Chosen Topic: How effective have legal and non-legal measures been in overcoming the disadvantages faced by migrants?

Since the beginning of European settlement in 1788, the Australian community has had to deal with the issue of having migrants in society. Though there are many long-term benefits of this situation, both socially and economically, they are often cancelled out by the disadvantages faced by the migrants themselves in Australia. Three such disadvantages are difficulties concerning social services, the law itself and housing. These often prove very difficult for migrants, particularly those with few English skills, and those that had recently arrived in the country. Although assistance is available from governments as well as community groups to assist with these problems, many migrants continue to experience difficulties in these areas.

When migrants arrive in Australia, the problem they immediately face is that of housing. Low-income earners have difficulty renting accommodation for a number of reasons: often they are unemployed or on low incomes, they have poor English skills, and d...