Asylum Seekers Centre Annual Report 2012-2013 ABN: 47 164 509 475 “ I want to thank the Asylum Seekers Centre for helping me build a new life. All that I am now is because of them. They were the first people who helped me in Australia. They helped me get my Protection Visa, they found me somewhere to sleep, they helped me with my health needs and they helped me improve my English. I owe them so much.” Former Client Our Vision Asylum seekers are welcomed to Australia and afforded a dignified, meaningful and safe existence pending the fair, transparent and expeditious resolution of their claims. Contents About Us 04 Our Patrons 05 Our Board 06 Chair’s Report 08 CEO’s Report 09 What We Do 12 Volunteers 15 Fundraising 16 Financials 18 Our Supporters 21 Acknowledgements 22 Contact 24 Annual Report 2012–13 03 About Us The Asylum Seekers Primary needs of asylum seekers on arrival Centre is a place of hospitality and welcome. It is an 4.5% oasis for many people, a safe place 3.6% 11.4% for those who have fled situations of great danger. 10.7% 44.8% The Asylum Seekers Centre provides practical and personal 8.4% support for asylum seekers living in the community. Our services 16.6% include casework, accommodation, financial relief, health care and counselling, employment assistance, education, advocacy, food, material and social support. We are a not-for-profit organisation and rely on grants, Homelessness and Financial donations and volunteers to undertake our work. Our clients Employment come from over 52 countries in Education and Nutrition search of safety, protection and Legal freedom. During 2012-13, we cared for almost 1,000 asylum seekers Material Aid with the majority of new clients Health coming from Iran, followed by Egypt, Bangladesh, China and Other Pakistan. Of those clients, 45% were homeless when they arrived, During 2012-2013 we provided: 50% had no work rights and 70% received absolutely no + 6,000 casework +5,500 hot meals government support. consultations +6,000 food parcels + 9,914 accommodation + 3,000 classroom hours nights + 300 pharmaceutical + 3,000 health prescriptions consultations + 2,400 one-on-one job consultations 04 Asylum Seekers Centre Our Patrons Her Excellency John Menadue AO Hugh Mackay Professor Marie John Menadue has had a Australia’s pre-eminent social Bashir AC CVO distinguished career in the public researcher, Hugh Mackay is sector, including as Head of the internationally recognised for Governor of Department of Prime Minister his pioneering work in this area. and Cabinet under two Prime He is the author of nine books New South Wales Ministers, Gough Whitlam in the field of social psychology and Malcolm Fraser. He was and ethics as well as six novels. Ambassador to Japan as well as Hugh has been a newspaper Secretary of the Department of columnist and media commentator Immigration and Ethnic Affairs, for over 25 years and is currently and the Department of Trade. an Honorary Professor of Social Private sector appointments Science at the University of included General Manager, News Wollongong. He was previously Limited, Sydney. He was also CEO Deputy Chairman of the Australia of Qantas, a Director of Telstra Council, Chairman of Trustees and Chair of the Australia-Japan of Sydney Grammar School and Foundation. John was Founding the inaugural Chairman of the Chair of the Centre for Policy ACT Government’s Community Development. He is presently Inclusion Board. a Fellow of the CPD. Annual Report 2012–13 05 Our Board Steve Bradley: Frances Rush: Christopher Chair Deputy Chair Fogarty: Secretary Steve has over 25 year’s senior Assistant Director, Office Christopher is a retired lawyer executive experience in some of the Public Guardian. Frances and consultant with extensive of Australia’s largest corporations. has extensive experience in experience in governance, He concluded his full time working complex case management and management and international career at Woolworths where he was crisis intervention and has been development. Before his the Chief Logistics and Information associated with the ASC since retirement, Christopher worked Officer responsible for the supply its inception. for 35 years in a range of positions chain and information technology. in the Commonwealth Parliament Passionate about innovation and the public sector. His last and change in organisations, position was as General Counsel he has led some of the largest in a Commonwealth regulatory change programs in Australia. agency. In the 1970’s he worked as a Since finishing full time work volunteer in PNG with Australian he has been the Chairman of Volunteers International (AVI). Outback Stores, director of a large He subsequently served on the superannuation fund and has board of AVI, including nine consulted to a significant range years as Chair, and is currently of Australian and NZ businesses. an external appointment to the Governance Committee of AVI. Lachlan Murdoch: Treasurer Deputy Director, NSW Service for the Treatment and Rehabilitation of Torture and Trauma Survivors (STARTTS). Lachlan was a founding member of the ASC and brings extensive expertise in refugee trauma and mental health matters. 06 Asylum Seekers Centre Steven Glass Tom Gregory Betty Hounslow Partner in the law firm Gilbert Tom has more than 35 years Betty has over 30 years experience + Tobin. Steven has practised for of international finance and in the community sector, most 26 years, specialising in commercial management experience, including recently as Deputy CEO of The litigation. For 11 years he has led the 28 years as chief executive of a Fred Hollows Foundation. She has firm’s pro bono refugee practice. company of which he is currently worked in community legal centres Steven has been a regular visitor non executive chairman. For over and women’s refuges, been the to Christmas Island and other a decade, he was non executive Executive Director of ACOSS detention centres to represent director of a not-for-profit (the national advocacy body for low asylum seekers. publisher, and is head of a Private income and disadvantaged people), Ancillary Fund he established in and Vice-President of ACFID 2002. Tom and his parents arrived (the peak body for international in Australia as refugees. aid agencies). Her activism around the rights of refugees and migrants started in the early 1980’s. Graham Thom Jack Thomas Refugee Coordinator, Amnesty Jack has a broad background International Australia. Graham in marketing and international has visited detention centres and operations management. refugee camps both in Australia Immediately before retirement, and throughout the region. He has he was President, Asia Pacific chaired the NSW Asylum Seeker for Cognos, a leading supplier of Interagency since 2000. business intelligence. Jack brings with him a passion for human rights. Annual Report 2012–13 07 Chair’s Report This year we moved from our much The Houston Report was delivered loved home of 20 years in Surry in August 2012 and contained Hills to wonderful new premises in much useful information about Newtown. Becher House provides the global phenomenon of asylum us with over three times the floor seekers and the factors affecting space and has allowed us to create a their arrival into our region. warm and welcoming home for our It made 22 recommendations, clients as well as much improved which it clearly stated needed working space for staff and to be implemented as a whole. volunteers. Becher House was only Unfortunately the government possible through the very generous either could not, or would not Good Shepherd Sisters and made contribution of many people but in implement many of the proposals, a major contribution to the Centre particular the Becher Foundation which seriously undermined over the years. Betty Hounslow which provided the majority of the effectiveness of its joined the Board and brings a the funds for the purchase. Becher recommendations. wealth of experience in the not- House will be a fitting legacy to We ended this year with our for-profit sector, most recently as their generosity and commitment. finances in the strongest position Deputy CEO of the Fred Hollows The year has seen both major they have ever been. In particular Foundation. We are honoured that parties taking a highly political our balance sheet grew from Hugh Mackay has chosen to join approach to asylum seekers $171,000 to $2,300,000 after the John Menadue as a Patron of and the debate has been loud purchase of Becher House. the Centre. and rancorous. Each side claims We remain determined to manage Melanie Noden has been the that their solution is the better our financial affairs prudently CEO for over a year now and has approach when in fact there’s little while expanding our services displayed wonderful leadership difference between them. We see where possible to meet the needs through a period of significant the impact these policies have of our clients. growth. She has guided the on asylum seekers living in the Our services had been limited Centre through much change community and would welcome by the physical space available while continually improving as much focus being placed on for some years, a constraint client services. reducing the harm this causes as is removed by the move to Becher I would like to thank all the devoted to border protection issues. House. We have progressively staff, volunteers and supporters expanded our services in the last for their great commitment and We strongly year and intend to continue this dedication throughout the year. as funding permits. Our priorities advocate that all They really are the heart and the are increasing the range of legal asylum seekers soul of the Centre and make a very services available to our clients real difference to the lives of many living in the and increasing the amount of people.