This week the Migration and Refugee Research Network (MARRNet) and the Refugee Council of Australia co-hosted the Refugee Alternatives Conference in Adelaide, with sponsorship support from the Southgate Institute.  The conference brought together people from across Australia to discuss key migration and refugee issues, with the goal of improving policy, practice and public support.  Over 60% of speakers and moderators were from refugee backgrounds and the importance of self-representation and co-design of policy, practice and research were major themes of the conference.  A/Prof Anna Ziersch and Dr Clemence Due (adjunct) from the Southgate Institute convened a session at the conference on strategies to promote mental health, which included four speakers with refugee experience sharing their expertise.

Prior to the conference MARRNet also hosted an academic forum where academics, service providers, policy makers and community members met to discuss the latest research.  A/Prof Anna Ziersch, Dr Clemence Due and Dr Moira Walsh from the Southgate presented their research on discrimination, the impact of visa insecurity, and trauma effects on primary health care access.