Refugee Communities Association of Australia Inc. (RCAA) was launched at the Multicultural Hub, AMES Australia on 8th February 2020 in Melbourne with the aim to empower refugee communities across Australia, enabling them to take active roles in Australia. For a long-time refugee community in Australia have been represented by external agencies and Non-Government Organisations (NGOs) or by refugees under the remit of these organisations. This independent peak refugee led national advocacy organisation will work with Governments at all level, civil society organisations, and corporate Australia to develop a positive relationship in order to facilitate successful settlement and integration. At the inaugural address RCAA Chairperson, Mr Juma Piri Piri said, “The launch of RCAA marks new period in the space of refugees and asylum seekers advocacy in Australia; this transition from others advocating on our behalf to the voice of those with lived experience being us directly knows all the issues that impact on us in the community directly”. He further stated, “We would like to thank those not-for-profit and advocacy organisations who have worked for many years to help us and rebuild our communities by providing us platform that today we have managed to find our own voice by forming RCAA that will work, For Refugees, with Refugees, by Refugees”. Chairperson of Victoria Multicultural Commission (VMC), Vivien Nguyen said that “in a democratic Australia, every voice matters and the establishment of RCAA says that in a multicultural Victoria and Australia, sense of belonging matters and from that sense of belonging we want to participate and able to contribute and want to serve”. Chin Tan, Australian Race Discrimination Commissioner said, “The formation of RCAA by refugee communities is timely, important and we need it, there is lot of room to make great contribution through this association to refugee communities and Australia”. Chairperson of the Federation of Ethnic Communities Council of Australia FECCA, Mary Patetsos congratulated RCAA committee for this milestone and said, “FECCA looks forward to working with refugee communities directly, I ask you to work with civil society, corporations and government in partnership”. Hakeem al-Araibi, Community & Human Rights Advocate, Football Victoria and Huss Mustafa OAM, GM, Multicultural Banking Commonwealth Bank were appointed as Patrons of RCAA at the launch for their commitment and dedication to serve the refugee communities. Chairperson Juma said, “We have started community consultation with grassroots refugee communities to understand their issues and take them with the appropriate government agencies”. Chairperson Juma said at conclusion, “RCAA will hold National Refugee Conference later this year in Melbourne”, (Dates TBC soon). Heads of settlement service providers and government: Centre for Multicultural Youth (CMY), AMES Australia, Department of Home Affairs, State Member of Parliament for Clarinda, Chair & Executive Director of ECCV, Wyndham Community & Education Services, HOST International, Cultural Infusion with over 80 refugee community representatives and leaders attended the launch. RCAA interim committee members from Tasmania, South Australia and New South Wales attended the launch. RCAA would like to thank VMC, AMES Australia, CMY and Host International for your support to make our launch a success. For more information, please kindly contact RCAA spokesperson Parsu Sharma Luital JP on 0412 265 317 or by email: [email protected]

Refugee Communities in Australia have formed a peak body to represent the interests of refugee communities in Australia. Refugee Communities Association of Australia (RCAA) aim is to empower refugee communities across Australia, enabling them to take active roles in Australia. This independent peak refugee advocacy agency will work with all governments at all level to develop a positive relationship and provide meaningful services to refugee communities in order to facilitate successful settlement and integration. RCAA is a refugee voice for all people of refugee backgrounds and their organisations in Australia. Chairperson, Mr Juma Piri Piri said, “we are an advocacy body that is led for refugee, with refugee, by refugee, with the vision to provide a voice of refugee with the lived experience”. The RCAA is a legal entity as not-for-profit, non-political, non-religious community organisation. RCAA provides an authentic national voice for all people of refugee backgrounds and their organisations in Australia. Former Refugee and 2019 Queensland Local Hero of the Year and Finalist for the 2019 Australian of the Year Awards, Mr Elijah Buol OAM said that “he is very pleased to see refugee communities coming together under one umbrella because many of their issues have always been advocated by external agencies who do not understand their challenges and concerns”. Mr Buol further mentioned that “he hopes this newly formed peak body will allow refugee communities to fully participate and take full responsibilities of their needs and collaborate with government in order to facilitate better integration and positive contributions for refugee communities in modern Australia”. One of the founding member and General Secretary of RCAA, Mr Parsu Sharma Luital said that refugee communities know their issues and RCAA will be run by “former refugees, for refugee, with refugee, by Refugee communities”. RCAA aims to work with all governments agencies at all levels by developing a positive relationship and connecting refugee communities directly with the government departments and service providers. We, Refugee Communities believe this will create opportunities and platforms that will benefit our communities. We hope to work towards ensuring all voices of refugee are well represented by those with the lived experience on the national, regional and international stage. “The pain and suffering of refugees can only be felt by those who has experienced this journey themselves. It is those hands which are best equipped to heal the wounds” said, Ms Nasiba Akram, Women Chairperson. Through consultation within our communities we believe that there is a need for refugee communities to have an independent voice that provides voice to their issues. The core objective of forming an independent voice by the lived experience is to ensure that those with the lived experience can contribute actively towards shaping the policies that impact our communities and broad Australia. Research has suggested that refugee led organisations have successfully contributed significantly in the process of integration of refugees. Therefore, RCAA will provide a voice on issues ranging from grassroots to national level. This practical approach will result in genuine and meaningful engagement and integration. We have nine members on the Interim Management Committee from different State and Territories. RCAA has already a dialogue with states to establish chapter of RCAA in each state. “Now the time has come for refugee communities themselves to decide on what is best for them to lead refugee organisations independently. I request government organisations and NGOs to work directly with refugee communities, not through the screening lenses of agencies who pick and choose refugee representation” said Mr Sharma-Luital. For more information, please kindly contact us through email [email protected]