Refugees and asylum seekers

The City of Port Phillip is a Refugee Welcome Zone

Refugee Week 2025

Refugee Week is an annual event held in Australia from Sunday to Saturday of the week that includes 20 June (World Refugee Day). In 2025, it will be held from 15 June to 21 June.

Refugee Week provides a platform to raise awareness about the refugee experience and promote understanding and empathy for those who have been forced to flee their homes due to conflict, persecution, or other circumstances.

World Refugee Day

This year to commemorate World Refugee Day, St Kilda Town Hall will be lit up in light blue on the 20 and 21 June. While there is no universally recognised colour for World Refugee Day, the UN Refugee Agency's (UNCHR) light blue logo is widely associated with the day.

Refugee Welcome Zone

To confirm Council’s commitment as a Refugee Welcome Zone, Council’s “Refugees Welcome Here” banners will be displayed at customer service counters during the week.

A Conversation with Grandmothers for Refugees

Meet four local residents from “Grandmothers for Refugees” as they share their heartfelt stories for Refugee Week. The event will be hosted at St Kilda library on Wednesday 18 June, 1.30 pm to 2.30 pm.

Council's Commitments

In 2002, the City of Port Phillip declared itself a Refugee Welcome Zone (PDF 205 KB) in support of the Refugee Council of Australia campaign. This declaration formed a commitment in spirit to welcoming refugees into our community.

Port Phillip Council supports the Joint statement by local governments in Victoria on asylum seekers (item 9.1) (PDF 223 KB).

Port Phillip Council considered the issue of asylum seekers at the Ordinary Meeting of Council on 18 December 2006 and endorsed an Asylum Seeker Policy statement (PDF 15 KB).

City of Port Phillip is also a general supporter of the Mayoral and Councillor Taskforce Supporting People Seeking Asylum.

Who are refugees and asylum seekers

To understand what is meant by these terms, view the Refugee Council of Australia's Get the Facts.

There are many common myths about asylum seekers. For more information about these myths and the facts, view the fact sheets on this Asylum Fact Check page.

How you can assist

The Back Your Neighbour Campaign, was launched by the Mayoral and Councillor Taskforce Supporting People Seeking Asylum. The campaign provides extensive resources of how you can support people seeking asylum.