The centre has been funded through the philanthropy of Andrew Kaldor AM and Renata Kaldor AO, both of whom hail from refugee families.
Founding Director Professor Jane McAdam says that the centre aims to provide high quality research and fill the gaping hole in the public debate on asylum seekers left by politicians.
“The Andrew & Renata Kaldor Centre aims to move beyond the sound bites and slogans that dumb down public policy, and seeks to open up a space for questions, debate, and informed opinion-making.”
The centre’s advisory committee will be chaired by Mr Kaldor and include leading voices on refugee issues such as former NSW Premier Nick Greiner and barrister Julian Burnside.
Renata Kaldor counts her own family as relatively lucky in comparison to refugees facing the policies in place today.
“There but for the grace of God go Andrew and I. We would never have come to this country if the policies that are in place had been in place after World War II.”
Mr Kaldor echoed Mrs Kaldor’s sentiments, adding “Australia was welcoming, open and generous to us. We therefore feel both a debt to Australia and empathy with those refugees who are fleeing their homes without proper documents or assistance.”
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