Thousands of asylum seekers in Australia may face homelessness

Thousands of asylum seekers may be at risk of homelessness as the Federal Government toughens the rules on those it says arrived "illegally" by boat. The Refugee Council of Australia says around a thousand people have lost their income support following the Government's latest round of welfare-payments assessments. Thousands of asylum seekers could be at risk of homelessness as the Federal Government continues assessing more cases of what it calls "illegal maritime arrivals." The Refugee Council of Australia says companies providing support services have reported up to a thousand asylum seekers being deprived of welfare payments. The support-service providers found asylum seekers who reached Australia by boat have lost not just income-support payments but also access to torture and trauma counselling. It follows the latest round of Department of Home Affairs assessments. The Refugee Council's Rebecca Eckard says there is extensive evidence of homelessness among those who have lost income support. Listen to the full report in Pashto language.

Under Operation Sovereign Borders, refugee boats were being pushed back into Indonesian waters against Indonesia's express wishes. Source: AAP