Federal cuts to asylum seeker support payments has put 80 per cent of refugees at risk of homelessness and destitution in Australia, including the elderly and those unable to work.
The government’s announcement to end the Status Resolution Support Services (SRSS) for asylum seekers on bridging visas, is shifting federal support, worth $80-$120 million to state governments and charities.
The federal government is justifying the decision by saying the move aims to encourage asylum seekers who are able to work, to stop receiving support payments.