FCVic has made a submission to the Department of Home Affairs’ consultation on reforming Australia’s settlement grants programs. Drawing on the experience of financial counsellors who regularly support people from migrant and humanitarian backgrounds, the submission welcomes the Government’s focus on economic participation, economic security, and access to services, and argues that financial wellbeing and stability should be recognised as foundations of successful settlement.

The submission calls for financial capability and financial literacy education to be delivered by appropriately qualified workers, consistent with current Department of Social Services grant requirements, and for clear referral pathways to financial counsellors for people experiencing hardship or complex financial issues. It also stresses that settlement services should provide independent information that helps people compare options and make their own decisions, rather than directing them towards particular products or providers. Finally, it urges the Government to ensure its own systems, including debt administration, are accessible, trauma-informed, and responsive to vulnerability and family violence, and attaches an FCVic briefing paper on Home Affairs debts, family violence, and migration outcomes.