REFUGEES AND REGIONAL AUSTRALIA
Regional areas are suffering from financial strain due to the drought, pandemic and bushfires, and have a shortage of fruit pickers and contractors.
- Many refugees can be trained in farming, construction and labour, areas that the federal government is planning to expand.
- Many may become homeless, which will result in long-term additional economic harm.
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It is estimated that 19,000 asylum seekers will be unemployed due to the pandemic, with those on TPV visas particularly vulnerable.
OUR POLICY
The Edison Party will provide all adult refugees either a Temporary Protection Visa or a Safe Haven Enterprise Visa. Refugees who have been out of work for at least 3 months or cannot find work within 3 months can be eligible for the JobSeeker program. A program will be established to encourage employed refugees to relocate to struggling regional areas for work.
This will be funded by sections of the budget used to kickstart construction and manufacturing sectors.
Furthermore, money saved from JobKeeper winding back and other social welfare initiatives will be used to support refugees under the proposed initiatives.