Refugees in a Region: Afghans in Young, NSW

This article examines how Afghan refugees living in the NSW country town of Young between 2001 and 2003 affected the regional economy. It seeks to assess the economic contribution of the Afghan refugees, primarily through their work at the Burrangong meatworks, through their local expenditures and, more indirectly, through their impact on social capital and the dynamism of the regional economy. It also reflects, more broadly, on the social implications of this experience and some lessons about refugee policies and their relationship to regional development.