Mayor welcomes asylum seekers

Tamworth Region Mayor Col Murray has given his support to a NSW Government initiative where asylum seekers will be given the chance to live in regional areas of the State for five years.

NSW Premier Mike Baird today announced NSW has become the first State to sign up in principle to the Federal Government’s Safe Haven Enterprise Visa scheme. From July 1 under the scheme, eligible asylum-seekers will be able to apply to live in any part of NSW, excluding Sydney, Wollongong and Newcastle.

Cr Murray said he would welcome asylum seekers wanting to move to the Tamworth Region.

“Tamworth has an existing capacity for jobs that have not been taken up by local residents especially in our food production industries where local employers have found it difficult to fill some job vacancies,” he said. “Our region has a lot to offer people from all walks of life – it is a great place to live and work.

“We would welcome the wide range of skills refugees may have to offer our community. The Tamworth Hospital and health services are good examples of successful culturally diverse local workplaces.”

Cr Murray said the region has become more multicultural in recent years.

“The best illustration of our embracing multiculturalism was the Fiesta La Peel street festival in our main street last October,” he said. “Thousands of people joined the colourful celebration of the different cultural groups in the local community – it was a huge success.

“It was seen as a demonstration at how the residents of our region are happy to welcome people who have different cultural backgrounds.”

Cr Murray said in recent years the range of services in the region to support residents from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds has increased.

“There are more government services here than say eight to ten years ago and there are excellent community organisations such as Multicultural Tamworth which work closely with new residents to the region to help them make their new home here,” he said.

It is understood the State Government will create a list of “targeted” towns with labour shortages where asylum seekers may settle under the Safe Haven Enterprise Visa Scheme. Tamworth Regional Council is yet to be officially advised if it is on the list.

For more information visit Tamworth Regional Council