Rural Australians for Refugees is staging its national conference at Catholic College Wodonga from April 6 to 8.

The group’s Albury-based national secretary Penny Vine said 300 people from across Australia were expected to attend the event.

“It’s looking to the future to be part of a positive change towards a more realistic and humane response to the world refugee situation,” Dr Vine said of the forum’s aim.

Professor Triggs, a former president of the Australian Human Rights Commission, and Mr Burnside, a Melbourne barrister, are both patrons of Rural Australians for Refugees.

Dr Vine said there would also be refugees, including an Afghan boy who fled the Taliban, speaking at the conference.

She said politicians from across the spectrum would be invited, suggesting Liberal and Labor needed to rethink their approach to refugees.

“Both major parties have had a very narrow view that the only way to respond to commercially-based people-smuggling was to become more punitive,” Dr Vine said.

“Looking at other ways to respond to that and reimagining it would be cheaper but they’re caught up in being punitive and rigid.”

Dr Vine wants more offshore processing and noted humanitarian visas were being squeezed by family reunion approvals.

It will be the second time the Border has hosted the national conference, with Albury the venue for the 2004 edition.

On that occasion member for Farrer Sussan Ley was heckled and booed when debating immigration policy with Labor, Green and Democrat MPs.

The forum announcement follows Indigo Shire mayor Jenny O’Connor calling for refugees left in limbo on Manus Island to be brought to Australia.

Cr O’Connor will be invited to speak at the conference, with Dr Vine saying there would be a panel of mayors discussing refugee integration.

“I think it’s a good idea for us to be looking at increasing the number of refugees coming to Australia and dealing with human rights issues on Manus Island,” Dr Vine said.

Among those who responded via Facebook to The Border Mail article on Cr O’Connor’s call was 2016 Wodonga Council candidate Lubosh Hanuska. 

He suggested refugees could occupy a former home of bushranger Ned Kelly.

“This should have been proposed earlier - perhaps when the old Beechworth jail was still empty, it could have been well utilised as a refugee centre... but Indigo Shire Council would have had to purchase it too, and that would require ratepayers agreement which is unlikely,” Mr Hanuska wrote.

“Otherwise where is the funding for accommodation going to come from if the refugees are to resettle in Beechworth?”