Mr Bowen and Parliamentary Secretary for Immigration and Multicultural Affairs, Senator Kate Lundy released the Review of Humanitarian Settlement Services (HSS) Performance Measures and Contract Management on December 13, 2011.
The review, which was appointed to David Richmond AO by the Minister in May 2011, focused on the adequacy of performance measures and contract management processes of HSS program under the previous Integrated Humanitarian Settlement Strategy (IHSS) program.
In April this year, the Gillard Government replaced the IHSS program with HSS program and introduced a comprehensive set of changes to strengthen and improve the settlement framework.
"The review by Mr Richmond found that although the HSS is generally well managed, improvements can be made in certain areas such as contract performance management, reporting and quality control," Mr Bowen said.
"The government has accepted the recommendations of the review and I have asked my department to establish an implementation taskforce to provide regular progress reports."
"Work to improve and review settlement services is ongoing and we have already inspected the standard of more than 400 properties, and as a result, relocated four families to more appropriate accommodation."
The HSS program provides initial settlement support, which is tailored to individual needs, including the specific needs of young people. HSS also endeavours to strengthen the ability of humanitarian clients to participate in the economic and social life of Australia and to provide newcomers to Australia with the skills and knowledge to independently access services.
The Review of Humanitarian Settlement Services found that:
* it's necessary to have more proactive contract management and better reporting;
* strategies were required to improve performance measures supporting the program;
* better safeguards were needed on accommodation standards, particularly in stressed urban Australian housing markets;
* the quality assurance framework needed revising, and reporting and dialogue between the department and service delivery networks needed strengthening and
* service providers could improve their relationships with clients "on the ground".
According to Senator Lundy, under the HSS program, Australian government had strengthened support services of humanitarian settlement across Australia and around major regional centres.
"The review supported the improvements to our settlement services introduced by the government earlier this year, but highlighted the ongoing management challenges associated with successful settlement," Senator Lundy said.
"Australia's settlement services are now more comprehensive and robust than they have been in the past, but we remain focused on addressing emerging issues to ensure better settlement outcomes for new arrivals and the Australian community."
"As a government we are committed to delivering strong settlement support to help some of the community's most vulnerable people start a new life in Australia and become participating members of the community."
"I would like to thank Mr Richmond and others who have provided valuable input into the review, as well as the professional and committed service providers who deliver settlement services to newly arrived refugees."
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