Round 1
Myth or fact: Once settled, refugees tend to contribute economically.
Fact: In Australia, refugees tend to cost more in the short term but over their lifetime make a net positive economic contribution, through paying taxes, working, and starting businesses.
Myth or fact: Refugees are stealing our jobs.
Myth. Refugees don’t “steal jobs” in Australia because the number of jobs isn’t fixed. When more people live and spend in the economy, demand grows and new jobs are created. Refugees often fill labour shortages in areas like aged care, farming, and hospitality rather than replacing local workers.
Myth or fact: Refugees take up a lot of Australia's resources.
Myth: Australia's total budget is around $700 billion per year. It spends $5.1 billion on refugees, which is just 0.65% of the Australian Government’s total budget
Myth or fact: Refugees commit more crimes than the average Australian.
Myth. In Australia, refugees do not commit crime at higher rates than the general population, and some studies show similar or lower rates instead.
Myth or fact: Refugees can safely return home whenever they want.
Myth or fact: The majority of refugees are hosted by low- and middle-income countries, not wealthy ones.
Fact. Most refugees flee to neighbouring countries.
Colombia, Germany, Türkiye, the Islamic Republic of Iran and Uganda hosted over one-third of the world’s refugees and other people in need of international protection. And not all of them are the wealthiest countries.
Myth or fact: Refugees can freely choose where they go.
Myth. They usually cannot choose freely where they resettle; placements are determined by governments and international processes.
Myth or fact: Countries can easily reject refugees.
Half myth, half fact. Countries that have signed the 1951 Refugee Convention or its 1967 Protocol are legally bound to protect refugees, but they are not obliged to accept all refugees who seek asylum.
Countries have to review asylum claims and cannot return a refugee to a territory where their life or freedom is threatened.
Myth or fact: Seeking asylum is a legal right.
Fact. Seeking asylum is a legal human right under the 1951 Refugee Convention, even if a person arrives without a visa.
Myth or fact: All refugees are just single men with no families looking to make money.
Myth: Women and children make up most refugees globally, but men often appear more common because they’re more likely to make the dangerous journey first and then bring their families later.