ACT Multicultural Affairs minister Yvette Berry believes Canberra is "well prepared and willing" to support hundreds of additional refugees, after the federal government boosted its humanitarian intake by 12,000 places.
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The decision was prompted by the scale of Europe's refugee crisis and after images of Aylan Kurdi, the Syrian toddler lifeless and alone on a Turkish beach, caused international outcry.
In a ministerial statement, Ms Berry said activists had played a key role in lobbying the federal government, with many Canberrans already preparing to welcome Syrian refugees.
"I would like to acknowledge the role of activists who in the face of complex and often divisive politics, continued to be a loud and public voice speaking out against the persecution and injustice that many refugees face," she said.
"We would not have seen the decisions of recent days if it had not been for the sustained pressure of millions of people around the world."
Opposition leader Jeremy Hanson told the Legislative Assembly he was confident the Canberra community would support the new refugees, but questioned Ms Berry's reference to "divisive" federal politics.
"It is because we now have secure borders that we are in a much better position ... and are able to take on some many additional refugees from Syria - 12,000 additional refugees," he said.
"It is good that we as a nation - and we as a territory - are doing our bit to help the people fleeing persecution and what are some of the most evil actions that we have witnessed in our lifetimes from Islamic state."
Ms Berry said the ACT had accepted nearly 2000 humanitarian entrants since 2007 and support services were well equipped to support Syrian and Iraqi refugees.
"There are many Canberrans who are now relieved they will in the future be able to say they played a role in opening the path to safety for Syrian and Iraqi refugees in this community," she said.
Canberra Refugee Support president Geoff McPherson said discussions had already started about the role support groups could play in the resettlement process in the ACT.
"Over the coming weeks we fully expect to be engaged and helping lay out broad plans and make sure that various services are ready to roll," he said.
"Like all regional centres I fully expect that we will accept a dispersion of the new group as we have done in the past, knowing that we have a range of community groups who have worked together to resettle refugees."
Companion House director Kathy Ragless had no doubt the Syrian asylum seekers would be welcomed into the Canberra community although there were practicalities to consider.
"In many ways the Canberra community is a wonderful place to resettle although there isn't the amount of affordable housing stock here as in other cities."
