Need help from the ASRC? Call 03 9326 6066 (Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, 10am – 4pm) or click here.
Did you know we don’t take Federal government funding, and much of our financial resources come from the community? Yes! Your ongoing support with monthly donations is critical in helping the ASRC keep its doors open. Become a monthly donor and enable the essential services and support refugees need to rebuild their lives here.
Join our 2026 Feast for Freedom and host a meal that makes a difference.
With beautiful recipes generously gifted by this year’s Hero cooks Noha (Palestine) and Nige (Sri Lanka), this will be a Feast to remember. Gather together, share a Feast, and stand with people seeking asylum.
Register today for your free Host Kit.
In the final parliamentary week of 2024, three significant migration amendments were passed, introducing sweeping changes that expand the government’s power over immigration processes. These laws affect the detention, removal, and entry conditions for migrants and refugees. Key impacts include stricter detention measures, broader powers to confiscate personal items, and the potential for entire nations to be designated as banned from entering Australia.
MEDIA RELEASE Tuesday 10th March The Asylum Seeker Resource Centre (ASRC) is appalled at the Government’s new Migration Amendment (2026 Measures No.1) Bill 2026, which aims to prevent people fleeing to Australia from places like Iran and Lebanon, even when they already hold a temporary visa allowing them to enter. This comes on the same
Read more
In a city built on food and culture, Melbourne is setting a longer table for refugees As public debate around migration continues to harden, Melbourne is responding in its own language: food, culture and shared experience. On Tuesday 25 March 2026, the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre (ASRC) will host A Longer Table, a one-night-only long-table
Read more
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE February 2026 As national debate about migration and belonging intensifies, communities across Australia are responding not with fear, but with food. This week the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre (ASRC) launched Feast for Freedom 2026, inviting people around the country to host shared meals that celebrate refugee cultures and raise vital funds for
Read more
MEDIA RELEASE Wednesday 4th February Parliament to pass new Bill that could see avalanche of wrong decisions by removing right to hearings The Asylum Seeker Resource Centre (ASRC) has warned that the Administrative Review Tribunal and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2025, likely to pass with opposition support today, would mark a serious erosion of access
Read more
For Nigethan “Nige” Sithirasegaram, the scent of a roasting curry isn’t just a kitchen aroma – it’s a memory, a lifeline and a radical act of survival. A fourth-generation fisherman from the coastal town of Trincomalee, Sri Lanka, Nige’s early life was defined by the ocean. He grew up swimming at long, open beaches and
Read more
This International Women’s Day, we celebrate the incredible resilience, strength and leadership of women seeking asylum. At the ASRC, we recognise that female refugees often face extra hurdles: navigating a complex, often punitive immigration system while managing the unique social and physical risks that disproportionately affect women. This year’s theme of “Give to Gain” is
Read more
Noha, one of our two Feast for Freedom Hero Cooks this year, was lucky to arrive in Australia with her two daughters just ten days before the bombing in Gaza began in 2023. They came to Australia for her daughter’s university studies and they carried with them big dreams for the future. Noha’s eldest is
Read more
At the ASRC, we’ve found that one of the best ways to connect and start conversations is often over a shared meal which is why we’re thrilled to welcome everyone back to the table for this year’s Feast for Freedom. Feast for Freedom is more than just a meal; it’s our annual invitation to celebrate
Read more
Connect with us
Need help from the ASRC? Call 03 9326 6066 or visit us: Mon-Tue-Thur-Fri 10am -4pm. Closed on Wednesdays.