ADELAIDE, Australia — Myanmar community leader Go Suan Pau served as a community panelist during the Australian Department of Home Affairs Open Night 2026, joining government officials and multicultural leaders in a discussion on immigration, refugee settlement, and community integration in Australia.
Hosted by the Australian Department of Home Affairs in collaboration with the Office for Multicultural Affairs and the Australian Border Force, the event brought together representatives from diverse communities to strengthen dialogue between government agencies and Australia’s multicultural population.
According to the official program, attendees received updates from senior government officials on immigration policies, humanitarian settlement programs, multicultural affairs, border security, and demographic trends presented by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). The evening concluded with a community panel discussion, an open question-and-answer session, and networking opportunities designed to foster stronger partnerships between government and community organizations.
Representing the Australia Myanmar Institute for Democracy, Human Rights and Peace (AMIDHRP), Go Suan Pau joined fellow panelist Aleks Talanskas, President of the Lithuanian Community of South Australia, in a discussion moderated by Costa Rofe, Director of Humanitarian Settlement Programs at the Department of Home Affairs.
The panel focused on the experiences of immigrant and refugee communities, the importance of successful settlement, community participation, and ways government agencies and multicultural organizations can work together to build stronger, more inclusive communities. Panelists also reflected on the contributions that refugee and migrant communities continue to make to Australian society through education, business, public service, and civic leadership.
For the Myanmar community, participation in national policy discussions represents an important milestone. It demonstrates that community voices and lived experiences are increasingly being recognized in conversations that shape Australia’s humanitarian settlement and multicultural policies.
As Australia continues to welcome people from refugee and migrant backgrounds, events such as the Home Affairs Open Night provide valuable opportunities for dialogue, mutual understanding, and cooperation between government institutions and culturally diverse communities.
About Go Suan Pau
Go Suan Pau is a Myanmar community leader, researcher, and advocate based in South Australia whose work focuses on democracy, human rights, refugee issues, and multicultural engagement.
He currently serves as a Peer Support Officer at the University of South Australia (UniSA). He earned a Bachelor of International Relations from the University of Adelaide in 2023 and completed a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) at the University of South Australia in 2024. His honours research examined human rights violations against the Rohingya people, reflecting his academic interest in international human rights and humanitarian issues.
As a former South Australian Parliamentary Intern, Go authored a research report examining the challenges faced by the Myanmar diaspora community in South Australia, providing recommendations aimed at strengthening settlement support and community participation.
Since 2021, he has served as the Director of the Australia Myanmar Institute for Democracy, Human Rights and Peace (AMIDHRP), where he leads educational initiatives, public forums, and policy advocacy on democracy, human rights, refugee protection, and peacebuilding. He has also contributed articles on Myanmar’s political developments and international affairs to OnDit, the University of Adelaide’s student magazine.
Beyond his academic and advocacy work, Go serves as Secretary of Zomi Innkuan Adelaide and is an active member of the Refugee Council of Australia, contributing to refugee research, policy discussions, and community advocacy. His research and commentary have been featured across various media and public forums, where he provides analysis on Myanmar’s political situation, international relations, humanitarian issues, and refugee affairs.
His participation in the Australian Department of Home Affairs Open Night 2026 reflects the growing role that Myanmar Australians are playing in public policy discussions and highlights the valuable contribution of refugee-background communities in helping shape Australia’s multicultural future.
Source: Australian Department of Home Affairs Open Night 2026 program and event photographs.
Reporting: Zomi Press | Refugee & Immigration Desk