Transcript

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Narrator:
Refugees bring a range of skills, knowledge, strengths and contributions to Australia.

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Narrator:
They work very hard to build new lives for themselves and their families.

Woman:
Many things that they needed in their home country they couldn’t have so I think that they are working harder and they’re putting one hundred per cent of themselves to get better life in Australia.

Man:
I think they’re resilient. They already have resisted all the hardships and even the life threatening situations.

Woman:
Anyone who’s ever spoken to a person from a refugee background will know that they’re very keen to contribute to their new country. And in fact it’s largely because of their refugee experience that they have that kind of attitude.

Woman:
Majority of refugees within twelve months they are gainfully employed.

Woman:
I’m married to a very nice man and I love him so much and I hope that we make a family.

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Woman:
And I wish that I finish my university and I want to get a professional job as an accountant.

Woman:
I just hope that I could raise my children in a peaceful and just environment. I just want them to have this sense of belonging, get educated, get a good job, yeah just live normally.

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Man:
I started this design, print and graphic business in 2009. First I was very excited about it because I never had my own business.

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Man:
Several times it got to the stage that my wife said ‘Look, it’s very tough, we are struggling.’ But I never gave up. Now, my company employs six people.

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Man:
They will come here with high hopes and have very, very big dreams of where they’re going to end up and in many cases they do that.

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Woman:
At the moment I’m doing actual nursing. I’ve never dreamt of going to university when I lived in the camp.

Student:
I’m actually planning to go to uni and to study something in the medical field probably being a midwife or a doctor. I’m very ambitious about that.

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Man:
They’re happy to be here, they want to be here, they want to succeed, they want to be good Australian citizens and we do our darn best at Fairfield High School to help that happen.

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Woman:
We’re just normal human beings, we just need a chance.

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Student:
When I came here and then when I see so many people that’s trying to help me as a refugee which is make me really, really happy and which is like make me to study really, really hard.

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Student:
I wish I can study medicine.

Student:
Journalist. I like journalist.

Student:
And go to Harvard University.

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Student:
My hope for the future is just to do well and to be my best person I can be.

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Student:
So, keep smiling every day.

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