1. Membership Growth: 

• The network grew by 10 new councils in 2024, with increases across various states:  
  • Victoria: 1 
• • Queensland: 2 
• • New South Wales: 5 
  • South Australia: 1  
• We end the year with 94 members, covering over 53% of the Australian population, with around 40% of councils in regional areas.

2. Network support: 

• Welcoming Cities spearheaded the launch of two new publications
  • Stories of Welcome – Vol. 5, and 
  • Guidelines for Inclusive Public Aquatic Facilities.
• Ongoing initiatives like the Mayoral Alliance for the Pacific and work on Guidelines for Regional Growth have further reinforced Welcoming Cities’ role in promoting integration and support.
• Welcoming Week- in our third year of welcoming week we are seeing consistent growth of the initiative with over 70 events across Australia. 
• Increasing our research and analysis capacity, having created more than 10 community insights reports for local councils. 
• The Welcoming Cities Awards for Change have gained momentum, with more entries and increasing recognition for councils and individuals contributing to social cohesion.

3. Accreditation: 

City of Darebin (VIC) became the first council to achieve Excelling Accreditation. Although there was only one application submitted in 2024, there is strong interest in accreditation in 2025.

4. International Engagement:  

• Welcoming Cities launched an international networking program for members, two Australian councils connected with counterparts in the USA.  
• NSW Coordinator Turkan Aksoy represented Welcoming Cities at the Welcoming Communities (NZ) Hui.
• We continued our regular engagement with Welcoming international. 

The project will enhance employer and community readiness through data-informed analysis and workforce mapping, promote cultural safety, and improve work visa architecture. By identifying strengths and gaps, the initiative aims to create a network of ’employers of choice’ and publicly celebrate innovative practices in inclusivity. 

“Everyone benefits when employers create workplaces that promote retention, upskilling, inclusive employment practices, and build community partnerships,” said Aleem Ali, CEO of Welcoming Australia. 

“Local businesses are essential stakeholders in a whole-of-community approach to economic participation and social cohesion.”  

If you are a business, job seeker, or job service provider interested in getting involved in this project, please contact Welcoming Australia at wrrp@welcoming.org.au to discuss how the team can support you. 

The Workplace Regional Readiness Pilot is funded by the Workforce Connect Fund, supported by the Queensland Government’s Good people. Good jobs: Queensland Workforce Strategy 2022-2032. 

_______________________________________ENDS_______________ _______________________________

For more information, please contact: 
wrrp@welcoming.org.au
(07) 3160 3793
www.welcoming.org.au

For media enquiries, please contact: 
Kate Leaney 
Campaigns & Communications Manager 
kate@welcoming.org.au  
0411 712 930 

Unsurprisingly, the opportunity to share food together brings communities together year after year! Whether it was a long lunch hosted by the City of Melville and the City of Cockburn, a community lunch with the City of Playford, a community BBQ with Ararat Rural City Council and cookbooks produced by Gladstone Regional Council and the City of Armadale, Welcoming Cities members truly explored the Welcoming Week theme of #WhatBringsUsTogether.

Welcoming Week also saw Mt Isa celebrate new citizens and the City of Canning and the City of Stirling co-hosting events with Community Refugee Sponsorship Australia to raise awareness of community refugee sponsorship and the vital role it plays in the settlement of refugee newcomers.

Community Refugee Sponsorship Australia headed over to Perth to host a number of community events and celebrations as part of Welcoming Week 2024, speaking to communities about welcoming refugees into their local neighbourhoods through the CRISP program.

Art also played a key role in celebrating #WhatBringsUsTogether, with the City of Mandurah hosting the World Music Café, Lake Macquarie City Council’s LivingSmart Festival showcasing local performers and artists alongside market stalls and workshops and the City of Port Adelaide Enfield hosting Welcome Fest, bringing together artists, performers, stall holders and community to celebrate the joy of welcoming. 

In South Australia, Circle of Friends showed up in style throughout the week, hosting Afghan feasts, art exhibitions and even a clothes swap to celebrate Welcoming Week and raise funds for their important work supporting refugee communities calling Australia home.

And so much more – this is just a snapshot of conversations, celebrations and commitments to advancing a welcoming Australia where everyone can belong, contribute and thrive.

Welcoming Week is about more than the events and connections during this week alone. It’s a time to showcase the movement of communities striving to be more welcoming places for all, including migrants, refugees, people seeking asylum, international students, and the entire community, as well as the work that happens in your communities every single day.

We can’t wait to celebrate Welcoming Week together again next year,
so mark your calendars for September 12-21, 2025! 

Intercultural Kommuniti Café Social; Tuesday 10th September, Clarkson Library
Intercultural Kommuniti Café is a place where people come to get to know their neighbours, and their neighbours, neighbours. They share stories, build relationships and support each other. The café is a model for social enterprise that is focused on creating connectedness and having a positive impact on and in the local community. Join the Welcoming Week Intercultural Kommuniti Cafe here

Journeys to Mandurah: Friday 13th September, The Mez Art Gallery (Mandurah Performing Arts Centre)
Mandurah’s diverse community takes centre stage at Mandurah Performing Arts Centre. In this engaging exhibition, twelve community members from around the world share their stories of moving to Mandurah in this touching exhibition. This exhibition presents their recorded stories, alongside photographs and a special item, weaving a visual and auditory tapestry of the different journeys people take make their home in Mandurah. Check out the exhibition here

Welcoming at the Local Level; Monday 16th September, Hillview Intercultural Centre
Local Governments are on the frontline of welcoming newcomers to their community. They play an important role in connecting newcomers to information and supports, as well as building connected, inclusive and harmonious communities where everyone belongs. To celebrate Welcoming Week 2024, this forum will shine a spotlight on resources and programs that can support local governments to embrace their role in building welcome locally. Register your spot here

Long Table Lunch; Friday 20 September, Bull Creek Community Centre
The City of Melville and City of Cockburn would like to celebrate Welcoming Week by bringing communities together to share their culture and learn about other cultures. Bring along a plate of food that makes you feel like home! Find out more here

World Music Café; Friday 20th September, Peel Thunder Football Club
World Music Café is an amazing ‘dinner & show’ concert experience featuring quality culturally diverse musicians with a sumptuous banquet of international cuisine.

Featuring upbeat Parisian swing classics with Eastern flavour from Sino Swing, original music by respected Bindjareb elder George Walley, and high-energy, contemporary South African band Mahali. With the addition of a brilliant banquet from Swell Fine Food Catering, this will be a night to remember!
Find out more here

Celebrate Welcoming Week with Community Refugee Sponsorship Australia: 13-22 September, event locations throughout the Greater Perth region

The Community Refugee Sponsorship Australia team is coming to Perth for a series of community events and celebrations as part of Welcoming Week 2024. Events are happening across the Greater Perth region in partnership with generous local organisations and community champions. These events will serve as a vibrant platform to celebrate and promote the Community Refugee Integration and Settlement Pilot (CRISP) program.

During Welcoming Week, we will highlight the remarkable achievements of groups who have warmly welcomed refugees through CRISP. This celebration is not just a reflection of past successes but also a call to action, aiming to mobilise new groups to join this transformative movement. This special week provides an unparalleled opportunity to showcase the spirit of inclusivity and the profound positive impact of community-led support for refugees in Western Australia. By bringing together diverse communities, we will demonstrate the strength of unity and the shared commitment to creating a welcoming Australia for all.
Find a CRSA Welcoming Week event near you here

Thank you for making Welcoming Week 2023 a bright, warm and engaging week of celebrating the #PowerOfPlace in advancing a future where everyone can belong, contribute and thrive.

From Ararat, to Campsie, to Moorooka to Kilburn, to Gwelup, you brought thousands of us together to celebrate Welcoming Week! In only our second year joining this global campaign, we collectively hosted over 50 events and amplified the welcoming message online – thank you for joining us to affirm the importance of building welcoming and inclusive communities. We joined over 600 events across 6 countries; truly part of a global movement for welcoming!

We’ve loved seeing the creativity of your communities coming together in a bold display of welcome, deepening your commitment to creating places where everyone can belong, contribute and thrive.

Thank you for joining us this year!

3 September

• 3.00pm – Multicultural South Australia for the Voice – Parafield Gardens, SA

6 September

• 10.00am – Rolling out the Welcome Mat – Hobart, Tas
• 1.00pm – Community Refugee Sponsorship Australia: Welcoming Week Information Session – online

8 September

• Welcoming Week in Murray Bridge – Murray Bridge, SA

9 September

• 11.00am – Not Your Usual Saturday – Borderton, SA
• 3.00pm – East African Community Social Sports Event – Altona North, Vic

10 September

• 10.00am – Celebrate Welcoming @ Parks Library – Angle Park, SA
• 3.00pm – Sharing voices: belonging, harmony and spirituality – Port Phillip, Vic
• 3.00pm – East African Community Social Sports Event – Altona North, Vic
•  

11 September

• 10.00am – JBS Foods Riverina Special Morning Tea – Yanco, NSW
• 10.30am – Welcoming Week Storytime – Port Adelaide, SA
• 12.00pm – Celebrate Diversity and our Neighbours at Kilburn Community Centre – Kilburn, SA
• 12.30pm – R U OK? – Campsie, NSW

12 September

• 9.00am – St Brigid’s School Community Hub Open Morning – Kilburn, SA
• 10.00am – Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Jobs Expo – Mirrabooka, WA
• 11.00am – Welcoming Week in Ararat – Ararat, Vic
• 3.00pm – Youth Arts & Recreation – Open Access Welcoming Week – Hobart, Tas

13 September

• 9.00am – Welcoming Week Celebration at the St Brendan’s Community Hub  – Moorooka, QLD
• 10.30am – Morning Tea with Greenacres English Conversation Group – Greenacres, SA
• 10.30am – Welcoming Week Storytime – Enfield, SA
• 12.30pm – Community Lunch – Thornbury, Vic
• 6.30pm – Welcoming Community Dinner – Kilburn, SA

14 September

• 10.00am – Mooro Cultural Tour – Gwelup, WA
• 10.30am – Multicultural Fashion Parade at Junction Community Centre – Ottoway, SA
• 10.30am – Welcoming Week Storytime – Semaphore, SA
• 11.00am  – Morning Tea with English Chat Cafe – Angle Park, SA
• 6.00pm – Undefeated: exploring the migrant experience in Australia – St Kilda, Vic
• 7.30pm – Community Conversation / Language Exchange / English Corner / 英语角 – online

15 September

• 10.00am – Welcome to Revesby/Bunya Tour – Padstow, NSW
• 10.30am – Welcoming Week Storytime – Greenacres, WA
• 5.30pm – Friday Night Lights with One Culture – Blair Athol, SA
• 5.30pm – Welcoming Week in Mt Isa – Pioneer, Queensland

16 September

• 10.00am – Welcoming Week in Gladstone – Gladstone, QLD
• 11.00am – Waverley Volunteer Expo – Bondi Beach, NSW
• 3.00pm – Anniversary of Women, Life, Freedom – Adelaide, SA

17 September

• 9.00am – Living Together – Speers Point, NSW
• 10.30am – Community Conversation / Language Exchange / English Corner / 英语角 – Box Hill, Vic
• 10.30am – Welcoming Week Storytime – Angle Park, SA
• 2.00pm – Community Conversation / Language Exchange / English Corner / 英语角 – Glen Waverley, Vic
• 2.o0pm – Welcoming Week Walk – Port Phillip, Vic
• 4.00pm – Ku-ring-Gai local area community – Killara, NSW
• 5.30pm – City of Stirling Citizenship Ceremony – Stirling, WA

28 September

• 10.00am – All Things Bengali at Lakemba Library – Lakemba, NSW

29 September

• 10.30am – Welcome to Canterbury-Bankstown Picnic – Campsie, NSW

The Welcoming Australia Medal recognises exceptional individuals who have made a significant and ongoing contribution to communities where everyone can belong. This award acknowledges the hard work, passion and commitment of a select group of people who have been instrumental in growing Welcoming Australia as the largest network and movement for advancing social cohesion across the country. 

Con Pagonis has played an integral role in the story of Welcoming Cities, tracking involvement even before its official launch with Welcoming Australia in 2016; to the commencement of the initiative in 2015 

Con, as part of the Welcoming Cities Governance Committee, provides strategic oversight and advice to ensure the Welcoming Cities initiative sustainably grows its reach and impact. Con has been pivotal in the growth and success of Welcoming Cities 

Con is a consistent presence at Welcoming Australia Symposia, often travelling interstate to join the event, presenting the inaugural Welcoming Cities Awards for Change in Canberra in 2022. 

Con is a humble champion of the work of Welcoming Australia, always finding opportunities to showcase our movement and link us with other opportunities and never seeking any personal recognition or benefit. 

As well as volunteering with Welcoming Australia, Con devotes his time volunteering with organisations and initiatives;  African Women’s and Families Network, Australian Jazz Museum, The Boite and Ethnic Communities’ Council of Victoria 

Past Welcoming Australia Medal Recipients 

Presented each year at the Opening Reception of the Welcoming Australia Symposium, the award recognises individuals who have played a significant (and often unassuming) role in developing Welcoming Australia as a movement and organisation. Con joins 14 previous recipients who have been recognised for their contribution to a welcoming Australia:

Alipate Carlisle
Arefa Hassani
Arian Rezaei
Fahim Khondaker
Fida Hussain
Kate Leaney
Kerrin Benson AM
Leah Marrone
Leila Stennet
Manal Younus
Mariam Veiszadeh
Marziyah Mohammadi
Mohammad Al-Khafaji
Violet Roumeliotis AM

The Senate Inquiry launched a short government inquiry into the Bill, and will report its findings on 7 May. Welcoming Australia made a short submission, shared below, particularly recognising the future implications of implementing such a bill, as well as its immediate consequences. The Welcoming Australia Submission formally endorsed the significant submission from the Australian Iranian Community Alliance.

Submission to the Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee, Inquiry into the Migration Amendment (Removal and Other Measures) Bill 2024 – Welcoming Australia 12.04.2024

We welcome the opportunity to provide a submission to the Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee inquiry into the Migration Amendment (Removal and Other Measures) Bill 2024 (the Bill).

About Welcoming Australia

Welcoming Australia is a national not-for-profit organisation committed to cultivating a culture of welcome and advancing an Australia where people of all backgrounds have equal opportunity to belong, contribute and thrive. Welcoming Australia operates through several networks, including Welcoming Cities, Welcoming Clubs, Welcoming Universities, and Welcoming Workplaces.

Main Statement

Welcoming Australia opposes the proposed Migration Amendment (Removal and Other Measures) Bill 2024 in its entirety. This bill not only poses significant risks to communities residing in Australia, as it threatens to criminalise refugees, facilitate the separation of families, and grant extensive powers to the Minister without adequate safeguards, but it also goes against Australian values and fails to align with Australia’s international obligations.

Key reflections

Criminalisation of Refugees

The proposed Bill introduces troubling measures regarding the criminalisation of refugees. Under this legislation, individuals facing deportation who refuse to cooperate may face criminal charges and jail sentences. Moreover, it grants the Minister the authority to overturn a person’s protection finding, thereby paving the way for their deportation. The Bill explicitly states that fear of persecution in one’s home country does not constitute a valid excuse for non- compliance with the Minister’s directives regarding deportation procedures. This provision is deeply concerning as it disregards fundamental principles of human rights and poses a significant risk to the safety and well-being of individuals within the Australian community.

Community Implications

The Minister’s power to overturn an individual’s protection findings would lead to feelings of distress and insecurity within the Australian community. Additionally, the bill’s potential to separatefamiliesoverlooksthewell-beingofchildrenandotherfamilymembers.Theseaspects will reduce social cohesion and trust in public institutions within Australian society.

International Implications

The Bill directly contradicts Australia’s obligations under the 1951 Refugee Convention by forcibly returning individuals to countries where they face harm or persecution. By establishing the concept of a ‘removal concern country’ and restricting entry from specific nations, the Bill risks undermining Australia’s diplomatic relations. Such labelling not only stigmatises entire nations but also has the potential to strain international partnerships and alliances. This approach not only violates humanitarian principles but also undermines Australia’s image in the global community.

Removal Concern Country

The proposal to designate certain countries as ‘removal concern countries’ contradicts prevailing public sentiment in Australia. According to findings from the recent Scanlon Foundation Report ‘Mapping Social Cohesion,’ a significant 86 percent of respondents oppose the idea of rejecting individuals from immigrating to Australia solely based on their race or ethnicity. These statistics, which have shown a consistent upward trend since 2018, underscore a societal shift towards greater inclusivity and rejection of discriminatory practices within Australian society.

The designation of a ‘removal concern country’ and the subsequent application of collective punishment to all potential applicants, without clear criteria for defining national interest, lacks a proper foundation. Granting such significant power, which rests in the hands of a single individual requiring only consultation with the Prime Minister and the Minister administering the Diplomatic Privileges and Immunities Act 1967, poses serious risks. If this power were to fall into the wrong hands, it could lead to detrimental consequences. Should the proposed amendment be enacted, it is imperative to ensure that the authority to designate a ‘removal concern country’ does not rest solely with an individual, but rather with a transparent process governed by either the judiciary or parliament oversight.

The designation of a ‘removal concern country’ also lacks crucial provisions regarding its duration and oversight. There is no specified timeframe for how long such a designation would remain in effect, leaving it open-ended and potentially indefinite. There is also no provision for a review period to assess the necessity or appropriateness of maintaining the designation over time.

Additionally, it is essential to incorporate a provision outlining the mechanism for challenging and revoking the decision regarding the designation of a ‘country of removal’ and specifying who holds the authority to initiate such challenges.

Welcoming Australia shows its endorsement to Australian Iranian Community Alliance Submission.

Future Implications

The proposed bill places a significant trust and responsibility on the incumbent minister overseeing this department and por^olio. The risks of such powers being abused or misused, overtly or unconsciously, are considerable. The migraKon amendment poses a substanKal risk to Australia’s long-term commitment to mulKculturalism, social cohesion, and advancing communiKes where people of all backgrounds can belong, contribute, and thrive.