This week has seen a series of proposals focused on migration numbers, including calls to slash temporary migration and proposals to gut Australia’s humanitarian intake. At the same time, some political voices have even suggested they’re ‘tired’ of listening to economists and migration experts. 

The alliance agrees with Minister Burke that net overseas migration doesn’t tell the whole story, so instead of endlessly debating a number, why aren’t we addressing the fundamental question: what kind of migration system does Australia need to meet its long-term economic, social and demographic needs? 

Australia’s migration system is about more than net overseas migration. It is about workforce needs, productivity, regional development, population ageing, social cohesion, humanitarian commitments and the nation’s future prosperity. 

The alliance is calling on the Australian government to urgently convene a National Migration Summit bringing together governments, business, unions, community organisations, researchers, migration experts and multicultural leaders to develop a long-term, evidence-based roadmap for Australia’s migration system. 

The proposed summit would help move the debate beyond short-term political cycles and year-to-year migration targets, toward a shared national vision that balances economic opportunity, workforce needs, housing, infrastructure, settlement outcomes and community confidence. This issue is too important for Australia’s prosperity to not get right.   

Organisations supporting the call include the Australian Council of Social Service, Australian Hotels Association, Australian Restaurant & Cafe Association, Council of Small Business Organisations Australia, Federation of Ethnic Communities’ Councils of Australia, Migration Institute of Australia, Minerals Council of Australia, Refugee Council of Australia, Regional Australia Institute, Settlement Council of Australia, and Tech Council of Australia.  

More information: National Migration Summit

Australian Council of Social Service (ACOSS) Cass Goldie AO 

“One of the best parts of living in Australia is our diverse, multicultural community. People who migrate here are our neighbours, friends, family, volunteers and community leaders, in cities and regional communities right across the nation. We must prioritise their safety, dignity, and wellbeing. We urge the government to take up the broad-based proposal for holding a National Migration Summit.” 

Council of Small Business Organisations Australia (COSBOA) CEO Skye Cappuccio  

“We’ve seen multiple migration policy announcements this week, but none accompanied by an assessment of what it will mean for small businesses reliant on migrants to sustain and grow their business. A National Migration Summit is a key step towards ensuring migration settings are genuinely aligned with what Australia needs, including the skills small business needs to serve their communities and power our economy.” 

Settlement Council of Australia (SCOA) Chair Melissa Monteiro 

“For decades, settlement services have worked alongside governments and communities to help new arrivals build secure and productive lives. This is an investment in people and in Australia’s future. We also need to listen carefully to the concerns Australians are expressing about housing, infrastructure, cost of living and pressure on services. These are legitimate concerns that deserve serious policy attention. But they require coordinated solutions across housing, infrastructure, planning, employment and settlement, not a debate reduced to a single migration number. A National Migration Summit would provide an opportunity to have this mature conversation and to develop a shared, evidence-based roadmap for Australia. As a national peak body representing the settlement sector, SCOA stands ready to contribute constructively to that conversation.” 

SCOA CEO Maria Dimopoulos AM 

“Settlement teaches us that migration decisions reach far beyond the border. The numbers matter, but they must be shaped by evidence, research and lived expertise, not knee-jerk reactions to guesswork or commentary designed to divide. A National Migration Summit can bring us together around a shared vision of a fair and inclusive Australia where everyone belongs.” 

Settlement Services International (SSI) CEO Violet Roumeliotis AM 

“Australia’s prosperity has been built on our ability to attract talent, welcome newcomers and build strong multicultural communities. The question shouldn’t be how quickly we can bring a number down, but how we create a migration system that supports the country we want to be in the future. That requires long-term planning, not short-term fixes.” 

Prime Minister Albanese this afternoon confirmed to media that Australia would continue to provide a safe home to 20,000 people each year who are fleeing conflict and persecution.

“In maintaining Australia’s humanitarian intake, Prime Minister Albanese has responded with compassion and confidence in the Australian people. He has recognised that Australia can remain both secure and generous, and that our response to the world’s most vulnerable people is a reflection of our national character,” said SSI CEO Violet Roumeliotis.

Australia has a long and proud humanitarian tradition. From the aftermath of World War II to the present day, Australia has built one of the world’s leading refugee resettlement programs, welcoming more than one million refugees and humanitarian entrants who have gone on to contribute significantly to our communities, economy and national story.

“There is much to be proud of and much to be grateful for. Today’s decision builds on that legacy and reaffirms a vision of Australia as a country that welcomes people seeking safety, creates opportunities for them to belong and contribute, and plays its part in responding to global humanitarian need.

“The best of Australia has always been found in our willingness to extend a hand to those seeking safety. Today’s decision ensures that tradition continues.”

Students at Sacred Heart Primary School in Fitzroy joined cricketer Fawad Ahmed for a special Refugee Week event that brought together cricket and community, while marking a historic national milestone.

The event, delivered in partnership with the Usman Khawaja Foundation and SSI, Australia’s largest refugee resettlement organisation, recognised that Australia has now welcomed one million refugees since the end of World War II.

The milestone resonated strongly with the school community, with many students and families having their own lived experience of displacement and resettlement.

Ahmed, who sought asylum in Australia himself, shared his story with students and used cricket as a way to connect, inspire and build confidence among young people.

Multicultural Affairs Minister the Hon. Dr Anne Aly MP, Sarah Witty MP, Member for Melbourne, and SSI Chair Peter van Vliet also joined the event, which formed part of Refugee Week 2026 ― an annual celebration highlighting stories of courage, resilience and belonging across Australia.

Usman Khawaja, cricketer and founder of the Usman Khawaja Foundation: 

“I am excited to have the Usman Khawaja Foundation here today at Sacred Heart Primary School, joining forces with SSI. Our two organisations share common goals and purposes and a belief that every young person deserves the opportunity to belong, to contribute and to thrive.”

Hon. Dr Anne Aly MP, Minister for Multicultural Affairs: 

“Every person deserves to feel safe, included and proud of who they are. Refugee Week is a reminder that belonging is built in places just like this, in classrooms, playgrounds, local clubs and communities that welcome people in.”

“Fawad’s story shows that where you start in life does not define where you can go. Sport has a special way of bringing communities together, and today was a beautiful example of multicultural Australia in action.”

“The Albanese Government will always back communities that help people feel at home, participate fully and contribute to the country we share.”

Violet Roumeliotis AM, SSI CEO: 

“Reaching one million refugees welcomed to Australia is a powerful reminder of who we are as a country. This milestone is not just about numbers — it’s about the kind of country we choose to be. What we saw on the pitch today is what real opportunity looks like: young people being supported to thrive and to see themselves as part of Australia’s story. Sport has a unique ability to bring people together. Whether on the cricket pitch or local sports field, it creates friendships and helps people from different backgrounds see each other as teammates and neighbours.”

Fawad Ahmed, cricketer: 

“Since World War II, Australia has welcomed more than one million refugees. We are celebrating their courage, resilience, and contribution to our nation, and reaffirm our commitment to a future built on compassion, dignity and opportunity for all.”

Reconciliation begins with truth-telling. Today, SSI launched its new Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) in Sydney, marking the next step in its ongoing commitment to reconciliation, grounded in listening, learning and action.

The launch brought together staff, partners and community leaders, with support from Reconciliation Australia and contributions from key voices including Professor Nareen Young, Maria Dimopoulos AM, Uncle Colin Locke and the Giralang Guwal performers. The event recognised the role of First Nations colleagues, communities and partners in shaping SSI’s reconciliation journey to date.

CEO Violet Roumeliotis said every day, SSI welcomes people to this country who are building new lives, and we do that with a clear understanding that this is Aboriginal land, cared for by First Nations peoples for over 65,000 years.

“We cannot separate inclusion for multicultural communities from justice for First Nations peoples. That’s why reconciliation is not separate from our work: it is core to it,” she said.

“Reconciliation is not something that sits on the sidelines of our work. It is a shared responsibility across our organisation, our sector and our communities. And it is a shared journey that requires consistency, honesty and effort over time.

“At SSI, we are committed to keep listening, learning and acting with purpose.”

The RAP reflects a renewed focus on truth-telling and deep listening, shaped in part by the national conversation following the Voice referendum. It sets out how SSI will continue to strengthen understanding of Australia’s history, and ensure that this informs its services, advocacy and partnerships.

Cass Best, SSI’s Cultural Safety, Engagement and Partnerships Lead, spoke to the importance of grounding reconciliation in practical action:

“Reconciliation matters here because the work we do with people from many cultures is strongest when it is built on truth-telling, respect, and relationships with the First Peoples of this land,” they said.

“An Innovate RAP is about taking what we have learned, listening more deeply, and embedding reconciliation into how we operate — not as an ‘add-on,’ but as everyday practice across our services, our workplaces, and our partnerships.”

SSI’s new Innovate RAP sets out practical actions across three key areas:

Relationships: strengthening partnerships with First Nations communities

Respect: building cultural understanding and safe workplaces

Opportunities: increasing pathways through employment, procurement and shared decision-making

Importantly, the RAP is designed to be embedded in how SSI operates, rather than sitting alongside its work.

In closing, Cass encouraged all attendees to choose one way to participate.

“Small, consistent actions — taken by many people — are how this RAP becomes real,” they said.

This investment follows sustained advocacy by the Activate Australia’s Skills campaign, convened by SSI, which brought together over 130 organisations across business, unions and the community sector to call for urgent reform to Australia’s skills and qualifications recognition system. 

SSI welcomes the reforms and congratulates the government for placing skills recognition firmly on the national productivity agenda. Every migrant in Australia who is able to work in their licensed profession boosts productivity by around $43,000, with $9 billion added annually to the economy if permanent migrants worked at their skill level at the same rate as Australian-born workers.  

The government’s commitment to accelerate better skills recognition for migrant trade workers is an important productivity win. However, SSI said broader reform is needed to unlock the full productivity benefits across all licensed professions, noting that tens of thousands of engineers, teachers and nurses remain sidelined by costly, slow and complex recognition processes at a time when their skills are urgently needed. 

SSI also welcomed the government’s commitment to consult on a national skills recognition commissioner, a key recommendation of SSI’s coalition campaign. A commissioner with the authority to hold licensing bodies accountable, identify system blockages and drive reform would be a game changer for productivity and make skills recognition faster, fairer and more affordable across all professions. 

While SSI and the Activate Australia’s Skills campaign will actively engage in consultations on the commissioner model, SSI noted that international evidence already demonstrates what works. Commissioners in Canada have strengthened oversight and accountability, improved recognition rates and driven system-wide reform. SSI is calling on the government to move from consultation to commitment and appoint a skills recognition commissioner by the end of the year. 

While welcoming the broader social investments in the budget, SSI urged the government to ensure multicultural communities are not overlooked in major reform agendas. 

SSI welcomed the government’s continued investment in ending gender-based violence, including funding to support women and children leaving violent relationships and strengthen the frontline family, domestic and sexual violence workforce. The dedicated funding commitment to address violence against First Nations women and children is significant and overdue. 

However, SSI said the budget largely overlooks the specific needs of multicultural communities experiencing domestic, family and sexual violence. Migrant and refugee women and children often face additional barriers to accessing support, yet there remains limited targeted investment in culturally responsive services, workforce capability, prevention and early intervention within multicultural and faith communities. 

On disability reform, SSI acknowledged the importance of ensuring the long-term sustainability of the National Disability Insurance Scheme and welcomed the government’s $2 billion Thriving Kids program, including investment in early intervention and supports for children with disability, developmental delay and autism. 

SSI said early intervention programs such as Thriving Kids must reach every child who needs them, and that culturally responsive care cannot be treated as an add-on but must be embedded into the design of the system itself. SSI and UniSA’s Stronger Starts, Brighter Futures II research found that in 2021, children from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds were more likely to be developmentally vulnerable at school entry than their peers. 

Taken together, SSI said the budget signals important progress on productivity and social reform – but that lasting success will depend on ensuring all reform agendas are responsive to the diversity of modern Australia. 

Published this week, as part of the Seen & Heard project, The struggle to be seen, the power in being heard report is a flashing red light for our democracy and for social cohesion. Based on consultations with hundreds of Australians and dozens of organisations, it found that racism against Jewish, Muslim, Palestinian and Arab communities has sharply escalated since October 7, 2023, become more normalised, and is causing serious harm to people’s mental health, safety and sense of belonging. 

SSI solemnly welcomes the report, which affirms what we see every day. The “fair go” contract for millions of Australians has effectively collapsed, replaced by a widespread and now documented fear of personal attack and structural racism. Racism is baked into our structures and systems, driving division and unequal opportunity based on personal characteristics like race and religion. 

People from all backgrounds should be able to participate fully in Australian society, free from discrimination and hate, and with equal access to work, education, services and a sense of belonging. We cannot achieve true social cohesion without addressing racism and the structures that perpetuate it. 

We already have a comprehensive national roadmap to address racism in all its forms. The National Anti-Racism Framework was built on extensive consultation and proven solutions, yet it has been sitting on a shelf for 18 months while racism in Australia hits boiling point. 

When racism and division are deepening, silence is not a neutral position. Governments must be willing to name and address the problem if we are serious about solving it. There has never been a more pressing need for action. 

If we want an Australia where everyone belongs, we must create systems that protect that belonging. That starts with committing to fully fund and implement the National Anti-Racism Framework without delay. 

Read the full report from the Australian Human Rights Council: https://humanrights.gov.au/resource-hub/by-resource-type/reports/race/the-struggle-to-be-seen,-the-power-in-being-heard 

“The world today is changing faster than ever. Conflicts, climate change and crises can displace anyone, anywhere. None of us should take our safety or stability for granted. That’s why it is so important to put ourselves in other’s shoes, to see humanity beyond borders, and to build bridges instead of fences”.

For Razia Muradi, these aren’t just abstract words. They define her lived experience.

SSI is pleased to partner with the Metropolis International Migration Network to deliver the inaugural Metropolis Mentoring Program Pilot — an initiative connecting emerging leaders in migration and settlement with experienced professionals across government, community organisations, and academia.

SSI’s global engagement in refugee protection recognises that durable solutions require cross-border collaboration, capacity building, and innovative pathways.