AMES has congratulated new federal Coalition cabinet members on their appointments and is looking forward to working with the Abbott government.

AMES Chief Executive Cath Scarth said the appointment of the new cabinet would lead to a clear direction for the settlement sector over the next four years.

“We’d like to congratulate all the new federal cabinet members on their appointments, particularly those working in our sector,” Ms Scarth said.

“With the election over, we can get down to the business of delivering our services and helping new arrivals to settle successfully into Australia with some certainty about what the government’s policy direction is,” she said.

“We look forward to working with the Coalition government, especially; Mr Scott Morrison, the new Minister for Immigration and Border Protection; the Hon Kevin Andrews, the new Minister for Social Services; the Hon Christopher Pyne, the new Minister for Education; the Hon Eric Abetz, the new Minister for Employment, and; Senator Michaelia Cash who has been appointed as Assistant Minister for Immigration and Border Protection..

“We at AMES are eager to work with the new federal government on the delivery and development of our programs,” Ms Scarth said.

AMES is the leading provider of humanitarian settlement, education, training and employment services to refugees, asylum seekers and newly arrived migrants in Victoria.

A statutory authority of the Victorian Government, the organisation manages a range of federal and state government contracts including Humanitarian Settlement Services (HSS), the Adult Migrant English program (AMEP) General Services and Distance Learning programs; and Job Services Australia (JSA).

AMES has helped more than 500,000 new Australians settle in Victoria since 1951.

More than 38,000 people were helped by AMES in 2012 and 5,000 people were settled in Victoria – up 57% from 2010 – and 16,752 migrants and refugees received English language tuition in 2012. 

For images, interviews and more information please contact AMES Media Advisor, Laurie Nowell at nowelll@ames.net.au or  9938 4031 or 0498 196 500.