Afghan refugees in Melbourne's south-east struggling to find housing

Newly arrived Afghan refugees in Melbourne’s south-east are struggling to find stable housing, with some families living in motels and garages.

Transcript

00:0011-year-old Waslat has found safety in Australia.

00:07I'm happy I can learn here because in Afghanistan they don't let girls to learn.

00:12Her family arrived as refugees a year and a half ago.

00:16They've spent four months living in this motel room in Melbourne's outer southeast.

00:21Eating two-minute noodles and whatever they can cook in the microwave.

00:27She said I'm frustrated of eating this much stuff every single day and I would like it so much to cook a meal from Afghanistan.

00:42Half the students of Waslat's primary school now come from Afghanistan.

00:47We're having to play a role for families in terms of they're coming to us for help, for aid.

00:54So we've all of a sudden had to be, you know, put our heads in that sort of housing, social work kind of space.

01:01The Australian Government has dedicated more than 26,000 humanitarian visas to Afghan nationals in the wake of its exit from Afghanistan.

01:10Many are drawn here to Dandenong because of the large established community.

01:14But support services are struggling.

01:17She's near here in the garage.

01:19Dandenong has the highest rate of homelessness in the state.

01:23The Southern Migrant and Refugee Centre sees multiple Afghan families in housing distress every day.

01:30We're trying to refer them to the local housing services,

01:34but it's still the local housing services overwhelmed due to the large number of newly arrived who are looking for housing.

01:43The demand from the community is so large, so we do need more support.

01:48The Federal Government says it covers 28 days of accommodation when refugees first arrive in Australia,

01:54as well as help finding private rentals, some household goods and other wraparound supports for up to 18 months.

02:02But Dandenong Councillor Rhonda Garrard, who is standing for the Greens in the Federal election, says the current system isn't working.

02:09I don't think we should pretend that it's not happening.

02:13I think we should deal with it proactively with the community.

02:16Mommy! Mommy!

02:19Waslat's family recently secured a year's emergency accommodation in a purpose-built unit for single parents.

02:26She's worried about the future, but for now, Farzana can cook for her children.

02:31Waslat is busy making plans.

02:34I would want to be a teacher because that has been my dream since, like, when I was in Afghanistan.

02:43Looking ahead to better days.

02:47Thank you very much.

02:48You're welcome.

02:49I'm going to be a teacher that will have a question.

02:51I'm not going to be a teacher, but I will have a teacher.

02:52We are going to be on the goal of it proactively, but I will definitely get the job.

02:55Here we are, here we are.

02:56We are going to be on the goal of the city.

02:58Let's take a report to our school, and we need to interview the schedule.

03:01You can't see the work that you've done.

03:03You can see the work that you've done in the study on the day.

03:06For a dinner, I will not be able to have a school, because the bamboo.