The Advocacy Strategy of The Refugee Council of Australia (RCOA) for Temporary Rights to Work for Refugees under The Australia’s ‘Balancing Act'

Abstract

The Refugee Council of Australia (RCOA) is the important actor in advocating for temporary work rights
for refugees amid the complexity of Australian asylum policy. This study analyses RCOA’s advocacy
strategies in responding to asylum policy restrictions, particularly through the constructivist approach
that emphasises the importance of discourse and social norms. Using the qualitative methods through
the document analysis of policy papers, public campaigns, and submissions to the government, this study adopts the advocacy strategy framework to examine how the RCOA operates in a policy environment shaped by the “balancing act” between the border security and humanitarian obligations. The research findings show that RCOA utilises the evidence-based lobbying, coalition building, and public engagementto drive policy change and reframe the narration around the refugees. Despite facing structural andpolitical barriers, RCOA’s advocacy contributes to increased public awareness and opens up space formore inclusive policy discussions. This study highlights the important role of civil society in advocating for refugee rights through approaches based on the dignity, social inclusion, and economic contribution.

Keywords
  • Advocacy
  • Australia
  • RCOA
  • Refugees
  • Temporary work rights
How to Cite
Fachrurreza, A. M., Nihayati, A., & Larasati. (2025). The Advocacy Strategy of The Refugee Council of Australia (RCOA) for Temporary Rights to Work for Refugees under The Australia’s ‘Balancing Act’. Jurnal ISIP: Jurnal Ilmu Sosial Dan Ilmu Politik, 22(1), 37–51. https://doi.org/10.36451/jisip.v22i1.411
References
  1. Acharya, A. (2004). How Ideas Spread: Whose Norms Matter? Norm Localization and Institutional Change in Asian Regionalism. In International Organization (Vol. 58, pp. 239–275). https://doi.org/10.1017/S0020818304582024
  2. Acharya, A. (2009). Whose Ideas Matter?: Agency and Power in Asian Regionalism (1st ed.). Cornell University Press.
  3. Amnesty International. (2021). What was the “Tampa Affair” and why does it matter? Amnesty International. https://www.amnesty.org.au/what-was-the-tampa-affair-and-why-does-it-matter/
  4. Asylum Seeker Resource Centre (ASRC). (2021). Getting on the #RightTrack means creating a fair asylum process. http://righttrack.org.au/
  5. Australian Red Cross. (2018). Changing Lives, Changing Minds, Changing Rules - First 25 Years Report Australian Red Cross.
  6. Berg, L., & Crock, M. (2011). Immigration, Refugees and Forced Migration: Law, Policy and Practice in Australia. Federation Press.
  7. Berger, P. L., & Luckmann, T. (1991). The Social Construction of Reality.
  8. Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2006). Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative Research in Psychology, 3(2), 77–101. https://doi.org/10.1191/1478088706qp063oa
  9. Every, D., & Augoustinos, M. (2007). Constructions of racism in the Australian parliamentary debates on asylum seekers. Discourse & Society, 18(4), 411–436. https://doi.org/10.1177/0957926507077427
  10. Fair Work Australian Government. (2024). Visa holders and migrant workers – workplace rights and entitlements. https://www.fairwork.gov.au/tools-and-resources/fact-sheets/rights-and-obligations/visa-holders-and-migrant-workers-workplace-rights-and-entitlements
  11. Finnemore, M., & Sikkink, K. (1998). International Norm Dynamics and Political Change.
  12. Fleay, C., Hartley, L., & Kenny, M. A. (2013). Refugees and asylum seekers living in the Australian community: the importance of work rights and employment support. Australian Journal of Social Issues, 48(4), 473–493. https://doi.org/10.1002/j.1839-4655.2013.tb00294.x
  13. Grewcock, M. (2018). Sharon Pickering (2005) Refugees and State Crime, The Federation Press, Sydney. Current Issues in Criminal Justice, 17(1), 173–175. https://doi.org/10.1080/10345329.2005.12036348
  14. Hartley, L. K., & Pedersen, A. (2015). Asylum seekers and resettled refugees in australia: Predicting social policy attitude from prejudice versus emotion. Journal of Social and Political Psychology, 3(1), 179–197. https://doi.org/10.5964/jspp.v3i1.476
  15. Hathaway, J. C. (2021). The Structure of Entitlement under the Refugee Convention. In The Rights of Refugees under International Law (pp. 173–311). Cambridge University Press. https://doi.org/10.1017/9781108863537.004
  16. Hugo, G. (2011). A Significant Contribution: The Economic, Social and Civic Contributions of First and Second Generation Humanitarian Entrants. Department of Immigration and Citizenship.
  17. McAdam, J., & Chong, F. (2014). Refugees: Why seeking asylum is legal and Australia’s policies are not. University of New South Wales Press.
  18. Nyers, P. (2006). Rethinking Refugees: Beyond States of Emergency. Routledge.
  19. Olliff, L. (2010, June). What works: Employment strategies for refugee and humanitarian entrants. https://www.refugeecouncil.org.au/what-works-report/2/
  20. Refugee Council of Australia. (2019). Economic, civic and social contributions of refugees and humanitarian entrants: A literature review. http://www.ag.gov.au/cca
  21. Refugee Council of Australia. (2020a). Leaving no-one behind: Ensuring people seeking asylum and refugees are included in COVID-19 strategies. https://www.refugeecouncil.org.au/priorities-covid-19/
  22. Refugee Council of Australia. (2020b). RCOA Impact Report 2020. https://reliefweb.int/report/australia/refugee-council-australia-our-impact-2019-2020
  23. Refugee Council of Australia. (2023a). Annual Report 2021–2022.
  24. Refugee Council of Australia. (2023b). Submission to the review of the Workforce Australia employment services system. https://alp.org.au/media/2594/2021-alp-national-platform-final-endorsed-platform.pdf
  25. Refugee Council of Australia. (2024). Revisiting Migrants’ Contributions From A Human Rights-Based Approach: A Discussion On Facilitating And Hindering Factors. https://www.ohchr.org/sites/default/files/documents/issues/srmigrants/submissions/callfacilitatingfactors/subm-revisiting-migrants-cso-refugee-c-rcoa-rcoa.pdf
  26. UNHCR. (2014). UNHCR Regional Office for South-East Asia Factsheet. www.unhcr.org
  27. UNSW Kaldor Centre for International Refugee Law. (2022). Temporary Protection Visas (TPVs) and Safe Haven Enterprise Visas (SHEVs).
  28. Wendt, A. (1992). Anarchy is what States Make of it: The Social Construction of Power Politics. International Organization, 46(2), 391–425.