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HUMANITY OVER POLITICS 1 

Title Page 

BEFORE POLITICS 

THE ANNUAL REPORT 

2013-14

CON 

NORWAY 

IRELAND 

ENGLAND 

NETHERLANDS 

GERMANY 

FRANCE 

ITALY 

IN 2013/14 RACS ASSISTED OVER 

2059 CLIENTS FROM 

OVER 87 COUNTRIES 

WESTERN 

SAHARA 

MOROCCO 

ALGERIA 

LI 

NICARAGUA 

GUINEA 

VENEZUELA 

SIERRA 

LEONE 

GHANA 

NIGERIA 

COLOMBIA 

CAMEROON 

PERU 

BRAZIL 

CHILE 

THAT’S 45% OF ALL 

COUNTRIES ON EARTH 

RACS ASSISTED CLIENTS FROM THESE COUNTRIES

RUSSIAN FEDERATION 

ESTONIA 

LATVIA 

LITHUANIA 

UKRAINE 

MONGOLIA 

ROMANIA 

GEORGIA 

UZBEKISTAN 

DEMOCRATIC 

PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC 

OF KOREA 

ALBANIA 

TURKEY 

CHINA 

REPUBLIC OF 

KOREA 

BYA 

EGYPT 

LEBANON 

SYRIA 

ISRAEL PALESTINE 

JORDAN 

IRAQ 

SAUDI 

ARABIA 

KUWAIT 

IRAN 

BAHRAIN 

QATAR 

U.A.E 

AFGHANISTAN 

PAKISTAN 

INDIA 

NEPAL 

BHUTAN 

BANGLADESH 

BURMA 

(MYANMAR) 

TAIWAN 

HONG KONG 

SUDAN 

ERITREA 

YEMEN 

THAILAND 

VIET NAM 

PHILIPPINES 

ETHIOPIA 

SRI LANKA 

UGANDA 

SOMALIA 

MALAYSIA 

GO 

KENYA 

DEMOCRATIC 

REPUBLIC OF 

THE CONGO 

RWANDA 

BURUNDI 

TANZANIA 

INDONESIA 

PAPUA NEW 

GUINEA 

ZIMBABWE 

VANUATU 

SAMOA 

MAURITIUS 

FIJI 

COOK 

ISLANDS 

AUSTRALIA 

TONGA 

SOUTH 

AFRICA 

NEW ZEALAND 

CONTENTS 

OUR VISION, PURPOSE 

AND VALUES 

PRESIDENT’S FOREWORD 5 

DETAILS OF SERVICE 6 

ORGANISATIONAL 

STRUCTURE 

BACKGROUND 8 

OUR CORE WORK 16 

HOW WE ARE FUNDED 25 

4 

7 

COLLABORATIONS 30 

PROBONO LEGAL 

SUPPORT FROM LEGAL 

FIRMS 

32 

SERVICE’S STRUCTURE 33 

VOLUNTEERS 37 

CLIENTS AND CASEWORK 44 

PRESIDENT’S 

DECLARATION 

47 

TREASURER’S 

DECLARATION 

48 

STATEMENT OF MEMBERS 49 

FINANCIAL REPORT 50

RACS ANNUAL REPORT 2013/14 4 

OUR VISION, 

PURPOSE AND 

VALUES 

VISION 

Asylum seekers and refugees who seek 

Australia’s protection are able to live their 

lives with dignity, security, family unity and 

freedom. 

PURPOSE 

RACS is an independent Community Legal 

Centre whose purpose is to provide a free, 

specialist legal service for asylum seekers and 

refugees. Through individual advice sessions, 

community education and public advocacy, 

RACS strives to ensure that individuals and 

families at risk of persecution or other forms 

of significant harm, gain access to equal 

and fair representation before the law and 

are granted protection by Australia and 

given opportunities to seek family unity, in 

accordance with Australia’s international 

obligations. 

VALUES 

RACS’ work is premised on a commitment to 

fundamental human rights, human dignity and 

international protection. RACS demonstrates 

this commitment through its independent, 

impartial and professional advice; the 

integrity of its staff and volunteers; its belief 

in continuous learning, including through 

partnerships with other organisations; and the 

fair and flexible conditions it provides for staff 

and volunteers. 

A GLANCE AT 

OUR YEAR 

Despite losing the majority of our 

funding, RACS managed to provide 

legal assistance to more asylum seekers 

than ever. 

472 

730 

Face-to-Face 

Advice Sessions 

2977 

Telephone 


New Cases 

Represented 

Clients 

2509 

Clients assisted from 

87 

different 

countries


PRESIDENT’S 

FOREWORD 

This has been a year of change for 

RACS. The Federal Government has 

removed the bulk of our funding 

and the Minster has put a stop to 

much of our case work outcomes. 

Successive attempts to introduce 

temporary protection visas have 

resulted in delayed outcomes for 

many of RACS’ clients, and for 

the over 25,000 asylum seekers 

presently in Australia there remains 

no permission to lodge even an 

application for protection. The need 

for our services, however, has never 

been greater as RACS is one of the 

few organisations still providing 

legal assistance for refugees and 

asylum seekers. 

As discussed below in the Report, 

we have responded to these 

changes by altering the way we 

are funded (through private rather 

than government support) and by 

developing new ways of helping our 

clients. We could not have done this 

so decisively without the work and 

support of many people. 

The Management Committee 

publically thanks our committed 

and diligent staff who worked so 

hard in difficult circumstances. We 

thank in particular our Director 

Tanya Jackson-Vaughan for her 

inclusive and effective style of 

management and the Principal 

Solicitor for much of this time, 

Katie Wrigley, who worked so 

hard to develop new programmes 

of support and to maintain our 

high standards of legal service. Of 

course our solicitors, senior and 

junior, also played a crucial role in 

this - Natalie Young, Radhika Kumar, 

Ali Mojtahedi, Jemma Hollonds, 

Scott Cosgriff, Rachael Pliner, Sylvia 

Arzey, Sharara Attai, Sarah Dale, 

Julia Steward, Elyse Trotter, Melissa 

Cicak, and our seconded Solicitors 

Tess Deegan, Jessie Porteus, and 

Joshua Strutt. 

Instrumental in moving us towards 

new funding arrangements is our 

Fundraising Manager, Andrew 

Kelly. Most striking here is his and 

Tanya’s successful application to 

the Vincent Fairfax Foundation. 

This Foundation has agreed to 

match our fundraising with 33 

cents for every dollar we raise up 

to $660,000 over two years. We 

are of course very grateful for this 

support and for the Foundation’s 

show of confidence in us. 

In our work we were greatly 

assisted by the provision of 

secondees by Allens Linklaters, 

King and Wood Mallesons and 

Norton Rose Fulbright and by the 

generous support in other ways 

from Gilbert and Tobin. The pro 

bono assistance of Henry Davis 

York, KPMG and JusticeConnect 

was also indispensable. And we 

could not be so productive without 

the generous help of our many 

volunteers, legal and non-legal. We 

thank all of you. 

This year we introduced a number 

of new programmes linking our 

work with other organisations and 

we should note here the support we 

have received from the Australian 

Human Rights Commission, Auburn 

City Council, Australian Red 

Cross, Amnesty International, the 

Asylum Seekers Centre, House of 

Welcome, Service for the Treatment 

and Rehabilitation of Torture and 

Trauma Survivors, NSW Legal Aid 

Commission, IARC, Settlement 

Services International, Marist Youth 

Care, United Care Burnside and 

Justice Connect. 

In September 2014, the Government 

set out in new legislation to 

regulate onshore refugees and 

asylum seekers. As discussed 

below, we can expect temporary 

protection visas, fast assessment 

processes with reduced review 

rights, expanded removal powers, 

narrower understandings of 

who is a refugee, less rights for 

children and a cap on the number 

of protection visas granted in any 

one financial year. Most of these 

changes will be retrospective as 

well as prospective. Clearly, to 

negotiate this bleak world our 

clients will need more rather than 

less assistance. We are determined 

to provide this, and to do so we will 

need the continuing support of the 

“Friends of RACS”. 

Arthur Glass


DETAILS OF 

THE SERVICE 

The RACS head office is based 

on Phillip Street, Sydney, walking 

distance from St James and Martin 

Place train stations. 

It operates a full-time casework 

service from Monday to Friday 

between the hours of 9.00 am and 

5.00 pm. 

RACS provides a free Telephone 

Advice service between 10.00 am 

and 11.30 am on Tuesdays and 

Thursdays. 

RACS also provides a free Face-to- 

Face Advice clinic by appointment 

on Mondays and Wednesdays. 

Evening Advice is run by staff and 

volunteers on Monday evenings. 

The Legal Help for Refugees 

Clinic runs on Monday night and 

assists post 13 August 2012 boat 

arrivals with statements of claim, 

by appointment only. The clinic 

is run on Monday nights with the 

assistance of volunteers – legal 

students, interpreters and lawyers. 

The Legal Help for Unaccompanied 

Children Clinic assists child asylum 

seekers who arrived by boat and 

were unaccompanied by a parent or 

guardian. 

The Asylum Seeker Centre Legal 

Clinic is run in partnership with 

RACS and assists ASC clients 

with the assessment of protection 

claims. 

The Auburn Legal Outreach Centre 

for Asylum Seekers and Refugees 

assists residents of the Auburn LGA 

with short drop in sessions and 

longer sessions by appointment. 

Our Family Reunion Clinic offers 

assistance to former clients and 

vulnerable refugees with their 

Family Reunion Visa applications. 

Our contact details are 

as follows: 

Address: 

Level 12, 173-175 Phillip Street, 

Sydney NSW 2000 

Postal Address: 

GPO Box 2107, Sydney 

NSW 2001 

Telephone: (02) 9114 1600 

Facsimile: (02) 9114 1794 

Web: www.racs.org.au 

Email: admin@racs.org.au 

Twitter: @RACSaustralia 

Facebook: /RACSaustralia


ORGANISATIONAL 

STRUCTURE 

Refugees who come to Australia seeking asylum are amongst the most vulnerable people who 

come into contact with Australia’s legal and migration system. RACS is committed to helping 

people who are seeking asylum in Australia. RACS advocates for the legal rights and needs of 

asylum seekers, including the essential need for safety and protection in Australia by obtaining a 

permanent protection visa. 

The work we do to achieve our 

goals includes: 

»» 

Giving telephone advice to 

asylum seekers located in 

both the community and in 

detention; 

»» 

Helping asylum seekers 

present their case effectively 

with the Department of 

Immigration and the Refugee 

Review Tribunal; 

»» 

Representing children and 

young people who have come 

to Australia seeking asylum 

without a parent or guardian; 

»» 

Helping asylum seekers 

who have already come to 

Australia by boat to prepare 

a summary of their case for a 

future decision maker; 

»» 

Helping those recognised 

as refugees with advice and 

assistance about bringing 

their family members to 

Australia; 

»» 

Delivering community 

legal education sessions 

and preparing regular 

plain English factsheets to 

enable asylum seekers and 

their caseworkers to better 

understand changes to the 

law; 

»» 

Making complaints about 

Australia’s treatment of our 

clients under international 

law and with domestic 

complaints to bodies such as 

the Australian Human Rights 

Commission; 

»» 

Advocating for law reform 

and policy change through 

submission writing, 

involvement in government 

advisory panels and 

developing projects with 

community groups dedicated 

to supporting asylum seekers 

and refugees. 

RACS was established in 1987 at the 

request of Amnesty International, 

with funding from UNHCR, in order 

to meet the increasing demand for 

legal assistance to people seeking 

asylum in Australia. 

RACS has continued to provide 

a comprehensive and thorough 

specialist refugee advice service 

since its inception. This unique and 

vital service works closely with a 

broad network of legal and interagency 

support services, including 

the client-based services of many 

other organisations such as the 

Red Cross, Amnesty International, 

the Asylum Seekers Centre, the 

House of Welcome, the Service for 

the Treatment and Rehabilitation 

of Torture and Trauma Survivors 

(STARTTS), the Immigration Advice 

and Rights Centre (IARC), the 

Legal Aid Commission of NSW, the 

National Council of Churches and 

the Refugee Council of Australia 

(RCOA). 

RACS is a member of the Refugee 

and Immigration National Coalition 

of Legal Centres (RAINCLC), a 

coalition of the Australian not for 

profit legal centres that specialise 

in the provision of advice and 

assistance to asylum seekers and 

refugees. Members include RILC 

(Melbourne), RAILS (Brisbane) 

and CASE for Refugees (Perth). 

RAINCLC has written submissions 

to the Government on asylum 

seeker policy and meets regularly 

to discuss common areas of 

interest. 

RACS’ involvement with these 

organisations, which are similarly 

committed to assisting asylum 

seekers, is critical to its information 

sharing and support base. 

Furthermore, RACS is a part of 

Community Legal Centres NSW 

and the Australia wide National 

Association of Community Legal 

Centres (NACLC). NACLC has 

instigated an accreditation process 

for all CLCs. 

Last year, NACLC certified RACS 

as accredited under the National 

Accreditation Scheme, as providing 

Community Legal Services in 

conformity with the requirements 

of the NACLC Accreditation Criteria 

for Community Legal Centres.

RACS ANNUAL REPORT 2013/14 

BACKGROUND 

The past year has seen the 

continuation of policies and 

procedures that threaten the human 

rights of asylum seekers. Coupled 

with the denigration of asylum 

seekers as “illegals” and significant 

funding cuts to the free legal advice 

provided to asylum seekers, known 

as the Immigration Application and 

Advice Assistance Scheme (IAAAS), 

it has been a challenging time for 

RACS and our vulnerable clients. 

Here is an overview of the human 

rights challenges faced by asylum 

seekers: 

The “no advantage” policy, 

instigated after the expert panel 

report was released on 13 August 

2012, barred boat arrival asylum 

seekers from lodging a protection 

visa application. There are 

approximately 27,000 people in 

Australia in this cohort. 

According to government policy, 

the people in this group are “at risk 

of being transferred” to a regional 

processing centre and anyone 

who arrived after 19 July 2013 will 

be transferred to Nauru or Manus 

Island, Papua New Guinea. 

Nauru and Manus offshore 

processing centres are at capacity. 

Their shocking conditions and the 

severe treatment of asylum seekers 

are highlighted in the news on an 

almost daily basis. While there has 

been some processing of refugee 

claims the process has been very 

slow.


As Nauru and Manus are “full”, 

Christmas Island detention centre 

now houses asylum seekers who 

fall under the July 19 2013 policy 

of transfer to offshore processing 

countries. Whilst conditions are 

better than Nauru or Manus centres, 

these people are being indefinitely 

detained, with the threat of transfer 

to centres where people have been 

killed or severely injured. 

Enhanced screening (discussed 

below) was extended from Sri 

Lankan asylum seekers to other 

nationalities, increasing the 

potential for refoulement. 

Temporary Protection Visas were 

introduced, disallowed, introduced 

again and then challenged before 

the High Court. 

A cap on protection visas was 

introduced to avoid granting 

permanent protection to asylum 

seekers when the TPVs were 

disallowed but once again a High 

Court challenge ruled the cap 

invalid. 

A ministerial direction introduced 

in December effectively put all 

applications for family reunion 

lodged by boat arrival refugees to 

the bottom of the processing pile. 

As a result of this direction people 

may have to wait for 10 years to see 

their family. 

Further demeaning of asylum 

seekers came with the introduction 

of a code of behaviour requirement 

for people wishing to renew 

their bridging visas. Anyone who 

breaches the code may have their 

visa revoked permanently and 

be re-detained. While the code 

purports to outline how asylum 

seekers should behave, including 

avoidance of criminal behaviour, 

certain stipulations could be seen 

to be unnecessarily onerous – many 

Australians might at times be in 

breach of the condition below: 

“You must not harass, intimidate 

or bully any other person or group 

of people or engage in any antisocial 

or disruptive activities that 

are inconsiderate, disrespectful or 

threaten the peaceful enjoyment of 

other members of the community.” 

To thwart the invalidity of the 

cap on protection visas, a new 

“national interest criterion” has 

been introduced for the grant of a 

visa. The Minister must personally 

approve each application for 

protection if the applicant came by 

boat. 

As we go to print, the government 

has introduced the Migration 

and Maritime Powers Legislation 

Amendment (Resolving the Asylum 

Legacy Caseload) Bill 2014 which : 

»» 

seeks to narrow Refugee Law 

in Australia; 

»» 

deems babies born in 

Australia to boat arrival 

asylum seekers as 

“unauthorised maritime 

arrivals”; 

»» 

obliges officers to remove 

unlawful non-citizens as soon 

as practicable regardless of 

Australia’s non-refoulement 

obligations; 

»» 

introduces a fast track 

assessment with limited 

merits review; 

»» 

limits boat arrival asylum 

seekers to Temporary 

Protection Visas or Safe 

Haven Enterprise Visas, 

if found to be refugees. 

There will be no permanent 

protection visas for this 

cohort, no family reunion, and 

no return to Australia if they 

leave; 

»» 

allows the Minister to cap the 

number of protection visas; 

» » and gives the Minister 

sweeping powers to detain 

people at sea and transfer 

them to another country as 

well as removing the right to 

natural jusice.


TIMELINE OF LEGAL AND POLICY CHANGES FOR 

ASYLUM SEEKERS WHO CAME BY BOAT 

1 JULY 2013 - 25 SEPTEMBER 2014 

19 July 2013 

• Regional Settlement Agreement 

signed with PNG and later with 

Nauru. All asylum seekers arriving 

by boat will be sent to PNG or Nauru 

with no possibility of settlement in 

Australia, with no exceptions. 

18 October 2013 – 2 

December 2013 

• Temporary Protection Visas 

introduced then disallowed by 

the Senate. 

19 September 2013 

• Change of government. A 

stop to “lifting of the bar” 

to allow any asylum seekers 

who came by boat to apply 

for protection. 

4 December 2013 – 

20 December 2013 

• The maximum number 

of protection visas for 

the 2013/2014 financial 

year was capped, then 

uncapped. 

31 August 2013 

1 July 2013 

• Pre-election Coalition 

announcement that all asylum 

seekers arriving by boat and 

found to be refugees will 

be only granted Temporary 

Protection Visas. The 

cessation of IAAAS funding 

for asylum seekers who arrive 

by boat. 

• The Department of Immigration announced that asylum 

seekers who arrived by boat after 13 August 2012 would be 

able to apply for protection with IAAAS assistance. 


• An enforceable code of 

behaviour comes into effect for 

Bridging Visa E holders. 

14 December 2013 - 27 

March 2014 

• 866.222 introduced then 

disallowed by the Senate. The 

effect of 866.222 was that 

asylum seekers who arrived by 

boat no longer qualified for the 

866 permanent protection visa. 

• Ministerial Direction mandates that RRT must process boat 

arrival cases last.



• Family stream visa applications in 

which the applicant’s sponsor or 

proposed sponsor arrived by boat are 

directed to be processed as lowest 

priority. In reality this could mean a 

wait of up to 5 years for the application 

to be looked at. 

3 March 2014 - 

20 June 2014 

• The maximum number of 

permanent protection visas 

was again capped but then 

the cap was found invalid 

by the High Court. 


• New legislation 

introduced into 

Parliament bringing in 

two types of temporary 

protection visas as the 

only available options for 

boat arrivals, fast track 

processing with limited 

review rights, a narrower 

definition of ‘refugee’ for 

all applicants, greater 

detention and removal 

powers, a cap on the 

number of protection 

visas granted and 

removal of all family 

reunion options for 

refugees who arrived by 

boat. 

3 February 14 - 

27 March 2014 

3 July 2014 

• Offers of 449/786 temporary 

safe haven visas made to 

some asylum seekers who 

came by boat. 

• The Department advised that 

asylum seekers who came by 

boat and are found to engage 

Australia’s protection obligations 

will be referred to the Minister for 

consideration of visas under the 

existing 866.226 “national interest” 

criteria. The Minister decides who 

should be given a visa. 


• The High Court found that 

the grant of a temporary safe 

haven visa went beyond the 

powers to grant a detained 

person a visa and to consider 

whether to “lift the bar”.


RACS: PROTECTING THE HUMAN 

RIGHTS OF ASYLUM SEEKERS AND 

REFUGEES FOR OVER 26 YEARS 

Refugee Advice and Casework 

Service is one of Australia’s leading 

refugee legal centres providing free, 

specialist legal assistance to asylum 

seekers and refugees seeking to 

reunite with their families and we 

fight for their human rights every 

day. 

We are an independent community 

legal centre (CLC). 

For over 26 years, RACS has been 

protecting and advocating for 

human rights for vulnerable asylum 

seekers, who have made it to 

Australia. 

We have a team of 14 lawyers, 

experienced in human rights 

law, who dedicate themselves to 

achieving positive outcomes for 

their clients. Our staff come from a 

wide range of cultural backgrounds. 

We have Tamil, Farsi, Dari, Serbian, 

Urdu and Hindi speakers, some of 

whom have refugee backgrounds 

themselves.

13 

FUNDING CUTS BUT MORE SERVICES 

THAN EVER 

Unfortunately, the current 

government does not believe that 

all asylum seekers should receive 

free legal advice and have cut 

access to our services for boat 

arrivals, for plane arrivals wishing 

to have their primary decision 

reviewed and for people who arrive 

by plane and are deemed unlawful. 

These cuts have resulted in 2/3 of 

RACS’ core funding being slashed at 

a time when the number of asylum 

seekers needing legal services is at 

an all-time high. 

We were faced this year with a 

severe funding crisis, punishing 

policy changes and a great increase 

in the need for our services.. In 

order to survive and maintain our 

quality legal services we have 

changed the nature of our work and 

how this is funded.


RACS’ STRATEGIC GOALS 

RACS’ strategic goals to protect the human rights of asylum seekers 

and refugees are to provide quality legal advice, case management and 

representation for financially disadvantaged and vulnerable people seeking 

asylum and family reunion. RACS aims to: 

»» 

Provide community education on changes to refugee law; 

»» 

Provide outreach services to asylum seekers, as well as refugee 

partner organisations; 

»» 

Advocate for systemic reform; and 

»» 

Maintain an effective and expert staff team. 

Despite the massive funding cuts, through careful planning over the past 

year, RACS has achieved these strategic goals, not only managing to retain 

all of our staff but increasing the number of services we have provided. 

(See table below) 

2013 - 14 2012 - 13 

Face-to-Face Advice Sessions 917 356 

Telephone Advice Sessions 3733 1105 

New Cases (Represented Clients) 466 430 

Total Clients Assisted 2060 1230 

No of Countries Clients From 88 65


OUR CORE WORK 

and Rehabilitation of Torture and 

Trauma Survivors (STARTTS) works 

to the benefit our clients. 

FAMILY REUNION 

Our core work is supporting 

the human right of asylum 

seekers to apply for 

protection in Australia. 

PROTECTION 

VISA 

ASSISTANCE 

RACS provides protection visa 

legal assistance to impecunious, 

disadvantaged or vulnerable asylum 

seekers. 

RACS’ lawyers are trained to 

support their clients through the 

difficult process of articulating 

the fears that drove them to flee 

from their home country as well as 

directing them to any additional 

support services their client may 

need. 

Our clients are often survivors of 

torture and trauma, coming from 

a wide range of countries. They 

require an environment that gives 

consideration to their welfare as a 

whole, not just their legal needs. 

RACS prides itself on providing 

a respectful and supportive 

environment. 

As we see it, our clients are people 

not legal problems. Accordingly, 

RACS offers a holistic service, 

where clients are afforded the 

time and the support required 

to revisit the horrors that made 

them leave their home country 

and make the journey to Australia. 

Through our strong connection to 

the asylum seeker support network, 

we are able to link our clients with 

medical, social and welfare support 

agencies. Our strong relationships 

with services such as the Asylum 

Seeker Centre (ASC), The Australian 

Red Cross (Red Cross), Settlement 

Services International (SSI) and 

NSW Service for the Treatment 

Family unity and the right to be 

free from arbitrary interference 

with family life are human rights 

under the Article 17 of the Civil and 

Political Rights Covenant. Once 

an asylum seeker is found to be 

a refugee and offered protection 

in Australia, the vital next step 

is be reunited with their family. 

According to the Refugee Council 

of Australia (RCOA) the social, 

economic and health impacts on 

refugees of protracted separation 

from family is significant and can 

delay integration into society. 

RCOA found there was significant 

community concern about the 

shortage of quality, free migration 

advice for family reunion visa 

options. 

In recognition of this need, RACS 

offers legal assistance to refugees 

who wish to apply for family stream 

visas. We are helping people 

to apply for spouse visas, child 

visas and orphan relative visas 

so that they can bring relatives, 

usually refugees themselves and 

languishing in hostile conditions, to 

Australia on permanent visas. 

RACS’ reputation as a specialist 

community legal centre with highly 

trained staff means that people 

feel they can trust us to provide 

the best possible advice. We often 

see former asylum seeker clients 

coming to us for help bringing their 

family to Australia as they feel they 

will be in safe hands.


This year, despite the ministerial 

discretion changing prioritization of 

processing for family reunion visas, 

RACS has several clients who were 

successful in their applications for 

family reunification. 

INITIATIVES OF 

RACS 

There has never been a more 

challenging time for people seeking 

asylum in Australia where the 

increasingly punitive policies are 

coupled with significant cuts to 

government funded legal assistance. 

Despite the many challenges 

RACS has had to face due to these 

changes (discussed below), we have 

developed in our view new and 

innovative responses to them. 

The Legal Help for Refugees 

Clinic 

This is an initiative of RACS, which 

aims to provide free immigration 

legal assistance and advice to 

asylum seekers who arrived by 

boat after 13 August 2012. Federal 

government policy means these 

people are currently barred 

from applying for a protection 

visa and are not eligible for an 

IAAAS (Immigration Application 

and Assistance Scheme) funded 

migration agent. 

There are at least 23,000 (7000 

in NSW) unrepresented asylum 

seekers who have not received free 

IAAAS assistance with their claims 

for protection. All they have to 

assist them are info kits prepared by 

the Department of Immigration. As 

UNHCR has noted, ‘[a]sylum seekers 

are often unable to articulate the 

elements relevant to an asylum 

claim without the assistance of a 

qualified counselor because they 

are not familiar with the precise 

grounds for the recognition of 

refugee status and the legal system 

of a foreign country’. RACS’ clinic 

aims to provide asylum seekers with 

knowledge of their legal status, as 

well as their entry interview and a 

statement of claims prepared by a 

lawyer. 

RACS has partnered with Red Cross 

and SSI to provide information 

sessions to their clients, at which 

FOI forms were signed to obtain 

from the Department the clients’ 

entry interviews. These information 

sessions were then followed by 

the face-to-face sessions that 

involved over 100 volunteers. These 

volunteers include law students, 

interpreters and lawyers. Training 

and a handbook of guidelines 

were developed for volunteers. 

Experienced RACS’ volunteers 

trained and supervised new student 

volunteers. Legal volunteers were 

trained and supervised by the 

Principal Solicitor. The clinic runs for 

3 hours - one hour with a student 

taking personal details and then 2 

hours with a lawyer. 

These sessions allow clients, many 

of whom have been here for over 

2 years, to talk to someone in 

detail for the first time about their 

reasons for fleeing their country 

and have a detailed statement of 

claims compiled. Clients leave the 

office with these documents, which 

will assist them with their visa 

applications, if they are ever allowed 

to claim protection. 

This clinic is unique to NSW. It offers 

unrepresented asylum seekers the 

opportunity to access expert, free 

legal assistance. Without this clinic, 

this group of asylum seekers would 

have no legal help at all. RACS has 

lost 2/3 of our funding and yet has 

managed to develop an innovative 

project that makes a significant 

difference to people’s lives. 

Asylum seekers are some of the 

most vulnerable people in Australia 

at the moment. Particularly as many 

of them are unable to work and 

have no prospects of having their 

claims for protection finalised in 

the near future. They are a group 

of traumatised, disenfranchised, 

impecunious people with little 

hope of things improving in the 

short term. The newspapers are 

full of anti-asylum seeker news, the 

caseworkers that provide welfare 

support are contractually obliged to 

report on them to the Department. 

Fear of authority is often what led 

asylum seekers to flee their country 

of origin. 

RACS’ legal clinic provides the 

clients with an opportunity 

to receive expert assistance 

(from someone they can trust) 

in documenting their claims, 

assistance they would not 

otherwise receive thanks to Federal 

government funding cuts.


CHILD LAWYER 

POSITION 

RACS has established a child lawyer 

position, and is the leading provider 

of information sessions to child 

asylum seekers and their carers in 

NSW. All our lawyers have working 

with children checks. 

Legal Help for 

Unaccompanied Children 

Clinic 

Legal Help for Unaccompanied 

Children is a project established 

by RACS to address a significant 

unmet legal need. This project 

allows for a dedicated solicitor at 

RACS to provide legal assistance 

and support to unrepresented 

unaccompanied children who face 

isolation and poverty. 

This project has 4 main focus areas: 

1. Education and information 

sessions for unaccompanied 

children about their legal status, 

changes in the law and the 

application process which they 

are a part of. 

2. Education and information 

sessions for caseworkers 

working with unaccompanied 

children, so that they have a 

better understanding of the 

legal issues faced by their child 

clients. 

3. Providing legal assistance to 

unrepresented unaccompanied 

children, including assisting the 

children to make statements of 

claim for protection. 

4. Providing legal advice to 

unrepresented unaccompanied 

children. 

RACS fosters a broad range of 

partnerships in its service delivery. 

This includes leading service 

providers that support asylum 

seekers and refugees such as 

Settlement Services International 

(SSI) and the Australian Red Cross 

(ARC). RACS also works closely 

with the Asylum Seeker Centre 

(ASC), the Jesuit Refugee Service 

(JRS) and Marist Youth Care (MYC). 

These service providers have 

dedicated programs for families 

and unaccompanied children but 

are concerned that there is no 

legal support for most of their 

clients. RACS has been approached 

by many of these community 

organisations for assistance with 

their clients’ legal needs. The 

development of this clinic is a 

direct response to a request from 

one of the service providers, Marist 

Youth Care, dedicated to looking 

after unaccompanied child asylum 

seekers. 

All of the unaccompanied children 

in NSW are now clients of RACS, 

have statements of their protection 

claims drafted by a lawyer and 

have an independent person 

they can trust to call on if they 

need. (Unfortunately, DIPB’s 

contractual arrangements require 

the Community Detention providers 

who are the children’s carers to 

report any breaches by the children 

to the Department). For these 

children, their lawyer at RACS is 

their confidant, the person they 

have trusted with their deepest 

fears, the person who can help 

protect their human rights. 

These children are one of our most 

vulnerable groups in society. These 

individuals have had to overcome 

a myriad of hurdles in making it to 

Australia and need our support, 

care and guidance. 

The legal complexities surrounding 

the application for protection 

in Australia have significantly 

increased. It is becoming 

increasingly more difficult for 

people to settle in Australia after 

fleeing war, persecution and 

danger- and currently there are


no exemptions or additional legal 

support for children. 

In this process, unaccompanied 

minors face additional hurdles; 

including age assessment 

interviews to determine whether 

they are actually under 18, and then 

the prospect of turning 18 and 

having the little support they have 

received removed as they are now 

deemed adults. 

These children don’t have an adult 

to speak for them or tell their 

stories. In obtaining their history, 

often rife with torture, trauma and 

other horror stories, a particular 

consideration and empathy is 

required. Most of these children 

will not have received an extensive 

education, so will have difficulty 

recalling and confirming dates and 

addresses, essential when applying 

for protection in Australia. 

This clinic provides a service 

catering to the additional needs of 

these vulnerable unaccompanied 

children. This service provides 

a voice for some of the most 

vulnerable asylum seekers in 

Australia, children without a 

significant adult presence in their 

life, children who have no protector, 

no guide. 

Unaccompanied Children on 

Christmas Island Project 

RACS has advocated to the UN 

Human Rights Committee, the 

Minister and the Australian Human 

Rights Commission on behalf of 30 

unaccompanied children at risk of 

transfer to Nauru. 

Our representation of these children 

ensures they have a voice, someone 

who will speak out on their behalf. 

Our complaints to the UN have 

been lodged and we hope may 

prevent their transfer off Christmas 

Island. 

Thanks to generous donations, 

RACS sent 3 lawyers to Christmas 

Island to take thorough statements 

of their protection claims and 

ensure any human rights breaches 

that have occurred while they are in 

detention are recorded. 

Small Mercies Project 

RACS is part of an ARC project 

“Small Mercies, Big Futures - a 

cross-institutional research project 

looking at asylum, settlement and 

resettlement for children”. With 

the support of the Small Mercies 

project, RACS has developed childfocused 

policies and our “Best 

Practice Guidelines for Working 

with Children Seeking Asylum”. 

These guidelines aim to provide 

a practical tool that migration 

agents in Australia can use when 

representing young people. The 

guidelines cover a range of topics 

including ethical principles, child 

development, mental health and 

interviewing skills. Since their 

development, RACS has been 

invited to speak at the Refugee 

Youth in Focus conference at USYD, 

the NACLC conference and the 

Unaccompanied Minors symposium.


CHILOUT 

ROUNDTABLE 

LEGAL 

REPRESENTATIVE 

RACS is the legal representative on 

the National Children’s Roundtable 

convened by Chilout and advises on 

legal issues. 

Case Study 

For a boy like Abdul, free legal advice is vital. 

Many of the children who travel by themselves to 

Australia in search of safety come from Afghanistan. 

Many of them are Hazara, one of the most persecuted 

ethnic minorities in the world and targeted by the 

Taliban. 

One of the boys RACS has been helping is Hazara, his 

name is Abdul Hussain*. When he was only three, his 

father was killed by the Taliban. 

Abdul’s remaining family fled to Pakistan, to 

Hazaratown in Quetta. There, his mother struggled 

to support her five children working as a seamstress. 

When she became seriously ill, nine year old Abdul 

was forced to become the bread winner. 

Abdul and another young boy worked together at a 

market selling goods. The journey to the market was 

dangerous, with the young boys witnessing brutal 

violence and random killings on a daily basis. But 

as the sole earner for the family, Abdul had to keep 

working. 

Eventually, Abdul and his friend became the targets 

of violence and were told to leave the market 

under threat of death. As Hazara boys, they were 

particularly vulnerable, as they had no access to 

police protection 

When Abdul’s uncle also received a death threat, the 

family decided the only way to save the boy’s life was 

to send him off on a journey to seek safety and hope 

in another country. 

Unfortunately, Abdul arrived in Australia after 12th 

August 2013, the day the “no advantage” policy for 

boat arrival asylum seekers was announced. Not only 

did government policy mean Abdul could not apply 

for protection, but he also had no access to free legal 

advice and had no idea of his legal status and what 

he could and couldn’t do. 

Luckily, one of Abdul’s friends had been fortunate 

enough to be allocated to RACS by the Immigration 

Advice and Application Assistance Scheme (IAAAS) 

program and he asked us if we would help Abdul. 

There are many children like Abdul in Australia, alone, 

in legal limbo and facing a bleak future. They are 

the reason RACS established our unaccompanied 

children project, supporting the legal needs of the 

child and providing access to justice. 

*name and identifiers have been changed to protect his identity


OUTREACH 

Legal Service at Asylum 

Seekers Centre 

In May 2014, RACS commenced 

its partnership with the Asylum 

Seekers Centre (ASC) to establish 

a new legal service for ASC clients. 

The ASC Legal Service enhances 

access to justice by providing 

asylum seekers with access to free 

legal advice and assistance with 

their protection matters. The ASC 

Legal team consists of one fulltime 

RACS lawyer, legal interns 

and volunteer lawyers based at 

the ASC in Newtown. The expert 

legal support provided by RACS 

has allowed the ASC to augment 

the suite of services it provides 

to its clients, facilitates referral to 

RACS for further assistance and 

has helped to establish a Judicial 

Review clinic with RACS training 

pro bono lawyers from Gilbert and 

Tobin to assist in the clinic. 

Auburn Asylum Seeker and 

Refugee Legal Service 

In partnership with Dooleys and 

Auburn City Council, RACS has 

established an outreach advice 

service for the residents of the 

Auburn LGA. Large numbers of 

asylum seekers who arrived after 13 

August 2012 live in the Auburn LGA. 

These people are unable to apply 

for protection, are on Bridging Visa 

Es that require signing a code of 

behaviour and are barely subsisting 

on the small fortnightly allowance 

they receive from the government. 

Most of them have never received 

legal advice and are not aware of 

their human rights or their legal 

rights. 

The Auburn Asylum Seeker and 

Refugee Legal Service provides 

information and assistance to 

asylum seekers and refugees who 

are residents of the Auburn LGA in 

Auburn. They will not have to travel 

in to the city and spend $10 or more 

of their pitiful allowance. They will 

be able to receive help in a familiar 

place. 

The clinic is based in the Auburn 

Centre for Community and is part 

of a hub of services being provided 

to asylum seekers. We are working 

with the House of Welcome, SSI 

and Refugee Health Services at the 

centre. 

MOSAIC and RACS 

In the past 12 months, RACS has 

provided immigration advice to 

MOSAIC clients. Since July 2014, 

due to funding cuts, RACS has 

had to cease this service but has 

continued to provide information 

sheets and advice to MOSAIC 

lawyers on legal issues pertaining to 

their clients. 

Enhanced Screening 

Since October 2012, RACS has been 

assisting clients in danger of being 

removed from Australia before 

having their protection claims 

heard according to due process. 

Expedited removal processes have 

been taking place on Christmas 

Island, in Darwin and in Yongah Hill 

in Western Australia. This process 

is called “Enhanced Screening” 

and involves a short interview 

conducted by two Department 

officers, who determine on this 

basis alone whether the person has 

claims for protection. 

The interview takes place shortly 

after the person has arrived in 

Australia, is between 20 minutes 

to an hour in length, and there is 

no legal representative present. 

Once a decision is made to “screen 

someone out”, the person could be 

put on a plane “home” within one 

to two weeks. Our experience has 

been that the focus of this process 

appeared to target Sri Lankan 

asylum seekers but over the past 12


EDUCATION 

RACS is considered a leader in the 

field of education on refugee law. 

As processes and policies keep 

changing legal education is the 

key to keeping people informed 

on current issues as well as trying 

to “change the conversation” so 

that people better understand the 

human rights of asylum seekers. 

RACS has established an Education 

coordinator in order to expand this 

aspect of our work. 

months was expanded to include 

other nationalities. 

Under section 256 of the Migration 

Act, people have a right to legal 

access. However, this Enhanced 

Screening process places obstacles 

in the way of accessing legal advice 

as people in danger of being 

screened out are not made aware 

of this right and are detained in 

remote detention centres with 

limited access to phones or the 

internet. 

However, despite the numerous 

barriers, RACS has, through 

persistence and hard work, 

managed to become the 

representatives of 160 asylum 

seekers who had been “screened 

out”. We now understand that 

these people have now been 

screened in and if the bar is ever 

lifted by the Minister will be able to 

apply for protection. 

This project arose as our immediate 

response to a process that was 

arbitrary in its application and 

which could endanger the lives of 

people who have fled persecution. 

This process, in our view, shows a 

complete disregard to due process 

and the consideration of these 

individuals’ human rights, and our 

obligations as a signatory of the 

Refugee Convention and other 

international human rights treaties. 

Asylum seekers should be afforded 

due process - an opportunity to 

have their protection claims heard, 

assisted by a legal adviser and 

access to independent reviews of 

decisions that can be a matter of 

life or death. 

We regularly hold Continuing 

Professional Development sessions 

on changes to refugee law attended 

by top tier legal firms as well as 

Legal Aid and other CLCs in order 

to assist in their work with asylum 

seekers and increase the capacity of 

others in this sector. 

RACS is invited to speak to 

caseworkers and staff of the Red 

Cross, Migrant Resource Centres 

and other asylum seeker agencies 

and advocacy groups on the asylum 

seeker process and legal changes 

so that they can better assist and 

understand the legal needs of their 

clients. 

Through our casework, community 

and sector engagement RACS has 

developed a strong appreciation 

of the need for Community Legal 

Education (CLE) in the protection 

and promotion of human rights in 

Australia, and particularly in the 

asylum seeker and refugee sector 

and community. As a result, RACS 

has further developed its CLE and 

training delivery. 

Community Education to schools 

program has been further 

developed this year, for example,


with visits to Sydney Girls High, 

Delaney College and Edmund 

Rice College. 

For Refugee Week, Auburn 

City Council invited us to 

participate in Refugee Camp in 

my Neighbourhood tours. This 

tremendous project recreated the 

conditions of a refugee camp in the 

Auburn Centre for community. Tour 

guides demonstrated the difficulties 

and delays in seeking asylum, with 

RACS explaining to the hundreds 

of visitors the reality of the legal 

situation for asylum seekers once 

they arrive in Australia. 

FORUMS 

ATTENDED BY 

RACS 

Is it Loving to Stop the Boats 

Convened by the City Bible Forum, 

Katie Wrigely, our Principal Solicitor, 

joined former Liberal Minister, 

Ross Cameron and former DIBP 

employee, Greg Lake, to debate 

Australia’s asylum seekers policies. 

It is vital that the general populace 

develops a better understanding 

of the human rights of asylum 

seekers. Without a shift in opinion, 

the governments of Australia will 

be able to continue to breach the 

human rights of asylum seekers 

through oppressive legislation. We 

are visiting schools, universities, 

church groups, advocacy groups, 

in fact anyone that asks, to explain, 

in the words of Jane McAdam and 

Fiona Chong’s excellent new book, 

“Why seeking asylum is legal and 

Australia’s policies are not. 

WEBSITE AND 

FACTSHEETS 

Another vital role RACS plays in 

the promotion of human rights 

is through the provision of up to 

date, legally correct fact sheets 

on changes to law and polices 

which relate to asylum seekers 

and refugees. Many community 

organisations, lawyers and 

concerned individuals as well as 

the asylum seekers themselves are 

able to access our fact sheets on 

our website. We have had feedback 

from many followers that the 

factsheets are extremely useful 

in outlining the current status of 

asylum seekers, not an easy task 

when there are often fortnightly 

changes to the law. 

Factsheets can be accessed from 

http://www.racs.org.au/factsheets/

RACS ANNUAL REPORT 2013/14 

POLICY AND LAW 

REFORM 

RACS has made several submissions 

on policy changes to refugee law, 

policy and procedures. 

»» 

RACS Submission to AHRC 

Inquiry into Children in 

Immigration Detention 

»» 

Migration Legislation 

Amendment Bill No 1 2014 

RACS Submission 

»» 

RACS Access to Justice 

Submission November 2013 

»» 

RACS Letter to Members of 

Parliament October 2013 

»» 

RACS Migration Amendment 

(Protection and Other 

Measures) Bill 2014 

Submission 

»» 

Public Interest Immunity – 

RACS Submission January 

2014 

»» 

Migration Amendment Bill 

2013 RACS Submission 

»» 

January 2014 Repeal of 

Complementary Protection 

RACS Submission 

»» 

Migration Amendment 

(Regaining Control over 

Australia’s Protection 

Obligations) Bill 2013 RACS 

Submission 

»» 

RACS’ Response to Questions 

on Notice: Migration 

Amendment Bill 2013 

RACS was invited to several of the 

Senate inquiries on these legislative 

changes and used our practical 

experience as well as our expertise 

in the field of refugee law to 

make comments on the proposed 

amendments. 

COLLABORATION 

WITH TOP NSW 

UNIVERSITIES 

RACS provides work experience 

opportunities in an important area 

of human rights law to university 

students from several Sydney based 

universities. These include: 

The University of Sydney which 

runs a Social Justice program 

through RACS where students 

can experience first hand the 

day-to-day reality of working in a 

community legal centre, liaising with 

clients and supporting the lawyers 

with research tasks and paralegal 

assistance. 

The University of NSW (UNSW) 

offers internships at RACS as part of 

their Social Justice Course. 

Macquarie University provides 

Participation and Community 

Engagement (PACE) which gives 

students the opportunity to 

volunteer at RACS, integrating 

practical experience with their 

degree. 

RACS also participates in a joint 

project led by Justice Connect 

and the Public Interest Advocacy 

Centre (PIAC) called Practicing in 

the Public Interest (PIPI) where 

students of Macquarie University 

and the University of Wollongong 

learn about what it’s like to be a 

public interest advocate and spend 

some time in our centres. 

Practical Legal Training 

opportunities for law graduates are 

also offered at RACS.

25 

HOW WE 

ARE FUNDED 

Up until April 2014, RACS and 

similar organisations had been 

funded under the Federal 

Government’s Immigration Advice 

and Application Assistance Scheme 

(IAAAS). Established in 1997, the 

scheme succeeded in reducing 

the possibility that a person with 

genuine protection claims might, 

contrary to Australia’s international 

obligations, be returned to danger 

because of lack of access to 

independent and professional 

advice when applying for asylum. 

The IAAAS program had received 

bipartisan support prior to the last 

election. 

The announcement by the Federal 

government to slash the IAAAS 

scheme, and remove access to 

free legal services for the majority 

of asylum seekers, has immediate 

and significant consequences for 

the work performed by RACS, as 

well as for the future prospects of 

the vulnerable men, women and 

children we assist. 

RACS still receives a capped 

amount of money from the 

Department to assist people who 

came to Australia on a visa by 

plane and have then sought asylum. 

This is a very small percentage of 

the funds required to support our 

service. 

We also receive a small grant of 

money through the Public Purpose 

Fund, which is administered by 

Legal Aid NSW. 

In order to maintain the service 

required to assist the number of 

asylum seekers in Australia who 

need legal assistance, RACS has 

to raise substantial funds. Always 

innovative, RACS pre-empted the 

announcement of the funding 

cuts by establishing a fundraising


function within its structure to 

assist in the transition toward a new 

funding model. 

RACS has invested in hiring Andrew 

Kelly, a Fundraising Manager with 

over 15 years experience in donor 

and corporate resource attraction. 

Andrew Kelly started at RACS on 

3 April 2014 and has been busy 

developing our funding strategy to 

ensure that RACS has a sustainable 

future. 

As Andrew says, 

“The future of RACS now relies on 

the broad support of individuals 

and institutions concerned that the 

current treatment and politicisation 

of asylum seekers is inconsistent 

with the notion of a good society.” 

The task ahead for Andrew 

and RACS is to move to a new 

funding model over the next two 

years. In our view this task is 

achievable because we are a well 

run organisation with a committed 

team of employees and volunteers 

who are attuned to change and 

understand the shifts required to 

report and be accountable to our 

growing band of supporters. 

In May, RACS launched our “Friends 

of RACS” program at Wotton and 

Kearney. At the cocktail evening, 

Quang Luu AO and Professor Jane 

McAdam, from UNSW’s Kaldor 

Centre, emphasised the importance 

of legal assistance for people 

seeking asylum, “as people fleeing 

oppressive regimes because of a 

well-founded fear of persecution, 

do not always know how to present 

their cases”(Quang Luu). 

Our Friends of RACS program 

encourages individuals to become 

monthly givers of $10 a month (or 

more). A Friend of RACS receives: 

»» 

a monthly email newsletter 

detailing the impact of RACS 

work and advocacy; 

»» 

invitations to special events, 

screenings and information 

sessions; and 

»» 

The satisfaction of knowing 

you and others like you 

are playing a key role in 

improving access to justice 

for asylum seekers. 

VINCENT 

FAIRFAX FAMILY 

FOUNDATION 

(VFFF) 

CHALLENGE 

GRANT 

A key message for RACS over the 

next two years, as we transition into 

a new funding model, is to engage 

institutions which demonstrate 

leadership in this area, and partner 

with us to produce proper life 

outcomes for asylum seekers. RACS 

approached VFFF late last year to 

talk about our work, funding 

challenges and how the foundation 

might be able to be involved. 

VFFF was established as a family, 

charitable trust in 1962 through 

the generosity of the late Sir 

Vincent Fairfax. A businessman and 

pastoralist of Christian principle and 

integrity, Sir Vincent had a sense 

of purpose and responsibility in 

the way he lived his life. Together 

with his wife Nancy, he believed 

that wealth and influence brought 

responsibility and an obligation to 

serve the community. 

After presenting our fundraising 

goals to the VFFF, their board has 

committed to contribute 33 cents 

for every dollar raised by RACS 

up to $2million representing a real 

contribution of $660,000 over the 

next two years.


This Challenge Grant is a unique act 

of leadership by the Vincent Fairfax 

Family Foundation, one that will 

provide enormous benefit to 

asylum seekers. 

The VFFF challenge grant serves as 

a challenge and a provocation – to 

both individuals and institutions 

– to demonstrate a similar kind of 

leadership, support and innovation 

around an issue of societal 

importance. 

How the Challenge Grant 

Works 

The grant is designed to incentivise 

RACS in our fundraising, and it 

will work to leverage the generous 

and regular contributions of our 

supporters. 

When someone donates to RACS, 

the Challenge Grant will increase 

their contribution by 33%. 

Thanks to the Vincent Fairfax 

Family Foundation a donation of: 

$10 becomes $13.30 

$20 becomes $26.60 

$50 becomes $66.50 

$100 becomes $133.00 

RACS is so very grateful for 

the leadership, innovation and 

generosity of the Vincent Fairfax 

Family Foundation, supporting the 

right of asylum seekers to access 

legal assistance as they seek 

Australia’s protection. 

The VFFF challenge grant is a vote 

of confidence for the staff doing 

amazing legal work at RACS. 

RUN FOR RACS 

RUN FOR 

REFUGEES 

We encouraged friends and 

supporters to sign up on the 

GoFundraise page for running 

events throughout the year so that 

they could raise funds for RACS 

whilst participating in these races. 

Our most notable runners in 2014 

are: 

Meena Pillai 

Heidi Nash-Smith 

Georgia Lethbridge 

Celine Thompson 

Thecla Siamas 

Katie Wrigley 

The Moore Family for Refugees 

Michelle Cowans 

Kathy Liew 

Myvanwy Hudson 

Inge Roggeveen 

Heidi Nash Smith, has become our 

champion runner, her races for 

RACS include: 

Sydney Half Marathon 

Gold Coast Half Marathon 

Australian Outback Half Marathon 

Southern Highlands Half Marathon 

Blackmores Half Marathon 

Angkhor Wat Half Marathon


EVENTS 

Goodgod Small Club 

As soon as the funding cuts to 

our service were announced the 

fabulous owners of Goodgod Small 

Club called us to offer to host a 

fundraising night for RACS. 

Crossing Borders at the 

National Art School 

The Study Centre for Drawing held 

an exhibition of works by staff and 

students to raise awareness of the 

plight of asylum seekers, with all 

money raised going to RACS. 

Outspoken at Project 107 

Outspoken at Project 107 was a 

spoken word event with poets, 

Candy Royalle, Erfan Daliri, 

Raymond, Mikoen, Fez Mmdogs, 

Kaveh and Matias, performing 

strong, emotive pieces on behalf of 

RACS. 

“Mary Meets Mohammad” 

The director of this incredibly 

moving film, Heather Kirkpatrck, has 

kindly allowed RACS to speak at 

screenings of her powerful work, in 

order to further demystify the “issue 

of asylum seekers” as well as raising 

funds for RACS. 

Other Funding initiatives 

Merchandise has helped us raise 

funds on a consistent basis. 

Tshirts, cups, bags and hats are 

available on the website store. 

Raising awareness of RACS and 

asylum seeker issues 

A vital role has been played by 

many people over the past year in 

assisting RACS to raise awareness 

of the issues facing asylum seekers 

and the challenges faced by our 

organisation as a result of the 

funding cuts. We would like to 

thank our Refugee Ambassadors, 

who have personal experience of 

the journey of seeking asylum and 

being a refugee. 

Abdul Hekmat Karim 

Arif Nabizadah 

Atika Hussain 

Sharara Attai 

Melisa Cicak 

Maja Bulut 

Nargis Rajab 

Events RACS has spoken at or 

been involved with in the past 

12 months: 

»» 

Refugee Youth in Focus: 

National Forum on Children 

and Young People From 

Refugee Backgrounds, 

Sydney Law School in Sydney, 

Australia 

»» 

One Billion Rising – to raise 

awareness of the one billion 

women who suffer gender 

violence 

»» 

UNHCR consultations – gave 

overview of legal problems 

facing asylum seekers 

»» 

Africultures – African festival 

at Auburn 

»» 

A Taste of Harmony - 

Harmony day lunch 

»» 

The Welcome Dinner Project 

»» 

Walk for Justice supporting 

fellow CLCs 

»» 

NACLC conference – RACS 

presented 2 papers on 

Refugee law and our working 

with children guidelines 

» » Spoke to UNSW computer 

students about asylum 

seekers

HUMANITY OVER POLITICS 29


COLLABORATIONS 

RACS 

COLLABORATES 

WITH THE 

FOLLOWING 

ORGANISATIONS: 

RACS’ Asylum Seeker Network 

RACS works closely with a broad 

network of legal and inter-agency 

support services in the field of 

refugee law to achieve our mutual 

goals. RACS’ involvement with 

these organisations – which are 

similarly committed to assisting 

asylum seekers – together with 

private law firms, which provide 

RACS with pro bono assistance, is 

critical to our information sharing 

and support base. Our collaboration 

with a range of organisations allows 

us to maintain up to the minute 

knowledge of relevant laws and 

practices. RACS has an exemplary 

reputation in the field for the 

quality, reliability and efficiency of 

our legal services. 

Australian Human Rights 

Commission (AHRC) 

RACS and AHRC have been working 

together very closely in the past 

few months as RACS has several 

clients who are unaccompanied 

children locked in indefinite 

detention on Christmas Island and 

AHRC has been leading an inquiry 

into children in detention.


Auburn Council 

Partner at West African Cultural 

Festival 

Partner for Auburn Refugee Camp 

in my Neighbourhood 

Auburn Council Welcome Festival 

partner 

Auburn Asylum Seeker and 

Refugee Legal Outreach Service, 

in partnership with Auburn City 

Council. 

Australian Red Cross 

Our mutual clients receive welfare 

and other support from ARC, whilst 

RACS provides information sessions 

and some legal advice to their 

clients. 

Amnesty International 

Advocacy work. 

Asylum Seeker Centre (ASC) 

RACS and ASC have established 

a partnership to provide legal 

services to ASC clients, to assist 

with assessing merits and providing 

referrals to a judicial review clinic 

supervised by RACS’ lawyers 

and staffed by Gilbert and Tobin 

volunteers. 

House of Welcome 

RACS assists clients with legal 

advice and refers clients to House 

of Welcome for accommodation 

needs. In discussion with House of 

Welcome and ASC about possible 

partnership in Auburn. 

Service for the Treatment and 

Rehabilitation of Torture and 

Trauma Survivors (STARTTS) 

Referrals for clients and staff 

wellbeing training and counselling. 

Legal Aid Commission of NSW 

Referrals for clients requiring 

judicial review. 

RAINCLC - Refugee and 

Immigration National Coalition 

of Legal Centres 

Membership includes the other 

not-for-profit CLCs specialising 

in assisting asylum seekers with 

legal advice - Immigration Advice 

and Rights Centre (IARC) in NSW, 

Refugee and Immigration Legal 

Centre (RILC) in Victoria , Refugee 

and Immigration Legal Service 

(RAILS) in Queensland and CASE 

for Refugees in Western Australia. 

This grouping discusses legal 

changes, advocacy and how to 

respond to the challenges for our 

clients. 

Immigration Advice & Rights 

Centre 

IARC (Immigration Advice & 

Rights Centre) and RACS have a 

close relationship and on occasion 

have joint legal practice meetings, 

where legal changes are discussed. 

Given the all too regular changes 

in legislations under the current 

government, this kind of information 

sharing is vital. 

National Council of Churches 

Advocacy and policy discussion. 

Refugee Council of Australia 

(RCOA) 

Advocacy. 

Settlement Services 

International (SSI) 

Our mutual clients receive welfare 

and other support from SSI , whilst 

RACS provides information sessions 

and some legal advice to their 

clients. 

United Nations High 

Commission for Refugee 

(UNHCR) 

Advocacy and have co-authored 

a report on DIBP decision making 

with RILC and UNHCR. 

Marist Youth Care and United 

Care Burnside 

Provide welfare and 

accommodation for unaccompanied 

children and RACS is currently 

the legal representative for all 

unaccompanied children in NSW. 

Human Rights Council of 

Australia 

Information sharing and advocacy. 

Justice Connect 

Provided a lawyer for immigration 

advice at their MOSAIC clinic on 

a pro bono basis for one year but 

due to IAAAS funding cuts, can no 

longer afford to provide a pro bono 

lawyer. Will continue to receive 

referrals to our city service and 

assist MOSAIC with fact sheets. 

REQUESTED PRO 

BONO REFERRAL 

FOR LEGAL 

ADVICE 

St Vincent de Paul 

Assist clients and refer our clients to 

them. 

Jesuit Refugee Service 

Assist clients and refer our clients to 

them. 

Human Rights Law Centre 

Advocacy/information sharing. 

Human Rights Watch 

Advocacy/information sharing. 

Welcome to Australia 

Advocacy/information sharing.


PROBONO SUPPORT 

FROM LEGAL FIRMS 

In addition to collaboration with civil society organisations, RACS has close links to law firms who provide expert 

legal advice, secondees and other support. 

»» 

Secondee 

»» 

Legal advice and assistance 

for judicial matters 

»» 

Volunteer migration agents 

»» 

Workplace giving program 

»» 

Donations 

»» 

Venue provision for events 

»» 

RACS provides training to 

their lawyers 

»» 

Volunteers for ASC clinic 

»» 


»» 

Donations 

»» 



»» 


for our evening advice 

service 

»» 


their lawyers 

»» 

Secondee 

»» 


»» 

Donations 

»» 



»» 


»» 


lawyers 

»» 

Secondee 

»» 

Donations 

»» 

Volunteers for our Legal 

Help for Refugees clinic 

»» 

Held a fundraiser for us to 

launch Friends of RACS 

»» 


»» 


their lawyers 

» » Printing Annual Report 

and RACS’ donation 

brochures


WHO WE ARE 

THE 

MANAGEMENT 

COMMITTEE 

The Constitution and Rules of 

RACS provide that organisations 

and individuals may nominate 

representatives and individuals to 

the Management Committee. 

RACS is very grateful for the 

contribution of the Committee, 

which meets monthly to assist with 

governance and organisational 

matters. 

The following individuals were 

office-holders during 2013-14: 

President 

Vice 

President 

Treasurer 

Secretary 

Committee 

Members 

Dr Arthur Glass, 

Senior Visiting Fellow 

UNSW 

Ariel Spigelman, 

Research Consultant 

at McNair Ingenuity 

Lien Pham, 

Finance Manager at 

Grant Samuel 

Dr Andrew Edgar, 

Senior Lecturer at 

USyd Law School 

Anthea Lowe, 

Workplace Consultant 

Lucy Morgan, 

Policy Officer at the 

Refugee Council of 

Australia 

Liz Biok, 

Solicitor, Civil Law 

Division, Legal Aid 

Lachlan Murdoch, 

Deputy Director of 

STARTTS 

Teresa Cahill, 

Project Manager 

Margaret Piper, 

Consultant: research, 

capacity building and 

training in refugee 

sector 

STAFF 

The 2013-14 financial year was 

another very busy and challenging 

year for RACS. 

Administrative Team 

Maja Bulut, our office manager, 

continues to meet the challenges 

faced when keeping a CLC afloat 

– IT issues, rosters, volunteer 

management. Maja has become 

one of Refugee Ambassadors for 

schools, introducing children to the 

realities of seeking asylum. 

Jane Turner is our front of house 

person. Her friendly and kind 

demeanour makes her a valuable 

asset to RACS. She has been 

invaluable in helping organising the 

many events we now hold. 

Laura Hibbert and Isobel McGarrity 

are the newest recruits to the 

admin team. Known as the “brains 

trust” for events and fundraising 

ideas, their sense of humour, love 

of a certain Russian President, and 

ability to manage a large team 

of volunteers have helped RACS 

weather a challenging period when 

quick responses to time frames as 

well as inventive thinking has been 

essential. 

Legal Team 

Katie Wrigley became Principal 

Solicitor in October 2013. Katie was 

Principal Solicitor at Welfare Rights 

for 4 years and her work there was 

highly regarded by the community 

legal sector. Prior to that, she was 

a migration lawyer at RACS. Katie 

has had to manage significant 

changes to legal policies and RACS’ 

response to them over the past 

year. She has led the legal team with 

a cool but compassionate head. 

Many of the innovative responses to 

the new legal framework wouldn’t 

have happened without Katie’s 

leadership. 

Our senior solicitors, Radhika, 

Natalie and Ali guided their teams 

through the many and various 

changes this year. 

Katie, Rachael Pliner and Sylvia 

Arzey jointly established the 

Asylum Seekers Centre’s legal 

service, developing policy and 

procedural guidelines to ensure


both organisations fulfil their legal 

obligations, whilst providing a triage 

legal service at ASC. 

Jemma Hollonds, Education 

Coordinator, helped develop the 

new RACS education program prior 

to taking some long leave. 

Scott Cosgriff has made significant 

contributions to our submissions 

on government policy during the 

year as well as managing a large 

caseload of clients. 

Sharara Attai developed her family 

reunion legal skills, as well as being 

a Refugee Ambassador for RACS. 

She is a valued member of the legal 

team. 

The legal team welcomed Sarah 

Dale, formerly of PILCH, who has 

since become the child expert 

lawyer and acting Education 

Coordinator, whilst Jemma was on 

long leave. 

Elyse Trotter and Melisa Cicak were 

both promoted from the admin 

team to legal positions as junior 

lawyers, the move was seamless and 

they are both becoming effective 

lawyers. 

Julia Steward joined the team in 

August. A former secondee, Julia 

couldn’t keep away and is back 

doing the work she loves. 

Nargis Rajab has been developing 

her legal skills and as community 

liaison and a migration agent is 

providing legal advice for our family 

reunion service. Her linguistic skills 

and cultural insights are invaluable 

for our service. 

Nadia Khan continued her long 

leave to develop refugee status 

determination processes for 

vulnerable refugees fleeing Syria on 

behalf of the UNHCR in Turkey. 

Financial Team 

Pradhima Jeyaratnam, our financial 

controller, guided RACS through 

the first few months of this 

financial year as we prepared the 

organisation for a transition into a 

new funding regime. 

Moneeba Hanif replaced Pradhima 

in January and her project work 

experience at UNDIP was invaluable 

as we started to apply for a range of 

grants. 

Uma Ramprasad became Moneeba 

and Prad’s right hand person, 

as accountant. As a fluent Tamil 

speaker she is also able to assist 

with interpreting when required. 

RACS would like to express 

its gratitude to Paul Reid from 

KPMG, for his assistance for many 

years auditing our finances and 

to Stephen Penny from Good 

Foundations, for facilitating our 

fundraising strategic planning 

day and providing other financial 

support. 

Fundraising Manager 

As mentioned previously, our new 

fundraising position has been 

filled by Andrew Kelly. Not only 

has Andrew managed to set up 

a monthly newsletter, grow our 

Twitter and Facebook friends, and 

achieve our monthly fundraising 

goals and more, he has become the 

proud father of a little girl – all in 

the space of six months! 

Goodbyes and Thank you 

2013-14 

Chris Yuen, our former Principal 

Solicitor, completed his global 

travels and is volunteering in Fiji 

Natalie Young, Senior Solicitor for 

over 3 years, spent 6 months with 

Legal Aid and is now working for 

our sister organisation, Refugee 

Immigration and Legal Centre, in 

Melbourne. 

After 2 years at RACS, Ali Mojtahedi, 

our expert family reunion and 

refugee lawyer extraordinaire, left to 

re-join IARC, but this time as their 

Principal Solicitor. He is of course 

missed but this change will work to 

link further the activities of RACS 

and IARC. 

Meena Pillai in the family reunion 

team as gone to Sweden to 

study Peace and Conflict studies. 

Meena will be remembered for 

My secondment at RACS has been one of the best and most 

eye-opening opportunities of my career. I don’t think I ever 

really appreciated the struggles that asylum seekers and 

refugees face in Australia until I worked at RACS. Being given 

the opportunity to work in an organisation, which assists 

these people, is an experience I will never forget. The people 

who work there also make it an incredible place to work!” 

Joshua Strutt, Norton Rose Fulbright


her interesting footwear as well as 

for her compassion for her family 

reunion clients. 

Joanne Pugsley moved into a 

permanent position with IARC. Her 

grace and compassion are sadly 

missed. 

Alexandra Moore, who was our 

Taskforce Coordinator then 

migration lawyer, is working on 

refugee programs overseas. 

Pradhima Jeyaratnam left RACS 

to set up her own business selling 

shoes for people with small feet. 

Secondees from King and 

Wood Mallesons, Allens 

Linklaters and Norton Rose 

Fulbright 

King and Wood Mallesons 

continued their generous provision 

of secondees every 6 months and 

we were joined by Georgia White 

and Jessie Porteus in 2013-14. 

My experience as a secondee solicitor at RACS was lifechanging. 

The work was challenging and interesting, and it 

was an honour and a privilege to work with the passionate 

staff at RACS and to work for our asylum seekers clients. 

Everyone is so talented and passionate about what they do, 

and the work environment is supportive and collegiate, which 

is so important when undertaking legally and emotionally 

challenging work. I have made life long friends from the 

experience and will always be a member of the RACS 

community. 

Jessie Porteus, King and Wood Mallesons 

Allens kindly provided RACS with 

a 6 month secondee, Tess Deegan, 

three days a week. 

An exciting development was 

Norton Rose Fulbright offering 

to provide us with a secondee for 

the first time. The firm has kindly 

offered their pro bono assistance to 

RACS and we had the pleasure of 

welcoming Josh Strutt to RACS. 

RACS is immensely grateful to our 

partner legal firms for their ongoing 

support and to the individual 

lawyers who were quick learners 

and proved to be passionate about 

human rights and supporting 

asylum seekers.


RACS WAS 

ASSISTED BY 

252 

VOLUNTEERS 

in 2013-14 

I started volunteering here at RACS about a year ago and I intend to show up until they tell me 

not to come! 

Different tasks are given to volunteers each week and each task has its own ‘flavour’ like 

chocolates in a box. Out of all the various tasks my two favourite are attending client interview 

and country legal research. 

I was able to see how solicitors interviewed their clients and was able to learn more about 

the situation and the emotion the refugees and asylum seekers were going through, which is 

something you can never learn from a book. 

In addition, I got to learn a lot about other countries doing legal research for the solicitors. I was 

able to learn about various cultures and political situations in other parts of the world, and the 

researching widened my perspective of the world. It has also helped me to get rid of some of 

the biases I had towards some of the other countries. 

These are just fragments of what I have experienced at RACS. 

The solicitors and the staff members here at RACS are dedicated to helping vulnerable people 

in need. They sincerely care for their clients and work hard to deliver the best results for 

their clients, but that doesn’t mean that they don’t know how to have fun. There is a friendly 

atmosphere here at RACS and the major focus here is ‘people’ not ‘profit’. There is humanism at 

RACS. 

RACS is truly a fantastic organisation and I feel really fortunate to be a part of RACS as a 

volunteer member. 

Young-Joon Kim (Dan) - Volunteer - University of Sydney


VOLUNTEERS 

LEGAL 

HELP FOR 

REFUGEES 

CLINIC 

Lawyers 

Ali Ali 

Aparna Nanayakkara 

Aurora Pack 

Nathan Kennedy 

Nina Abbey 

Norm Lee 

Rachael Miles 

Rawan Abdul-Nabi 

Rebekah Stevens 

Rose Khalilizadeh 

Rosemary Bullmore 

Susan Winfield 

Tali Rubinstein 

Trieu Leculier 

Volunteer Interpreters 

Aarti Gautam 

Ahmadreza Khedry 

Gharibvand 

Ahmed Mohamed 

Ahsan Ali Khan 

Akhgar Amena 

Akhtar (Ozzie) Azhar 

Alan Dadban 

Ali Ali 

Ana Pararajasingham 

Anwer Jabeen 

Aravin Selv 

Arthur (Ali) Karamian 

Ayesha Saeed 

Basil Shibeeb 

Behzad Hajari 

Bernad Khoshaba 

Brian Lee 

Babu Chokkappa 

Ben Williams 

David Kennedy 

Deepak Shankar 

Erin Gavin 

Georgie Bright 

Greg McKay 

Hala Saab 

Hamish Collings-Begg 

Harriet McCormick 

Hashini Pandaitharatne 

James Mack 

Jasmin Douglas 

Jerome Doraisamy 

Julia Catanzariti 

Kanagasabai Vasan 

Kate Gauld 

Kathy Zonnoorian 

Lucia Pante 

Marco Nesbeth 

Maria Nawaz 

Matthew Butt 

Michael McCarthy 

Minji Jeong 

My time at RACS has been one of the highlights in my career so far. 

RACS is a highly responsive organisation made up of staff who truly 

care about the issues affecting asylum seekers. Needless to say, RACS’ 

staff are some of the most competent, dedicated and passionate 

people I have ever met. RACS also pays a great deal of attention to 

the professional development needs of their student volunteers and 

are always open to suggestions for improvement. It’s no wonder that 

there is so much interest in being a part of the RACS team. 

A former Practical Legal Training student, Mich


Christine Asani 

Krishna Kumar 

Neville Thiru 

Toisuta Jennifer 

Dale Mundey 

Debasmita Mukherjee 

Deepthi Nanayakkara 

Edward Woosung Choi 

Ekaterina Magin 

Fayiz Fatima 

Fozia Saeed 

Garry Singh 

Hala Saab 

Hassani Ibrar 

Hoballah Zahwat 

Ismail Hussaini 

Jamila Gherjestani 

Jennifer Zhao 

Jessie Cheng 

Kathy Zonnorian 

Keeth 

Kim Michelle 

Krystyna Poshunkina 

Leila Mousavi 

Maguy Taame 

Mahmoud Yekteparast 

Maissa Swellam 

Marion Gevers 

Marjan Khajehei 

Marwa Shaban 

Max Mazidi 

Mehrvash Feraghat 

Meng Jack 

Mohamed Qabba 

Mohammad Raza 

Mohsen Hussaini 

Moones Mansoubi 

Muhammad Ali Bangash 

Muhammad Sukhera 

Nadarajah Kanabathy 

Patricia Haddad 

Premavathi (Priya) 

Chandra Saygaran 

Radha Sathanapally 

Rahmani Fayeqa 

Ramsha Sulaman 

Rimmika Shankar 

Rozita Hassani Serkani 

Said Dhgan 

Samin Raihan 

Sandhya Bose 

Selvarani Kala 

Senna Thevarajah 

Shalini Janaki 

Sherry Khalili 

Simi 

Sun Qi 

Tahereh Adinehpour 

Ulaganayaki 

Sangaralingam 

Valerie Elouize Cortes 

Xing He 

Yasir Al-Khateeb 

Zarlasht Sarwari 

Zhang Jing 


Refugees Clinic 

Students 

Anna Vu 

Barnaby McDonald 

Caleb Kim 

Christine Harb 

Elizabeth Vasta 

Emily Collett 

Kemi Olafuyi 

Rachel Ho 

Rimmika Shankar


Shamma Clarke 

Sarah Hickey 

PLT 

Rachel Walgers 

Tanya Vithilingum 

Steven Glass 

Abarnaa Mahendran 

Sophie Swart 

Evening Advice Lawyers 

Anastasia Krivenkova 

Annabel Pope 

David Freyne 

Emma Bathurst 

Hagen Jewell 

Hai-Van Nguyen 

Haley McEwen 

Hannah Quadrio 

Haren Pararajasingham 

Hee-Jung Kim 

Kate McCrossin 

Louise Boon Kuo 

Mandy Tsang 

Special Projects 

Lawyers 

Lara Song 

Barbara Guthrie 

Macquarie students 

Anuj Devalia 

Clara Lee 

Eliza Fitzgerald 

Hina Khan 

Marium Khan 

Nell Cantrill 

Rebecca Rolls 

Sabrina Caldalano 

Thomas Abraham 

Adam Coles 

Anita Joseph 

Anna Leacock 

Caitlin Caldwell 

Emily Shipp 

Felipe Serra-Martins 

Geraldine Menere 

Heather Ng 

Hugh Dalton 

Jalal Razi 

Kristine Biason 

Lachlan Gell 

Martha Crnkovic 

Maryam Dorani 

Violeta Torbarac 

Yalda Ali 

Michelle Yu (PLT & Clinic) 

Arnjali Amarasingham 

(PLT & Clinic) 

Atika Hussain (PLT & 

Clinic) 

Rebecca Leabeater (PLT 

& Clinic) 

Isobel McGarity (PLT, now 

Staff Member) 

Unaccompanied 

Children Legal Clinic 

Lawyers 

Gemma Lardner 

Grant Mason 

Melanie Montalban 

Michael Brull 

Jess Harvie 

Michael Simmons 

Nadia Elads 

Nicola Cannon 

Philip Saggers 

Nirubamathy Palanivel 

Vanessa McGlynn 

RACS is truly 

a fantastic 

organisation 

and I feel really 

fortunate to be 

a part of RACS 

as a volunteer 

member. 

Young-Joon Kim (Dan) - 

Volunteer


Clementine Rendle 

UNSW students 

Anna Rienstra 

David Quayle 

Jenna Dolecek 

Joshua Minsu Yang 

Melanie Bradfield 

Selma Bekric 

Stephanie Blaker 

Thomas Laing 

Vanessa Trang 

Will De Waal 

USYD students 

Hayley Peterson-Cooper 

Mark Gordon Robertson 

Soo Young Choi 

Tyler Drayton 

Student/Day Volunteers 

Aarthi Sridharan 

Andrew Bell 

Ashwini Kathirgamalingam 

Ben Hutton 

Brett Doull 

Catherine Meehan-McCarthy 

Chandan Sharma 

Charis Chan 

Courtney Lor 

Dan Kim 

David Matthias 

Dilara Reznikas 

Emily Fischer 

Emma De Souza 

Emma Svehla 

Jacinda Valeontis 

Joo Ik Kim 

Leslie Maroun 

Lorraine Walsh 

Other Student Volunteers 

Luke Jacob 

Marcela Salgado-Mar 

Melisa Tong 

Narges Attai 

Nesha Jeyalingam 

Sally Heweston 

Sara Golru 

Sophie Roden 

Vana Tark 

Zeinab Zein 

Events and Communications 

Volunteers 

Siobhan Malkoun for 

communications work 

Rommany O’Sullivan for graphic 

work 

The creative team behind “Legal 

Assistance is a Human Right” – 

awarded a commendation at the 

UTS Human Rights award for social 

media 

Eimear O’Sullivan, Sleena Wilson, 

Douglas Macdonald, Kalli Georgas, 

Adriana Tesoriero, Rui Fang and the 

star, Bill O’Sullivan. 

Sam Hakwer for video and case 

story writing 

Emma Davis for photography and 

case story writing 

Jane Caro for communication 

advice 

Fundraising Committee 

Annette Herrera and Claire Higgins 

Debriefing and Counseling 

support 

Marc Chaussivert 

Julie Smith 

Glenn Dennett 

Robyn Bradey



FUNDING PARTNERS 

AUBURN CITY COUNCIL 

Many Cultures One Community 

Dooleys for supporting our Auburn 

asylum seeker and refugee legal 

clinic 

Auburn Council for partnering with 

us at the Auburn clinic 

SSI and Red Cross for supporting our Education program 

SIGNIFICANT DONORS 

Deborah Barlow 

Sabrina Caldalano 

E. Mary Barker 

Chris McKay 

Colin Roden 

David Chan 

Sarah Bassiuoni 

James Nguyen 

Steven Glass 

Michael Hogan 

Reg Graycar 

Jay Rutovitz 

Yoram and Sandra Gross 

Janet Manuell 

Katrino Ironside 

John Sheahan 

Michelle Hannon 

Hayley McEwen 

Simon Keixer 

Bronwyn Vost 

Ralph Pliner 

Peter Murphy 

Patricia Lowson 

Richard Zoeller 

Angus Mansfield 

John Tancred 

Mike Lyons 

Lisa Byleveld 

Costa Avgoustinos 

Alexia Mayer


CHAMPIONS OF 

RACS 

Bonnie Sveen 

Jackson Gallagher 

Goodgod Small Club, 

Jimmy Singline 

The National Art School 

Outspoken 

Heather Kirkpatrick, Director of 

Mary Meets Mohammad 

Steven Glass for supporting our 

work on Christmas Island with 

unaccompanied chidlren 

Yoshi Jones for supporting our work 

with children in detention 

Katrina Ironside for facilitation of 

our strategic planning project

44 

CLIENTS AND 

CASEWORK 

RACS’ major focus is the 

provision of legal services to 

asylum seekers and refugees. In 

the 2013-14 financial year RACS 

assisted over 2059 people through 

comprehensive casework assistance, 

limited assistance, advice provided 

through face-to-face appointments 

or by telephone, and through 

referrals to/from other agencies. 

RACS opened files for 472 matters, 

for 453 clients, from 36 different 

countries. 

Statistical breakdowns of the 

number, country of origin, and 

types of matters for which people 

have sought face-to-face advice are 

included on the following pages. 

RACS’ clients are from many and 

diverse countries, with varied 

experiences. What they all have in 

common is living away from their 

country of origin, many having been 

forced to flee from persecution and 

human rights abuses. They continue 

to show enormous courage, dignity 

and fortitude in a world where 

cruelty, injustice and inhumanity 

continue to loom large in their own 

and so many other people’s lives. 

In the 2013-14 financial year, despite 

losing the majority of our funding, 

RACS managed to provide legal 

assistance to more asylum seekers 

than ever. We can only continue to 

do this with your support.


We provided 

70 education sessions to 

caseworkers and asylum seekers. 

Our Family Reunion 

Team held 

268 


61 

People in our 


Refugees Clinic 

100 Children 

in our Unaccompanied 

Children Legal Clinic 

2977 

Telephone 


730 

Face-to-Face 


472 

New Cases 

Represented 

Clients 

2059 

Clients assisted from 

87 

different 

countries


CLIENTS AND 

CASEWORK 

BRAZIL 

Afghanistan 218 

Albania 1 

Algeria 1 

Australia 19 

Bahrain 3 

Bangladesh 69 

Bhutan 2 

WESTERN 

SAHARA 

England GUINEA 2 

SIERRA 

LEONE 

IRELAND 

Brazil 1 

Burma (Myanmar) 68 

Burundi 3 

Cameroon 4 

Chile 1 

China (excludes SARs and 

Taiwan Province) 

75 

Colombia 4 

Congo 2 

Democratic Republic of 

Congo 

Cook Islands 1 

Egypt 27 

Eritrea 4 

Estonia 1 

Ethiopia 8 

Fiji 43 

France 1 

Georgia 19 

Germany 1 

Ghana 3 

Guinea 2 

Hong Kong (SAR of China) 4 

India 49 

Indonesia 22 

Iran 323 

Iraq 135 

Ireland 1 

Italy 1 

Japan 1 

Jordan 19 

Kenya 3 

NORWAY 

NETHERLANDS 

GERMANY 

UKRAINE 

Lithuania 1 

Malaysia FRANCE 

ROMANIA 10 

GEORGIA 

ITALY 

ALBANIA 

Mongolia 6 

TURKEY 

SYRIA 

Nepal LEBANON 18 

IRAQ 

MOROCCO 

2 

Korea, Democratic People's 

Republic of (North) 

Korea, Republic of (South) 1 

Kuwait 10 

Kyrgyz Republic 4 

ALGERIA 

New Zealand LIBYA 

1 

EGYPT 

ERITREA 

Not stated 

SUDAN 

4 

YEMEN 

NIGERIA 

ESTONIA 

Latvia 1 

LATVIA 

LITHUANIA 

Lebanon 22 

ENGLAND 

Libya 2 

Mauritius 2 

Morocco 3 

ETHIOPIA 

CAMEROON 

Papua New Guinea UGANDA 6 

CONGO 

KENYA 

DEMOCRATIC 

REPUBLIC OF 

THE CONGO 

RWANDA 

BURUNDI 

Philippines 12 

SOUTH 

AFRICA 

ZIMBABWE 

ISRAEL PALESTINE 

Netherlands 1 

TANZANIA 

3 

JORDAN 

Nicaragua 1 

Nigeria 24 

Norway 1 

Pakistan 121 

GHANA 

Palestine 12 

Peru 2 

Qatar 1 

Romania 1 

Russian Federation 8 

Rwanda 4 

Samoa 1 

Saudi Arabia 2 

Sierra Leone 5 

Somalia 19 

South Africa 2 

Sri Lanka 465 

Stateless 6 

Sudan 12 

Syria 25 

Taiwan 1 

Tanzania 2 

Thailand 2 

Tonga 3 

Turkey 29 

Uganda 6 

Ukraine 3 

United Arab Emirates 3 

Uzbekistan 1 

Venezuela 1 

Viet Nam 32 

Western Sahara 1 

SAUDI 

ARABIA 

KUWAIT 

SOMALIA 

IRAN 

BAHRAIN 

QATAR 

UZBEKISTAN 

Yemen 4 

Zimbabwe 9 

TOTAL 2059 

U.A.E 

AFGHANISTAN 

MAURITIUS 

PAKISTAN 

INDIA 

NEPAL 

RUSS 

B 

BA 

SRI LANKA


PRESIDENT’S 

DECLARATION 

I, Arthur Glass, President of Refugee Advice Casework Service (Inc) (RACS) declare that in my opinion: 

The accounts give a true and fair view of all income and expenditure of RACS with respect to fundraising appeals; 

The provisions of the Charitable Fundraising Act 1991 and the regulations under that Act and the conditions 

attached to fundraise have been complied with; and 

The internal controls exercised by RACS are appropriate and effective in accounting for all income received. 

Arthur Glass 

Dated this 28th day of October 2014


TREASURER’S 

REPORT 

The Annual Financial Report for the year ended 30 June 2014 comprises the Statement of Comprehensive Income, 

the Statement of Changes in Equity and the Statement of Financial Position. 

Income and expenditure resulted in a net loss of $354,236 for the year under review. 

In comparison with the last financial year, total income derived from the Department of Immigration and Border 

Protection (DIBP) decreased by $236,997. The decrease resulted from a reduction in Task Force contracts of 

$251,498 and Detention contracts of $26,133; and an increase in Community contracts of $40,634. The Board 

is seeking to raise additional revenue through grants, donations and general fundraising to compensate for the 

reduction in DIBP contracts. For the year ended 30 June 2014, $163,648 was raised from donations, grants and 

other fundraising activities, an increase of $149,371 from the last financial year. The Association also received a 

Public Purpose Fund grant of $104,997 from the Legal Aid Commission of NSW. 

Total expenditure increased by $455,377 compared to the last financial year. Employee related expenditure 

increased by $501,941 due to increased staffing levels and employment of temporary staff. Casework and 

taskforce expenditure increased by $32,501 due to an increase in interpreting and translation costs for Community 

contracts. Administration expenditure is lower by $77,784 due to consultancy costs incurred in last financial year 

for reviewing policies, procedures and finance processes. There were no other significant increases or decreases. 

RACS has sufficient funds in reserve to maintain the current level of services over the ensuing 12 months. 

Lien Pham 

Treasurer 

Dated this 28th October 2014


STATEMENT OF 

MEMBERS 

The Committee has determined that this special purpose financial report should be prepared in accordance with 

the accounting policies outlined in Note 1 of the Notes to the Financial Statements. 

In the opinion of the Committee, the accompanying accounts as set out in the attached Statement of Financial 

Performance, Statement of Financial Position, Statement of Cash Flows and Notes to the 

Financial Statements, present fairly the financial position of the Refugee Advice and Casework Service (Australia) 

Inc. as at 30 June 2013 and the results of this Association for the year ended on that date. 

On the date of this statement, there are reasonable grounds to believe that the Refugee Advice and Casework 

Service (Australia) Inc. will be able to pay its debts as and when they fall due. 

This statement is signed for and on behalf of the Committee by: 

Arthur Glass 

President 

Dated this 29th October 2014


FINANCIAL 

REPORTING 

REFUGEE ADVICE AND CASEWORK SERVICE (AUSTRALIA) INC 

ABN 46 008 173 978 

TWENTY FOURTH ANNUAL FINANCIAL REPORT 

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 JUNE 2014



STATEMENT OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME 

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 JUNE 2014 

Revenue Note 2014 2013 

$ $ 

Contract revenue - DIBP 

- Detention contracts 23,156 49,289 

- Community contracts 281,596 240,962 

- Task force contracts 848,163 1,099,661 

Donations & fundraising 110,803 3,000 

Grants 

- Public Purpose Fund 104,997 107,690 

- Other Grants 52,845 11,277 

Interest and investment income 101,551 103,601 

Other income (including expense 

reimbursements) 55,686 4,347 

Total revenue 1,578,797 1,619,827 

Expenses 

Administration & fundraising expenses 52,068 129,852 

Casework & taskforce expenses 226,236 193,735 

Employee and volunteer expenses 1,613,740 1,111,799 

Equipment expenses 17,024 14,351 

Premises expenses 20,154 15,702 

Sundry expenses 3,811 12,217 

Total expenses 1,933,033 1,477,656 

(Loss)/profit for the year 2 (354,236) 142,171 

Other comprehensive income 

Total comprehensive (loss)/income (354,236) 142,171 

The statement of comprehensive income is to be read in conjunction with the notes 

to the financial statements set out on pages 6 to 13. 

2



STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN EQUITY 


2014 2013 

Members’ funds $ $ 

Funds available for future use 

Balance at 1 July 2013 2,598,494 2,456,323 

(Loss)/comprehensive income for the year (354,236) 142,171 

Balance at 30 June 2014 2,244,258 2,598,494 

The statement of changes in equity is to be read in conjunction with the notes to the 

financial statements set out on pages 6 to 13. 

3



STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL POSITION 

AS AT 30 JUNE 2014 

Note 2014 2013 

$ $ 

Current assets 

Cash and cash equivalents 957,720 1,591,222 

Term deposits 487,516 200,000 

Trade and other receivables 52,893 85,115 

Total current assets 1,498,129 1,876,337 

Non-current assets 

Term deposits 731,110 731,109 

Investment in floating rate notes 145,950 139,919 

Property, plant and equipment 23,899 15,605 

Total non-current assets 900,959 886,633 

Total assets 2,399,088 2,762,970 

Current liabilities 

Trade and other payables 63,216 101,662 

Provisions 91,614 62,814 

Total current liabilities 154,830 164,476 

Total liabilities 154,830 164,476 

Net assets 2,244,258 2,598,494 

Members’ funds 

Funds available for future use 2,244,258 2,598,494 

Total members’ funds 2,244,258 2,598,494 

The statement of financial position is to be read in conjunction with the notes to 

the financial statements set out on pages 6 to 13. 

4



STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS 


Note 2014 2013 

$ $ 

Cash flows from operating activities 

Cash receipts in the course of operations 1,635,259 2,053,429 

Cash payments in the course of operations (2,048,295) (1,679,804) 

Interest received 78,618 103,601 

Net cash provided by operating activities 8(b) (334,418) 477,226 

Cash flows from/(used in) investing activities 

Net cash from/(to) deposits (287,517) 702,324 

Payment for plant and equipment 5 (11,567) (15,501) 

Net cash (used in) investing activities (299,084) 686,823 

Net increase/(decrease) in cash held (633,502) 1,164,049 

Cash at the beginning of the financial year 1,591,222 427,173 

Cash at the end of the financial year 8(a) 957,720 1,591,222 

The statement of cash flows is to be read in conjunction with the notes to 

the financial statements set out on pages 6 to 13. 

5



NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE 

YEAR ENDED 30 JUNE 2014 

1. Statement of compliance and summary of significant accounting policies 

The financial statements are a special purpose financial report prepared by the Board in 

order to meet the needs of Refugee Advice and Casework Service (Australia) Inc (“the 

Association”). The Board has determined that the Association is not a reporting entity 

and therefore it is not necessary for the Association to comply with all of the disclosure 

requirements of the Accounting Standards and other mandatory financial reporting 

requirements promulgated by the Australian Accounting Standards Board ("AASB"). 

Apart from the exceptions noted below, the statements have been prepared in accordance 

with the Associations Incorporations Act of New South Wales and the NSW Charitable 

Fundraising Act and Regulations 1991 and Australian Accounting Standards (including 

the Accounting Interpretations) adopted by the AASB. 

The disclosure requirements of the following Accounting Standards have not been 

complied with: 

AASB 7 

AASB 108 

AASB 124 

Financial Instruments: Disclosures 

Accounting Policies, Estimates and Errors 

Related Party Disclosures 

The financial report is presented in Australian dollars, which is the functional currency 

and was authorised for issue by the Board on 28 October 2014. 

The following is a summary of the significant accounting policies adopted by the 

Association in the preparation of the financial report. The accounting policies have been 

consistently applied unless otherwise stated. 

(a) 

Revenue recognition 

Contract income 

The Association recognises contract fee income when it is invoiced to the 

contracting party. 

Interest income 

Interest income is recognised as it accrues. 

6



NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE 

YEAR ENDED 30 JUNE 2014 


(a) 

Revenue recognition (continued) 

Donations and grant income 

The Association is a non-profit organisation and receives grant income and funds from 

donations. These amounts by their nature can only be recognised when received. 

Donation income is banked into a separate bank account which consists only 

of money received as a result of fundraising in accordance with the Charitable 

Fundraising Act 1991. 

(b) 

Expenses 

Expenses are recognised when the cost has been incurred or the service 

received. 

(c) 

Income tax 

The Association has been endorsed as an exempt charitable body for income tax 

purposes within the provisions of section 50-B of the Income Tax Assessment Act 

1997. 

(d) 

Recoverable amount of non-current assets valued on cost basis 

The carrying amounts of all non-current assets valued on the cost basis are reviewed 

to determine whether they are in excess of their recoverable amount at balance date. 

(e) 

Property, plant and equipment 

Plant and equipment is brought to account at cost less, where applicable, any 

accumulated depreciation or amortisation. These assets are depreciated using the 

straight line method over their useful lives, taking into account their estimated 

residual values. 

7



NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR 

ENDED 30 JUNE 2014 


(f) 

Employee benefits 

Wages, salaries and leave entitlements 

The provision for employees’ entitlements to wages, salaries and annual or other forms of 

parental leave expected to be settled within 12 months of the year-end represent present 

obligations resulting from employees’ services provided to reporting date, calculated at 

undiscounted amounts based on remuneration wage and salary rates that the entity expects to pay 

as at reporting date including related on-costs. 

Superannuation plan 

Contributions to employee superannuation funds are charged against income as they are made. 

(g) 

Cash and cash equivalents 

For the purposes of the statement of cash flows, cash includes cash on hand and at bank and shortterm 

deposits at call. Cash as at the end of the financial year as shown in the statement of cash 

flows is reconciled to the related items in the balance sheet. 

(h) 

Goods and Services Tax 

Revenues, expenses and assets are recognised net of the amount of goods and services tax (GST), 

except where the amount of GST incurred is not recoverable from the Australian Tax Office 

(ATO). In these circumstances the GST is recognised as part of the cost of the asset or as part of 

the expense. 

Receivables and payables are stated with GST included. 

The net amount of GST payable to the ATO is included as a current liability in the Statement of 

Financial Position. 

Cash flows are included in the Statement of Cash Flows on a gross basis. The GST components 

of cash flows arising from investing and financing activities which are recoverable from, or 

payable to, the ATO are classified as operating cash flows. 

(i) 

Members’ Liability 

The Association is incorporated under the Associations Incorporations Act of New 

South Wales. 

8



NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR 

ENDED 30 JUNE 2014 


(j) 

Going Concern 

The Association made a loss for the current financial year. However, given the level 

of cash reserves available to the Association and the forecast cash income and 

expenses for the forthcoming year, the Board is of the view that it is appropriate for 

the financial report to be prepared on a going concern basis as the Board believes the 

Association has sufficient funds to meet its debts as and when they fall due. 

2014 2013 

2 Profit for the year $ $ 

Profit for the year has been arrived at after 

charging the following items: 

Depreciation and assets written off 3,273 3,518 

Provision for employee entitlements 28,800 (13,386) 

KPMG has provided its audit services on a “pro bono” basis during the current and prior 

years. 

3 Cash and cash equivalents 

Business account and petty cash 229,536 346,431 

Fund raising account 39,489 28,180 

Cash management account 22,992 185,810 

Other cash at bank 665,703 1,030,801 

957,720 1,591,222 

4 Trade and other receivables 

Current 

Rental deposits 1,103 1,103 

Other debtors 51,790 84,012 

52,893 85,115 

9



NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 


5 Property, plant and equipment 

2014 2013 

$ $ 

Office equipment, at cost 32,878 21,311 

Office Partitioning and carpet 10,990 10,990 

Accumulated depreciation (19,969) (16,696) 

Net book value of assets 23,899 15,605 

Reconciliation 

Balance at the beginning of the year 15,605 4,022 

Additions 11,567 15,101 

Depreciation expense (3,273) (3,518) 

Carrying amount at the end of the year 23,899 15,605 

6 Trade and other payables 

Current 

ATO 12,028 28,121 

Superannuation 10,691 9,027 

Sundry creditors 40,497 64,514 

7 Provisions 

63,216 101,662 

Current 

Employee entitlements 91,614 62,814 

10





8 Notes to the cash flow statement 2014 2013 

$ $ 

(a) Reconciliation of cash 

Cash assets 957,720 1,591,222 

(b) Reconciliation of (loss)/profit for the year to net 

cash provided by operating activities 

(Loss)/profit for the year (354,236) 142,171 

Add/(less) non-cash items: 

Depreciation 3,273 3,518 

Provision for employee leave 28,800 (13,386) 

Net cash provided by operating activities before 

changes in assets and liabilities 

(322,163) 132,303 

(Increase)/decrease in value of floating rate notes (6,031) - 

(Increase)/decrease in trade and other 

receivables 32,222 29,792 

(Increase)/decrease in work in progress - 252,452 

Increase/(decrease) in trade and other payables (38,446) 62,679 

Net cash provided by operating activities (334,418) 477,226 

9. Additional note disclosures required under the Charitable Fundraising (NSW) 

Act 1991 

Fundraising conducted during the financial year totalled $110,803 (2013 $3,000). Of this 

amount $110,803 (2013 $3,000) was recognised as income during the year. 

In accordance with Section 20 of the Charitable Fundraising (NSW) Act 1991, monies 

received in the course of fundraising appeals are applied according to the objects or 

purposes of the appeal net of proper and appropriate expenses. 

Information on material matters 

2014 2013 

$ $ 

Gross proceeds from fundraising appeals 110,803 3,000 

Less: Direct costs of fundraising appeals 10,075 - 

100,728 3,000 

General administration and project costs - - 

Net proceeds on fundraising appeals 100,728 3,000 

11





9. Additional note disclosures required under the Charitable Fundraising (NSW) 

Act 1991 (continued) 

Comparison of certain monetary figures 2014 2014 2013 2013 

and percentages 

$ % $ % 

Total cost of fundraising/ 10,075 

0 

gross income from fundraising 

110,803 0.09% 3,000 

0 

Net surplus from fundraising/ 100,728 

3,000 

0.91% 

gross income from fundraising 

110,803 

3,000 

100 

The surplus from fundraising was utilised 

in the payment of solicitors’ salaries. 

10. Commitments 2014 

$ 

2013 

$ 

Operating lease commitments 

Future operating lease rentals not provided for in the 

financial statements and payable: - - 

The Association’s rent-free lease arrangement with the University of Sydney expired in 

March 2012. Subsequent to that date a memorandum of understanding was formalised with 

the University of Sydney under which the current arrangements will continue, with at least six 

months’ notice to be given in the event that the University of Sydney can no longer provide 

premises to the Association. 

11. Events subsequent to balance date 

The Association has had a significant reduction in revenue from the Department of 

Immigration and Border Protection. Accordingly the Board is seeking to raise additional 

revenue through donations and general fundraising. Apart from this development, there 

has not arisen in the interval between the end of the financial year and the date of this report 

any other item, transaction or event of a material and unusual nature likely, in the opinion 

of the directors, to affect significantly the operations of the company, the results of those 

operations, or the state of affairs of the Association in subsequent financial years. 

12





12. Economic dependency 

For the 2014 year the Association derived the majority of its operating revenue (ie 

revenue other than from fundraising, donations or investment income) from its contract 

with the Commonwealth Department of Immigration and Border Protection (DIBP). 

13. Contingent Liabilities 

The Association has no contingent liabilities as at 30 June 2014 (2013 - $Nil). 

14. Funding from Public Purpose Fund 

2014 2013 

$ $ 

Gross proceeds from Public Purpose Fund grant 104,997 107,690 

Application of grant funds obtained 

Administration costs 10,560 11,004 

Interpreters 9,164 6,619 

Salaries 85,273 90,067 

104,997 107,690 

13


INDEPENDENT AUDITOR’S REPORT TO THE BOARD OF 


Report on the financial report 

We have audited the accompanying financial report (being a special purpose financial report) 

of Refugee Advice and Casework Service (Australia) Inc (the Association) for the financial 

year ended 30 June 2014, which comprises the statement of financial position as at 30 June 

2014 and the statement of comprehensive income, statement of changes in equity and 

statement of cash flows for the year then ended on that date, notes 1 to 14 comprising a 

summary of significant accounting policies and other explanatory information. 

Board’s responsibility for the financial report 

The Board of the Association is responsible for the preparation and fair presentation of the 

financial report and has determined that the basis of preparation described in Note 1 is 

appropriate to meet the requirements of the applicable legislation and are appropriate to the 

needs of the members. This responsibility also includes such internal control as the Board 

determines is necessary to enable the preparation of the financial report that is free from 

material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error. 

Auditor’s responsibility 

Our responsibility is to express an opinion on the financial report based on our audit. We 

conducted our audit in accordance with Australian Auditing Standards. These Auditing 

Standards require that we comply with relevant ethical requirements relating to audit 

engagements and plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance whether the 

financial report is free from material misstatement. 

An audit involves performing procedures to obtain audit evidence about the amounts and 

disclosures in the financial report. The procedures selected depend on the auditor’s judgement, 

including the assessment of the risks of material misstatement of the financial report, whether 

due to fraud or error. In making those risk assessments, the auditor considers internal control 

relevant to the entity’s preparation and fair presentation of the financial report in order to 

design audit procedures that are appropriate in the circumstances, but not for the purpose of 

expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the entity’s internal control. An audit also 

includes evaluating the appropriateness of accounting policies used and the reasonableness of 

accounting estimates made by the Board, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the 

financial report. 

These procedures have been undertaken to form an opinion whether, in all material respects, 

the financial report is presented fairly in accordance with the basis of accounting described in 

Note 1 to the financial statements so as to present a view which is consistent with our 

understanding of the Association’s financial position and of its performance and cash flows. 

We believe the audit evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a 

basis for our audit opinion. 

14


Independence 

In conducting our audit, we have complied with the independence requirements of the Australian 

professional accounting bodies. 

Auditor’s opinion 

In our opinion, the financial report presents fairly, in all material respects, the financial position 

of Refugee Advice and Casework Service (Australia) Inc as at 30 June 2013 and its financial 

performance and its cash flows for the year then ended, in accordance with the accounting 

policies described in Note 1 to the financial statements. 

Basis of Accounting 

Without modifying our opinion, we draw attention to Note 1 to the financial report, which 

describes the basis of accounting. The financial report has been prepared to assist Refugee 

Advice and Casework Service (Australia) Inc to meet the requirements of its constituent 

documents. As a result, the financial report may not be suitable for another purpose. 

Additional scope pursuant to the Charitable Fundraising (NSW) Act 1991 

In addition, our audit report has also been prepared for the members of the Association in 

accordance with Section 24(2) of the Charitable Fundraising (NSW) Act 1991. Our 

procedures included obtaining an understanding of the internal control structure for 

fundraising appeal activities and examination, on a test basis, of evidence supporting 

compliance with the accounting and associated record keeping requirements for fundraising 

appeal activities pursuant to the Charitable Fundraising (NSW) Act 1991 and Regulations. 

It should be noted that the accounting records and data relied upon for reporting on 

fundraising appeal activities are not continuously audited and do not necessarily reflect after 

the event accounting adjustments and the normal year end financial adjustments for such 

matters as accruals, prepayments, provisioning and valuations necessary for year end 

financial report preparation. 

The performance of our statutory audit included a review of internal controls for the purpose 

of determining the appropriate audit procedures to enable an opinion to be expressed on the 

financial report. This review is not a comprehensive review of all those systems or of the 

system taken as a whole and is not designed to uncover all weaknesses in those systems. 

The audit opinion expressed in this report pursuant to the Charitable Fundraising (NSW) Act 

has been formed on the above basis. 

Audit Opinion 

In our opinion, the financial statements of Refugee Advice and Casework Service (Australia) 

Inc present fairly on the basis of accounting described in Note 1 to the financial statements, 

its financial position as at 30 June 2014 and the results of its operations for the year then 

ended. Australian Accounting standards have only been applied to the extent described in 

Note 1 to the financial statements. 

15


Audit Opinion pursuant to the Charitable Fundraising (NSW) Act 1991 

In our opinion: 

a) the financial statements give a true and fair view of the financial result of fundraising 

appeal activities for the financial year ended 30 June 2014; 

b) the financial statements have been properly drawn up, and the associated records have 

been properly kept for the period from 1 July 2013 to 30 June 2014, in accordance with 

the Charitable Fundraising (NSW) Act 1991 and Regulations; 

c) money received as a result of fundraising appeal activities conducted during the period 

from 1 July 2013 to 30 June 2014 has been properly accounted for and applied in 

accordance with the Charitable Fundraising (NSW) Act 1991 and Regulations; and 

d) There are reasonable grounds to believe that Refugee Advice and Casework 

Service (Australia) Inc will be able to pay its debts as and when they fall due. 

KPMG 

P M Reid 

Partner 

Sydney, 

28 October 2014 

15

RACS ANNUAL REPORT 2013/14 66


www.racs.org.au

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