By Oscar Parry
As the “fastest growing city in Australia,“ Melton council will be the next Australian municipality to join a mayoral taskforce that aims to support people seeking asylum.
Melton will become a general member council of the Local Government Mayoral Taskforce Supporting People Seeking Asylum, which aims to support and reduce the waiting times for applicants seeking refugee status in Australia.
The Taskforce consists of more than 40 councils across Australia. It collaborates with refugees and asylum seeker organisations to advocate to the federal government to address policies and guidelines affecting humanitarian arrivals.
The taskforce’s priorities include providing all people waiting for their protection application with a valid visa and associated work rights; simplifying the application process and expanding the eligibility for a government support service program for those seeking asylum, and ensuring an independent and effective merits review process for all humanitarian applications.
At the April 28 council meeting Melton mayor Steve Abboushi said joining the taskforce was important “personally, but also from a perspective of the community.”
“As the fastest growing city in Australia, and having met with a number of refugees seeking asylum in the city … I know how important it is for this cohort to be represented but also for them to feel empowered,” Cr Abboushi said.
“My father was a refugee … and this country provided the incredible opportunities to myself and my eight siblings … and I’d like to think that if we can be a voice for refugees in our community and they too go on and grow older and have those opportunities as afforded to them, then that would be a blessing to them also.”
As a general member council, Melton’s role will include assisting the executive in selecting and implementing the taskforce’s priorities and providing resources where needed to help achieve these priorities.
In February 2025, Dandenong council mayor Jim Memeti wrote to Melton, inviting it to join the taskforce.
A general membership of the taskforce costs $500 per year.
