Current News
2011 ACT Multicultural Award Winners
The 2011 Multicultural Awards were awarded at the Multicultural Gala Dinner and Dance held at the Hellenic Club on 30 November 2011. The Community Services Directorate wishes to congratulate the following winners:
2011 Wolf Blass Multicultural Award for Private Enterprise: Fyshwick Fresh Food Market
2011 Multicultural Award in Media: Radio 1 CMS and the Ethnic Broadcasters’ Council of the ACT and Surrounding District Inc
2011 Multicultural Award for Community Organisation: Canberra Multicultural Community Forum
2011 Multicultural Award for Public Sector: Housing ACT
2011 Multicultural Award for Education: Canberra Institute of Technology Vocational College
2011 Multicultural Award for Outstanding Volunteer: Ms Chin Wong
2011 Multicultural Award for Multicultural Advocate of the Year: Ms Sela Taufa
Read more about the 2011 ACT Multicultural Award winners.
Australian Capital Territory Multicultural Strategy 2010-2013.
While the Office of Multicultural Affairs takes the lead on multicultural affairs, all ACT Government Directorates are committed to advancing the Strategy’s vision, “that the Australian Capital Territory is recognised as a leader in multicultural affairs and human rights.”
To that effect, each and every ACT Government directorate has reported in its Annual Reports of 2010-2011 on achievements during the 2010/2011 year to achieve this vision. ACT Multicultural Strategy 2010-2013
ACT Services Access Card
The ACT Government is committed to providing the fairest society possible for all Canberra residents, and that is no less the case for asylum seekers. The ACT Government appreciates that asylum seekers have had to endure tremendous emotional hardship and we want to provide you with help as you continue to adjust to your new lives.
That is why the ACT Government has made a pledge to provide asylum seekers with the same services as it does to refugees, wherever possible and have made this easier through the ACT Services Access Card.
This card makes it easier for asylum seekers to access all the services they are entitled to. The information on this page provides you with information about those services. If you find it difficult to understand the language on this website, please use the Google Translate service which you can find on the top right hand side of this page and which can translate English into 52 languages. List of Services.
What is the ACT Services Access Card?
If you have a Protection Visa Acknowledgement (PVA) letter from the Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) then you are eligible for an ACT Services Access Card. If you are eligible, you are able to get a card for you and each of your family members for a period of three months.
Who is an asylum seeker?
An asylum seeker is an individual who is seeking international protection.
In Australia, an asylum seeker is a Protection Visa (PV) applicant who has not yet received a final decision on their application from the Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC). Not every asylum seeker will ultimately be recognised as a refugee, but every refugee is first an asylum seeker.
Asylum seekers can feel extremely vulnerable because they have an uncertain future – they have left their old lives behind, but they cannot start planning and living their lives with certainty until they know the outcome of their protection claim. This uncertainty and vulnerability can cause much stress and pressure in their lives.
By showing their ACT Services Access Card, asylum seekers can decrease the stress or trauma of retelling their story again and again.
The ACT Government is committed to providing the fairest society possible for all Canberra residents, and that is no less the case for asylum seekers. The ACT Government appreciates that asylum seekers have had to endure tremendous emotional hardship and we want to provide you with help as you continue to adjust to your new lives.
That is why the ACT Government has made a pledge to provide asylum seekers with the same services as it does to refugees, wherever possible and have made this easier through the ACT Services Access Card. This card makes it easier for asylum seekers to access all the services they are entitled to. The information on this page provides you with information about those services. If you find it difficult to understand the language on this website, please use the Google Translate service which you can find on the top right hand side of this page and which can translate English into 52 languages. List of Services
Who can get an ACT Services Access Card?
If you have a Protection Visa Acknowledgement (PVA) letter from the Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) then you are eligible for an ACT Services Access Card. If you are eligible, you are able to get a card for you and each of your family members for a period of three months.
Where can I get an ACT Services Access Card?
The non-government organisation Companion House is authorised by the ACT Government to issue the ACT Services Access Card. Its offices are found in the northern Canberra suburb of Cook. Its phone number is (02) 6251 4550 and its address is 41 Templeton Street, Cook. Its website is www.companionhouse.org.au 
and its email address is info@companionhouse.org.au.
Do I have to get an ACT Services Access Card?
No. The card is designed to make it easier for you to use the services available but it is not compulsory.
What are my rights and responsibilities?
If you lose your card, you should report it to Companion House immediately (see contact details above) and you should also contact them when your card is approaching its expiry date (each card is valid for three months). You should also contact Companion House if your circumstances change, for example if your visa status changes, and you cannot transfer your card to family or friends.
Where can I get help as an asylum seeker in the ACT?
In addition to ACT Government services, there are a number of community organisations supporting asylum seekers. Their services are free and do not require the Access Card. Organisations include:
Australian Red Cross
Red Cross House
Cnr Hindmarsh Drive & Palmer Street, Garran
Phone 02 6234 7600
actinfo@redcross.org.au
Canberra Refugee Support
actrefugee@gmail.com
www.actrefugee.org.au
Companion House
41 Templeton Street, Cook
Phone 02 6251 4550
info@companionhouse.org.au
www.companionhouse.org.au
Migrant & Refugee Settlement
Services of the ACT (MARSS)
Theo Notaras Multicultural Centre
180 London Circuit, Civic
Phone 02 6248 8577
marss@marss.org.au
www.marss.org.au
Multicultural Youth Services
Theo Notaras Multicultural Centre
180 London Circuit, Civic
Phone 02 6100 4611
info@mys.org.au
www.mys.org.au
List of Services
The ACT Services Access Card facilitates access to a range of ACT Government and other services for asylum seekers living in the ACT. The card does not give asylum seekers special entitlements, as all services included under the scheme are those that asylum seekers are already entitled to access. Services include:-
Transport
Where can I get a MyWay card for Bus Travel?
MyWay cards can be ordered online or purchased from MyWay recharge agents Canberra Connect Shopfronts; and MyWay Centres. Please contact the MyWay Office on 13 17 10 to find the location of your nearest MyWay outlet.
A minimum of $5 cash, or $20 via EFTPOS or credit card, will need to be placed on the card at time of purchase.
To enable travel on ACTION buses at concession fare rates, ACT Services Access Card holders will be required to update their MyWay cards to acknowledge their entitlement.
To do this, concession holders should complete an application for a concession MyWay card and bring it to a MyWay Centre in Civic or Belconnen, or to any Canberra Connect shopfront.
Concession holders will be required to present their ACT Services Access Card as proof of their entitlement to staff, who will then update their MyWay card for use.
Oaks Estate residents are entitled to use their MyWay to transfer between Deane’s Buslines and ACTION buses.
Present your ACTION ticket or MyWay card to the Deane's Buslines driver within 90 minutes of purchase and provide proof of your Oaks Estate address.
For more information, contact the MyWay Office on 13 17 10.
Taxi Subsidy Scheme
If you or a family member have a severe disability that prevents them from using public transport for a minimum period of 6 months, you may be eligible to access the Taxi Subsidy Scheme.
Travel can be by regular taxi or a wheelchair accessible taxi where required. For more information on ACT Government Concessions, including those administered by other Government agencies, visit phone Canberra Connect on 13 22 81.
Education
A How do I contact Education services?
The Canberra Institute of Technology (CIT) delivers free English classes for asylum seekers. For more information phone 02 6207 4800.
If you wish to enrol your children at an ACT Public School, phone Ms Nicole King, Manager, Centre for Teaching and Learning, on 02 6205 6998.
Legal
The Public Trustee of the ACT can help with Will preparation and Enduring Power of Attorney preparation; phone 02 6207 9800 for an appointment. You will need to bring your Access Card with you. If you need an interpreter, please advise the Public Trustee office in advance.
Healthcare
For serious illness or injury requiring urgent attention, phone 000 for an ambulance or go to your nearest emergency department at Canberra Hospital or Calvary Hospital.
Asylum seekers (including those without Medicare access) are very welcome at the Companion House Medical Service and are seen at no cost. For enquiries or to make an appointment phone 02 6251 4550. You can access Companion House Medical Service by visiting the office at 41
Public health Services to Medicare Ineligible asylum seekers- ACT Health
Asylum seekers may also be eligible for income and funded medical care under the administered by the Australian Red Cross. Phone 02 6234 7600
Further Information
For further information on the ACT Services Access Card 
please contact the ACT Office of Multicultural Affairs at omatsia@act.gov.au or phone 02 6205 3153.
For more information on ACT Government Concessions, including those administered by other Government agencies, please go to www.concessions.act.gov.au
1 refugee without hope is too many – World Refugee Day Monday 20 June 2011
Refugee Week celebrates the positive contributions made by refugees to Australian society. The theme of Refugee Week in 2011 is Freedom from Fear. In 2011, Refugee Week will be held from Sunday 19 June to Saturday 25 June, while World Refugee Day falls on Monday 20 June 2011. 2011 is also the 60th Anniversary of the 1951 Refugee Convention.
There’s lots to celebrate! Find out what’s happening around Canberra.
ACT Government Submission to the Inquiry into Multiculturalism in Australia
On 9 February 2011, the Joint Standing Committee on Migration accepted terms of reference from the Minister for Immigration and Citizenship, the Hon Chris Bowen MP, to inquire into the economic, social and cultural impacts of migration and make recommendations to maximise the positive benefits of migration.
An ACT Government submission to this Inquiry was provided on 6 April 2011. Submissions from other interested persons or organisations can be found by visiting the Committee’s submission page.
