Fears Parramatta shooting could affect public support for Syrian refugees

By Lucy McNally

7 Oct 2015,

(Translation of this article appears in Arabic section)

The man charged with coordinating the New South Wales intake of Syrian and Iraqi refugees says he hopes Friday's shooting at Parramatta and the events since will not create a sense of fear about asylum seekers.

Professor Peter Shergold AC was last month appointed the coordinator-general of refugee resettlement in NSW.

His appointment by the NSW Government came after Premier Mike Baird said the state should take its fair share of the 12,000 extra refugees from Syria and Iraq, announced by the Federal Government in September.

Professor Shergold has announced the number of refugees to be resettled in NSW will be between 4,000 and 7,000.

"They will be predominantly selected working with UNHCR from camps in Jordan, Turkey and Lebanon," Professor Shergold said.

"They will be the most vulnerable groups in those camps.

"The focus will be on persecuted minorities, those with virtually no chance of being able to return home to live full lives.

"Women and children and families will have priorities."

Professor Shergold said there was no directive from the Federal Government about what religion the refugees should be.

"If you look at the Syrian and Iraqi communities that are already here in NSW, they are remarkably diverse," he said.

"About 50 per cent are Christian, split between Catholics and Orthodox, and about 50 per cent are Muslim."

Coordinator-general 'swamped' by offers of help

He said he has been impressed with the support people in NSW have shown for the refugee plan, which prompted his staff to set up a new website listing ways to help new settlers.

"I had to do that after I was swamped with people asking how they could assist," he added.

"Some will offer accommodation, some will offer mentorship, some will offer English language conversations, some will offer just to help take families around and get to know New South Wales society."

However, Professor Shergold said he was naturally concerned that the fatal shooting of a police accountant at Parramatta on Friday and raids throughout Sydney on Wednesday could change public opinion.

"What happened last Friday was just appalling, it was a tragedy for the family in question," he said.

"I probably don't need to point out to you that here was a migrant family, making a success of their lives in Australia, devastated by that horrific murder.

"I have no idea what motivated that young boy... but he was clearly driven by this appalling ideology."

He said he has one message for people who may be fearful of refugees.

"What we are doing here is contributing in some small measure to rescuing people from that appalling ideology," Professor Shergold said.

"These are the people who have been suffering most from the ideology that in some bizarre way drove that boy to commit that atrocious act."

The coordinator-general said he expected the Syrians and Iraqis moving to NSW would have a strong work ethic.

"I have never met a refugee who came to Australia with the intention of living on welfare; they tend to be ambitious people, risk-takers, entrepreneurs," Professor Shergold said.

"These newcomers may be more likely to be educated, have trade and professional skills, experience in small business, be more likely to have rudimentary English.

"Therefore, the vital challenge is how can we harness those skills so that they can contribute back to Australian society as soon as possible."

Professor Shergold said the new settlers would be treated as permanent residents and eventually be able to apply for Australian citizenship.

He said no decision has been made on where the majority would live in NSW, but pointed out that many would have relatives already living here.

Australia should look to Germany for guidance, says NSW MP

NSW Labor MP Walt Secord said Australia could learn lessons from how Germany has processed refugees.

Mr Secord visited Berlin's largest processing centre last week and said it served as a vital way of linking newcomers to jobs.

"I was very impressed with the centre," he said.

"There were 300 families there and the whole community is coming together.

"[The] first thing [for new arrivals] is language instruction and the desire to get into the job market.

"The families want to get settled into housing and accommodation and get working and supporting themselves."