Migrants Shut Out Of Rich Sydney Suburbs

Migrants shut out of rich Sydney suburbs

The Age (Melbourne)
May 29, 2007 – 1:40PM

Sydney's poorer western suburbs are absorbing far more refugees and humanitarian migrants than the city's wealthier locales, figures show.

Statistics provided by Immigration Minister Kevin Andrews show 842 refugees and humanitarian entrants settled in the Fairfield local government area in 2005-06, along with 716 who made Auburn their home.

A further 451 moved to Blacktown, 433 settled in Liverpool and 346 opted for Parramatta.

The figures are a blunt demonstration of Sydney's wealth and cultural divide.

In contrast to the outer western suburbs, just one humanitarian migrant settled in North Sydney, Leichhardt and Canada Bay, while Waverley, Ku-ring-gai, Ashfield and Botany Bay received only two each.

Willoughby and Sutherland received six humanitarian migrants each.

The figures were released by Mr Andrews in a written response to a parliamentary question on notice from Labor's Laurie Ferguson.

In total, 3,467 humanitarian entrants settled in Sydney last financial year.

Among the top 10 council areas for humanitarian intake, only one council area – Warringah on the northern beaches, which received 69 migrants – was outside the western suburbs.

2007 AAP