Shire eyes refugees

Denmark could become a Refugee Welcome Zone in coming months, after the Shire Council carried a motion to conduct a community consultation period at a meeting on Tuesday.

Refugee Welcome Zones are an initiative by the peak national body for refugees, the Refugee Council of Australia Incorporated.

The zones are local government areas that have signed a declaration demonstrating "a commitment in spirit to welcoming refugees into our community, upholding the human rights of refugees, demonstrating compassion for refugees and enhancing cultural and religious diversity in our community."

Since their inception in 2002 as part of Refugee Week, more than 100 local government areas around Australia have become zones.

There are six in WA - Fremantle, Subiaco and Vincent, Victoria Park, Katanning and Augusta-Margaret River.

It is the first time Denmark has considered becoming a Refugee Welcome Zone.

At the meeting, the council resolved to seek public comment over a 60-day period, which chief executive Dale Stewart said was expected to start in the next fortnight.

"We want to get the pulse of the community on whether the council should be signing the Refugee Welcome Zone declaration," he said.

Mr Stewart said he expected the council to re-consider the issue sometime in January.