Senator Conroy: The Minister for Foreign Affairs has provided the following answer to the honourable senator's question: (1) and (2) The Australian Government has been a long term provider of assistance to Burmese refugees in camps in Thailand and displaced Burmese people. In planning and providing such support AusAID consults widely with the Australian Council for International Development, Australian and international non-government organisations (INGOs), community organisations, UN agencies and other donors about the humanitarian needs of Burmese refugees in Thailand. AusAID officers attended the Thai-Burma Border Consortium (TBBC) Annual Donor Dialogue in November 2010 and visited three refugee camps close to Mae Sot and Mae Hong Son on the Thai-Burma border to monitor Australian-funded activities. A number of other international partners, including the United Kingdom and the European Commission have undertaken needs assessments and evaluations of assistance to the Thai-Burma border over the past four years. These assessments were shared with AusAID and help to inform Australian Government policy on refugee needs and gaps in donor support. This information, together with independent monitoring of Australian-funded activities, guides the development of a strategic approach towards meeting the long term interests of the refugees and displaced people on the Thai-Burma border. (3) The Australian Government has developed a broad package of assistance to support INGOs and community organisations working in refugee camps and along the Thai-Burma border. The Australian Government has: provided humanitarian support through the National Council for Churches/Act for Peace in Australia which in turn supports the Thai Burma Border Consortium (TBBC). Australia has provided over $9 million to the TBBC to provide food and shelter to over 140,000 refugees in ten camps in Thailand since 2003; supported the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to strengthen the protection environment for refugees including through improved reporting and investigation of protection incidents in nine camps along the Thai-Burma border; supported the placement of 16 volunteer positions on the Thai-Burma border since 2005 (through Australian Volunteer International and Volunteering for International Development from Australia) to build the capacity of local NGOs working with refugees. There are currently nine Australian-funded volunteers working on the Thai-Burma Border; and supported local community organisations (including the Karen Women's Organisation, Palaung Women's Organisation, Shan Women's Action Network, Shan Health Committee and the Mae Tao Clinic) to deliver programs of assistance to Burmese refugees though the Australian NGO Cooperation Program. Australian NGO partners for these activities include International Women's Development Agency, Union Aid Abroad – APHEDA and National Council of Churches/Act for Peace. As part of an expanded aid package to Burma, Australia tripled its support to Burmese refugees in camps in Thailand in 2010-11, and broadened the number of partners we work with along the Thai-Burma border. Our assistance continues to support the basic needs of refugees, but also promotes self-reliance by building the capacity of refugees and displaced people to develop and utilise their own resources. A map identifying the reach of the AusAID aid program along the Thai-Burma border, including the ten refugee camps supported through the Thai Burma Border Consortium is available from the Senate Table Office. The map also shows our INGO and community organisation partners and locations of the aid activities and the populations/beneficiaries they work with.