There are nearly 27M refugees in the world and a quarter of them are now in rural Australia. Known as less than progressive, Australia's policies have been historically condemned as outright abusive. But today, refugees claim they feel welcome in Australia. In 2020, a study found 22% of immigrants in Australia faced discrimination and 90% of those felt this discrimination negatively impacted their health. From Afghans to Filipinos, refugee communities today are feeling that their resettlement in the small towns of Australia are not only successful but also fruitful. This is because small towns need people, as everyone relocates to urban cities. And though many refugees still experience racism and Islamophobia, this can be a turning point for Australia as a host country. Will they live up to the title of ‘one of the most multicultural countries in the world’?
There are nearly 27M refugees in the world and a quarter of them are now in rural Australia. Known as less than progressive, Australia's policies have been historically condemned as outright abusive. But today, refugees claim they feel welcome in Australia. In 2020, a study found 22% of immigrants in Australia faced discrimination and 90% of those felt this discrimination negatively impacted their health. From Afghans to Filipinos, refugee communities today are feeling that their resettlement in the small towns of Australia are not only successful but also fruitful. This is because small towns need people, as everyone relocates to urban cities. And though many refugees still experience racism and Islamophobia, this can be a turning point for Australia as a host country. Will they live up to the title of ‘one of the most multicultural countries in the world’?