Enabling Rural Migrant Settlement: A Case Study of the Limestone Coast Dr Helen Feist Dr George Tan Dr Kelly McDougall Professor Graeme Hugo This project was a partnership of The Migrant Resource Centre, South Australia The Australian Population and Migration Research Centre, University of Adelaide The City of Mount Gambier The Rural City of Grant The Naracoorte-Lucindale District Council The Tatiara District Council This project would not have been possible without funding from the Local Government Association of South Australia’s Research and Development Scheme. The researchers at the Australian Population and Migration Research Centre, University of Adelaide would also like to thank all the new migrants, interpreters, and community stakeholders who gave up their time and provided us with their knowledge and understanding about these communities. Australian Population and Migration Research Centre (APMRC) Incorporating GISCA (The National Centre for Social Applications of GIS) School of Social Sciences Ground Floor, Napier Building University of Adelaide North Terrace, SA 5005 Ph: 61 8 8313 3900 Fax: 61 8 8313 3498 Email: [email protected] www.adelaide.edu.au/apmrc Cover photo: Burmese children participating in the Mt Gambier Christmas Parade Sourced from the MRCSA photo archives. i Executive Summary The aim of this project, funded by the Local Government Association of SA, was to achieve a better understanding of the role local government can play in the successful settlement of new migrants in rural and regional South Australia. Of particular interest to this study were the settlement experiences of immigrants in non-metropolitan areas; which are likely to be different to those of migrants settling in large urban environments. The study concentrates on four non- metropolitan Local Government Areas in the Limestone Coast region of South Australia: Mt Gambier, Grant, Naracoorte-Lucindale and Tatiara. The report provides some background to the role immigration can play in non- metropolitan regions and examines some of the direct and indirect outcomes for local communities and for migrants themselves. In non-metropolitan areas population growth has been This report examines migrant settlement using several traditionally exacerbated by the outmigration of youth to key themes: community services and supports; family, urban areas for education and employment opportunities. friends and social networks; employment and industry; Immigration, an often neglected element of counter- settlement intentions, and future mobility patterns. urbanisation, can have a significant role in addressing Results show that the Limestone Coast region is a prime and arresting issues relating to labour shortages and example of how state and federal resources, combined de-population in non-metropolitan areas. The Limestone with local community groups and supportive local Coast provided valuable insights into both planned and councils can create positive experiences in times of rapid unplanned settlement patterns of new migrants. population change. While there are many examples of how different businesses and industries, community groups, schools and churches or individuals have worked to create a positive experience for new migrants in the region it is perhaps the ability of these organisations to work together through the Local Area Committees (LACs) that has proven to be an effective tool in coordinating support and identifying the gaps in service for new migrants. Local Government and the Migrant Resource Centre SA have been two of the driving forces behind this effort in the Limestone Coast. In particular, the role of Local Government in creating an atmosphere of welcome and acceptance for new migrants across this region is of critical importance to achieving positive community outcomes for both new migrants and the wider community. ii Table of Contents Executive Summary ii 6. Employment 29 Table of Contents iii Introduction 29 Employment as a driver for movement 29 List of Figures and Tables iv Type of employment 29 Finding Employment 31 1. Introduction and Background 1 Barriers to Employment 33 Background 1 Lack of available work 33 Outline of the report 2 Language and communication 33 2. Overview of the Study 3 Transportation 34 Lack of suitable employment 34 Aim and Objectives 4 Discrimination and exploitation 35 Research Methodology 4 Employment and Integration 36 3. Policies underpinning international Employment and future mobility 38 migration to regional areas 7 Conclusion 39 4. The Limestone Coast 9 7. Migration Patterns 41 5. Community 13 Conclusion 52 Introduction 13 8. Discussion and Recommendations 53 Learning about living in the region 14 Regional Australia as a Preferred Destination The role of family and friendship networks for New Migrants 54 in settlement and integration 15 Employment as a driver of settlement and integration 55 Family and friendship networks driving migration 16 Beyond Employment – English, Education and Perceptions of community attitudes towards Entrepreneurship 55 new migrants 17 The Role of Families in the Settlement Process 56 The role of key stakeholders in supporting integration 19 Staying or going? 57 Community Networks 20 Beyond Settlement - Enabling Integration 57 Participation in community groups and volunteering 22 Concluding Remarks 58 The role of local services in enabling migrant settlement 23 9. Appendices 59 Housing 25 Appendix One: Enabling long term settlement in the area 26 Industry case study – Meat Processing 59 Conclusion 27 Appendix Two: Industry case study: aged care 61 10. References 63 iii List of Figures and Tables Figures Table 7 Figure 1 Migrant Interviewees: services used ‘sometimes/often’ 24 Australia: Settlement of refugee-humanitarian Table 8 settlers outside capital cities, 1996-2011 8 Migrant Interviewees: resources used to find Figure 2 a place to live by location 26 Map of the Limestone Coast study area 9 Table 9 Figure 3 Migrant Interviewees: moved to the area for ‘job opportunities’ by location 30 Migrant interviewee response: type of employment by location* 30 Table 10 Figure 4 Migrant Interviewees: employment status by location 30 Length of employment with current employer Table 11 by location* 38 Migrant Interviewees: industry of employment 31 Figure 5 Table 12 Length of time spent by refugee-humanitarian migrants in each study area 42 Migrant Interviewees: how did you find your job? 32 Figure 6 Table 13 Number of settlement locations in Australia 45 Migrant Interviewees: interactions with others at work 36 Table 14 Tables Length of time in study area - skilled migrants 42 Table 1 Table 15 Total population 2001-2011, LGAs in Limestone Coast case study 10 Reasons influencing the in-migration of migrants 43 Table 2 Table 16 Proportion of overseas born 2001-2011 Migration patterns of participants within Australia 46 & net international migration, LGAs Limestone Coast 10 Table 17 Table 3 Intention to move elsewhere in the future 47 Top 10 birthplace countries & languages of overseas born, LGAs Limestone Coast 12 Table 18 Table 4 Reasons influencing the out-migration of migrants who intend to leave 50 Migrant interviewee response: Contact with groups in the community* by migrant type 20 Table 19 Table 5 Future destination of migrants who are considering or intending to leave 51 Migrant Interviewees: friendships with groups in the community 21 Table 6 Migrant Interviewee Response: Friendships and contact with groups in the community by length of residence in current town 21 iv 1. Introduction and Background The aim of this project is to achieve a better understanding of the role local government can play in the successful settlement of new migrants in rural and regional South Australia. Of particular interest to this study are the settlement experiences of immigrants in non-metropolitan areas; which are likely to be different to those of migrants settling in large urban environments. The study concentrates on four non-metropolitan Local Government Areas in the Limestone Coast region of South Australia: Mt Gambier, Grant, Naracoorte-Lucindale and Tatiara. The report provides some background to the role immigration can play in non- metropolitan regions, assesses the role of immigration programs and examines some of the direct and indirect outcomes for local communities and for migrants themselves. Background There appears to be a strong trend toward some decentralisation of immigrant settlement in high The role of international migration is increasingly income destination countries such as the United States significant in many OECD countries, including Australia. (Hirschman and Massey 2008; Massey and Capoferro However, research and policy has largely focused on 2008), Europe (Jentsch 2007), United Kingdom (Green the concentration of immigrants in cities (Brenton-Short et al. 2012), Spain (Olivia 2010), Greece (Kisimas 2008), et al. 2005); understandably so with the provision of Canada (Carter et al. 2008) and New Zealand (Spoonley highly skilled workers in high level jobs fundamental to and Bedford 2008). A distinctive part of this trend within the functioning of large cities, and the need for low- Australian settlement patterns has been explicit policy wage and low- status service workers in ‘3D’ (difficult, intervention to facilitate immigrant settlement outside dangerous and demeaning) jobs in urban locations of major cities. (Friedmann 1986; Sassen 2001). More recently, there is In non-metropolitan areas population growth has growing evidence of increasing flows of