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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1996 Week 8 Hansard (25 June) . . Page.. 2120 ..

MS FOLLETT (continuing):

So, I commend Mr Kaine for his motion on Refugee Week. It is a matter that we could probably debate for the duration of the week without too much trouble, because there are so many issues to be covered. But I hope that governments, both local and Federal, will bear in mind those couple of points that I have made.

MS TUCKER (5.33): I would like to speak briefly on the motion. It is a good discussion to have, and, being Refugee Week, it is particularly appropriate, although I have to say that it comes at a time when services to refugees in this country appear to be under threat. We note that the Federal Liberal Government is talking of decreasing the availability of legal representation for potential refugees, making it harder for them to argue their need for asylum. In Canberra we are seeing a loss of language training for people from non-English-speaking backgrounds, some of whom will be refugees and some of whom cannot hope to build a new life without learning the language of their adopted country.

I have been speaking to some of these people, and I would like to read just a couple of letters. I asked a question about this issue of Mr Stefaniak last week. It was: What has happened to the students at CIT? He thought it was a hypothetical question. I hope, indeed, that it was and that he does not have to address this issue. But what we have right now is 300 students, who thought they were going to start another English course in July, who now do not know what is happening and who have been told by a bureaucrat that they should not enrol because there will be no certainty about the availability of that course until after the budget. So they have to wait. For example, one of the letters reads:

I am a student at CIT Reid ... I am writing to you because I am very worried about my English classes. I have been told I might not have a chance to study English after July because the Government will not pay for the classes. I am migrant from overseas and came in these country to leave all rest of my life. I wish to be make my life good for myself and for my new country too. I wish to find job and work successfully, but without more English knowledge, I think it is impossible. I am sure that you and this country too want and looking for good workers with self-confidence and independence but without English it is too hard.

There is a series of letters, basically expressing the same sentiment - which is a great desire to work and a great desire to be constructive in their new country. Once again, we have the issue of equity in society, which I keep referring to in debates. Today, it arose in the gun debate. Once again, we have a problem in society where we see now that there is a group forming - another "other" group - that is causing concern. This is so often connected with social disadvantage of some kind. We welcome these people into our country; but it is an insult to welcome them in and not support them in the ways that are necessary to help them become part of this community.

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