This report is one of the first to investigate acute health care service utilisation amongst a population from a refugee background in Australia. It compares hospital admissions and related outcomes between Victorian residents born in a number of refugee-source countries and those born in Australia.

Adrienne Millbank, Janet Phillips and Catherine Bohm provide an overview of Australia's settlement services for migrants and humanitarian entrants, and a guide to internet resources, research and comment on current settlement issues in Australia. They also provide information about the development of settlement and ‘integration’ services overseas.

The arrival of 43 asylum seekers in Australia in January 2006 has again brought the issue of West Papua to international attention.

Unlike her Liberal and Labor predecessors, Amanda Vanstone has followed due process in assessing the claims of asylum seekers from West Papua, writes Peter Mares.

The findings of this research are intended to provide policy makers, service providers and organisations working with refugees, with an overview of the broad issues affecting refugee seniors as well as detailed information on the needs of specific communities in Victoria.