'It's like developing another suburb': Fairfield calls for support to settle thousands of refugees

Refugee advocates are calling on the Australian government to provide more support to communities accepting the lion's share of arriving refugees.

Newly arrived Syrian refugee Akram Kheao told SBS News he was grateful for the chance to begin his life in Australia.

"This visa that has been given to me by the Australian government is like a gift and responsibility," he said.

"We have another opportunity so we get hope again."

He is one of about 4700 Syrian refugees who have made western Sydney's Fairfield home between January 2016 and January 2017.

The suburb, which has settled half of the total number of refugees housed in NSW, expects a similar figure in the next year and there are fears that demand is stretching supply to breaking point.

In a statement, a spokesperson from Fairfield City Council told SBS News it needed assistance from the federal government to implement a settlement action plan - and that it has requested a “modest amount of funding”.

“Whether housing, education, healthcare or other essential services, having a sudden increase of people in Fairfield City impacts our community,” the spokesperson said.

“It is like developing another suburb, with all the additional infrastructure requirements that brings.”

Ray Marando of Marando Real Estate in Fairfield said rental prices grew 20 per cent last year, with each rental property attracting the interest of up to 40 people.

“It also creates sometimes a bit of an auction atmosphere and a lot of competition."

But new arrivals said they needed more than shelter, and they needed work.

Nirary Dacho, the founder of Refugee Talent, which sources work for refugees, said only 5 per cent would find work in their home suburb.

"They have to manage their transportation by the bus and train so for them it is very hard for someone newly arrived."

Refugee Council of Australia CEO Tim O'Connor said it was important to provide councils with the support they needed.

"We don't want to see communities set up to fail. When you have a very large group of people coming in who don't have the adequate services, we run the risk of damaging social cohesion."

The four councils that took in most refugees last year were: Fairfield at almost 5000; Hume in Victoria at more 2000; Liverpool in Sydney's west, at almost 1500; and Logan in Queensland with just under 1000 new arrivals.