with over 29 per cent of the population having been born overseas. Our growing cultural and linguistic diversity has benefited Australia enormously both economically and socially, and will continue to do so into the future. Our changing demographics require a response grounded in strategic forethought and collaboration to ensure that critical systems, such as health care, are supported in enabling equitable access, experience and outcomes for individuals and communities.

Migration and ethnicity-related factors, as well as refugee experiences, are important social determinants of health. Migrants and refugees are frequently associated with impaired health and poor access to health services and there is evidence of inequalities in both the state of health and the accessibility of health services to these population cohorts. Migrants’ and refugees’ health, and their access to health care, can vary widely between different groups, based on factors such as gender, age, pre-migration experiences, migration status, and other variables.