Refugee advocacy groups urge Bendigo MP Lisa Chesters to provide timeline for visa promise

In a letter to federal Member for Bendigo Lisa Chesters penned by Rural Australians for Refugees, Grandmothers for Refugees Bendigo and Amnesty Bendigo, the groups called for a timeframe for the promise to be delivered.

"The treatment of people seeking asylum and refugees by a succession of Australian governments has been unconscionable and absurdly expensive," the letter said.

"Last year the Albanese Government came to office with a promise to return sanity and humanity to our refugee policy. Labor promised to end temporary protection visas and provide permanent protection.

"However, the lack of a timeframe for when people will be provided permanent protection is exceedingly concerning. The delay in an announcement and information is adding significant distress to refugees in our community."

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Temporary and bridging visas were given to asylum seekers who were found to be in need of protection.

They last for three years, however cause issues for refugees including uncertainty about their future, not being to apply for family reunion, and being barred from most forms of financial support.

There are at least five people in Bendigo on temporary visas, who have been in the region since 2012.

Most have fled Afghanistan, persecuted for being of Hazara ethnicity.

Hussain Sultani, who owns Alfa Kitchen on Hargreaves Street, is one of them.

He said when the Liberal government was in power, a freeze on protection visas introduced by Prime Minsiter Tony Abbot left them with no hope for permanency.

"With the Liberal [government], they said no and if someone says no then you don't expect anything" he said.

"But with Labor, when they came, they gave some hope. They said 'yes, we'll give you', and then we started imagining when it's going to happen, but unfortunately it has not happened yet."

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Mr Sultani said the wait is almost worse than a "no".

"It's breaking us more and more," he said. "It's like when you expect something from someone and they're not giving it to you, it hurts more than someone saying no."

Mohammad Zaman, who spent two years in a detention centre before settling in Bendigo in 2012 said he fears for his family in Taliban-ruled Afghanistan.

Mr Zaman said his daughter can't go to school, and his wife can't go outside by herself.

"I'm thinking more for my family than myself," he said. "I'm safe, but they are not safe."

MP Lisa Chesters was contacted for comment.

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