Seven outstanding individuals and organisations were honoured on 18 March 2013 for their work assisting new migrants to successfully settle in the community at the inaugural 2013 Australian Migration and Settlement Awards at Parliament House, Canberra.

The winners were selected from among 24 finalists across 7 categories: Case Worker of the Year, Settlement Innovation, Business Inclusion, Sports Leadership, Journalism Excellence, Diversity and the Law, and the Lifetime Achievement Award.

The Prime Minister, The Honourable Julia Gillard MP, was the keynote speaker at the gala dinner hosted by the Migration Council of Australia (MCA), which brought together business, journalists and the community sector to recognise the remarkable achievements of new migrants and those who support them to build a more inclusive and diverse Australia.

Well-renowned Australian comedian Rob Sitch was the Master of Ceremonies at the awards, which was attended by leaders in business, government, sport, academia, media and the community sector.