundraising program featuring special Sunflower artworks. Sunflowers – ‘soniashnyk’ in Ukrainian — have been grown in…