More than 100 asylum seekers will receive help from the Victorian government for food, housing and basic living costs after the Commonwealth cut off its support.
Under Turnbull government changes, about 400 asylum seekers living in Australia for medical treatment will be transferred to final departure visas and expelled from Australia.
This move strips them of income and housing support, despite the six-month lag until they will be forced to leave.
The Andrews Labor government announced on Saturday an immediate $600,000 package to support the more than 100 Victorian based asylum seekers to cover costs of housing, food, clothes, myki cards and medicines.
"Malcolm Turnbull might be prepared to stand by and let these families starve while they wait to leave Australia but we won't," Premier Daniel Andrews said.
"We're making sure these families will have a roof over their head, clothes on their back and food on the table."
