A backlog of 83,000 unprocessed citizenship applications has blown waiting times out for would be citizens by a factor of ten, according to a report by the Australian National Audit Office (ANAO). “Applications for citizenship by conferral have not been…

In the Victorian town of Warragul Dr Issam Muteir is a minor celebrity. The specialist in General Medicine and Cardiology is originally from Iraq and came to Australia initially to study. As violence and a breakdown of law and order…

Former Sudanese refugee and rising Australian soccer star Awer Mabil has quietly launched a campaign about mental health. Awer, 23, scored on his Socceroos debut in October and bagged two goals in three games at the Asian Cup in United…

The dramatic real life stories of four young people caught up in the mass exodus from Shanghai in the wake of China’s 1949 Communist revolution is the basis of a compelling new book by award winning US journalist Helen Zia.…

Last year saw the adoption by most nations on the planet of two new compacts which were designed as roadmaps for managing mass migration. With 68 million people displaced in the world and more than 25.4 million officially recognised refugees,…

This week marks five years since a devastating civil war broke out in the world’s youngest nation, South Sudan, leaving an estimated 400,000 people dead and more than four million displaced. South Sudan was born less than 10 years ago…

Iraqi refugee Dr Ayad Jbreeta says that there is a saying in his country: ‘Today is worse than yesterday but it is better than tomorrow’. He says it sums up the pain of a nation that has been wracked by…

The UN has endorsed an ‘historic’ non-legally binding global compact on refugees, marking the latest move by member states to support the rights of 258 million people on the move worldwide. An overwhelming number of States in the UN General…

As the Victorian state election approaches, it is good to know that bi-partisanship on multiculturalism appears to be alive and well Victoria – even if there appears to be a battle looming over migration policy at a national level. A…

Migrants are being used as scapegoats by politicians as they exploit the increased feelings of vulnerability in their electorates and frustration with congestion and infrastructure overload, according to a world-renowned social researcher. Speaking at the International Metropolis Conference in Sydney…

A new research report looking at the settlement of Yazidi refugees from the recent Syria-Iraq conflict at Armidale, in NSW, adds weight to the evidence that Australian regional communities are becoming increasingly welcoming of refugee and migrant groups. Dr Sue…

Young Australians are becoming increasingly pessimistic about their futures and the chances of finding sustainable jobs, according to new research.   New data released by the National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER) shows the proportion of 23-year-old Australians who believe…