http://www.sbs.com.au/yourlanguage/hindi/player/page/day/Sunday/time/09/channel/3
It starts at 35.15 and goes until 45.oo minutes.
Ms Kumud Merani was the interviewer.
This covers the Australian Migration Amendment [Visa capping] Bill 2010. Some people have called this Bill as “cap and cull” Bill.
Please see a detailed post on this Bill in my Blog.
Yadu Singh, Sydney/13th June, 2010
Updated on 11th April, 2011.
Information
Here is my account about what I have done so far and what I am doing right now.
1. Community work in General:
1.1. Leadership roles in Indian community Medical Associations, Continuing Medical education and Health education of general community.
1.2. Helping poor people from our community ie visitors, overseas patients and Indian students when they are in need of health care in Australia without sufficient financial resources.
1.3. Helping poor students in my district with scholarships etc.
2. My work as the co-ordinator of the Indian Consul General’s committee on students’ issues:
Indian Consul General’s Community Committee on Students’ Issues, Sydney, NSW was formed at the Indian Consulate on 6th April 2009. It did intensive work and completed its task in a very efficient manner. After accomplishing its mandated task, it dissolved itself at the end of June 2009 and communicated this to the Indian Consulate on 1/7/09.
The committee had Harmohan Walia,Vish Viswanathan, Shubha Kumar, Stanley D’Cruz and Dr Yadu Singh as its members. I was its co-ordinator.
This committee had done following activities;
#met students numerous times.
#organised a students’ forum on 16th May at Strathfield.
#co-organised a students’ forum with UIA in Strathfield on 6th June.
#arranged help to a woman student who was a victim of domestic violence.
#arranged help to 2 women students who were stalked by another Indian co-worker.
#arranged meetings with minister of education, NSW and her senior advisers and students from an aviation school-Work in progress.
#arranged a meeting with the president, NSW upper House [Mr Peter Primrose] and Ms Helen Westwood MLA and students.
#arranged meeting of an aviation school student with consul General [this student gave him his papers].
#arranged a meeting with a community minded lawyer and aviation school students.
#met the mother of a student of an aviation school. This lady’s husband had died only 4 weeks ago due to the serious stress involved in losing the money with the school in Sydney without the required outcome.
#arranged and participated in TV coverage of students’ issues on Channel 7, 9, 10, SBS TV, ABC TV, and Bloomberg.
#participated in the coverage on ABC radio, SBS radio, SBS Hindi radio, 2UE, JJJ, Indian Link radio, Radio UMANG, 2GB radio and SBS Kannada Radio.
#arranged talk-backs on these issues on SBS radio and Radio UMANG [98.5MHZ, Fridays,8-9 PM]-now stopped.
#participated in coverage on SMH, The Australian, Daily Telegraph, other newspapers and AAP.
#participated in the coverage on Indian newspapers in Australia [The Indian, Indian Link, Indus Age, The Indian Sub Continent Times, Indian Down Under].
#participated in TimesNow, NDTV, CNN/IBN, Headlines Today, AajTak and other Indian TV Channels.
#participated in the coverage on main Indian newspapers and PTI.
#involved with some top-grade Australian media programmes with wide audience in getting students’ issues covered.
#arranged funds for the accommodation for the relatives Mr Rajesh Kumar [the petrol bomb victim from Harris Park] within 24 hours.
#met commander Robert Redfern , Parramatta Local area Command of NSW Police several times.
#did what we could do to persuade/help the students when they were on the Harris Park streets for 3 nights.
#participated in the community leaders’ meeting with chairman, Community Relations Commission [CRC] at CRC HQ
#participated in a CRC organised meeting with Indian students at Parramatta RSL.
#participated in the community leaders’ meeting with the Premier, Mr Nathan Rees
#Met Indian Consul General and Consul several times
#helped a prominent Indian TV channel with a documentary on true situation in Australia. One of us [Yadu Singh] was the citizen Journalist.
#discussed and formulated the strategy to solve the problems of our students.
#submitted our strategy to the NSW task force and other relevant authorities.
#provided leadership in the matters relating to Indian students.
#gave our after hours and week-ends for students’ work and provided pastoral care to the needy students.
#provided/facilitated medical help to the needy students/their family members.
#met the visiting Indian journalists at the Consulate.
The committee members were all hard-working people with top-grade integrity. They did not have any conflict of interest in the matters relating to Indian students. None of them were involved in the students’ placement in a school [after taking a commission], running of any such school or running of any business which could have a potential conflict of interest in any manner.
All members worked with full dedication, cohesion and team feeling without any undermining of one another. This itself is a rare thing for an Indian group. We are proud of our work and ourselves.
We appealed to every person from Indian background to stay away from any leadership role if they were involved in any activity which did/could create a conflict of interest in these matters but we did not succeed in this matter.
We raised our voice forcefully against the exploitation of Indian students by some Indian employers.
We also appealed to the Indian newspapers and Radio programmes to ask questions from every leader [on students’ issues] about their involvement in any activity which created a conflict of interest in those matters. We suggested that the media should start with the questions on conflict of interests when interviewing those leaders.
3.My work beyond/outside the Consul General’s committee on students:
a. helped the refund of >$12000 to a student of a Flying school.
b. arranged legal assistance to the students from this Flying school from a solicitor in Sydney and Canberra.
c.1. facilitated a good outcome between parties involving VETAB, Flying school and students.
c.2. held several meetings involving VETAB high authorities, the Flying school and students in VETAB and my offices.
d. organised further refunds/savings [including waiving of about $50000f the legal fees in regards to a legal proceedings in the Supreme Court where students had lost their case and costs was awarded against them]] for a Flying school students from ESOS scheme with the help of VETAB, DEEWR and federal education dept which is worth >$250000 . I was the key and the only Indian person in this work for these students. I did this as I felt it was my duty to help students from my community who were feeling powerless in Australian system.
e. held meetings involving a Flying school people, VETAB and students.
f. helped payment of >$2400 to a student which was originally denied by his employer.
g. arranged funding of about $1000 to the family members of the “Petrol bomb” victim.
h. donated $500 to a students association.
i. arranged sponsorship for foods, meeting hall and public liability insurance for a students’ association [worth >$1000].
j. mentoring students for their careers and future in OZ.
k.1. donated $500 to AHIA’s seniors.
k.2. donated $500 to Fiji floods relief fund via International congress of Fiji Indians and organized $2000 donations from other doctors
k.3. donated $500 to Sanatan Arya Pratinidhi Samaj, Sydney.
l. donated a good amount [>$2000] for needy/deserving causes involving victims of earthquakes, accidental deaths, injuries and illnesses.
m.1. helping several students including assault victims for their work comp, treatment and issues involving their parents.
m.2. Liaised with NSW Police high ups in regards to the assaults of 2 Indians in Sydney.
m.3. Advised/mentored several others in regards to the steps they needed to take when they were assaulted.
n. established a benevolent fund for the community with further activities in the process.
o. participated as an active member of the working party with CRC on students including inputs for Z card.
p.1. took leadership role via the media including Indian and Australia media [Chanel 9, SBS, NDTV, Indian ethnic newspapers].
p.2. helped Radio National in making a documentary on students [see details in this BLOG elsewhere].
q. raised the issue of OZ Uranium sale to India during the Australia India Day celebration on 24th Jan, 2010 where several ministers, MPs, MLAs, MLC, and media people were present.
r. helped community members’ relatives/parents including FIJI Indians’ when they needed medical help.
s. helped students with their medical treatment of all types when they needed such help. This included getting a student admitted for the urgent treatment of his Kidney stone trouble which was threatening his Kidney.
t. helping the community members from India and South Asia with a concessional fees structure because they are part of my community [a service worth more than $50000/year].
u. met NSW Premier, VETAB authorities and NSW Education authorities on students’ issues
v. did all this work without any personal benefits or COMMISSIONs unlike some of our “leaders”. SEE my BLOG for more details.
w.1. trying to clean the community leadership and making them accountable.
w.2. Exposed commission taking by some leaders of an Indian community association in Sydney.
x. taking a leadership role against unfair portrayal of Australia as a Racist society by Indian media.
y. mentored medical doctors from India in regards to their training and registration issues including achieving a successful outcome for a house surgeon who was facing exclusion from the medical work due to her unfair treatment in a Sydney hospital. I worked very actively with this young doctor and her supervisors including Hospital administrators to get her into the internship at a different hospital. She passed her assessment and is now working in Sydney.
z.1. many other charity work in India including scholarships for poor students in India.
z.2. running a weekly Radio UMANG [Health radio] programme.
z.3. worked as a catalyst in resolving the issues between Indian consul General, Sydney and some businessmen with a successful outcome.
z.4. took an active and a leading role in resolving the issues between Indus Age [after a controversial ad] and the community, and achieved a successful outcome [with an apology and a promise to not publish such ads again].
z.5. Formed a community committee [total 10 people in it] against Visa Capping Bill in May 2010 and lobbied with the Gov ministers and Media against this Bill which was very harmful to the students. Worked actively for this committee, visiting community gatherings, temples and Gurdwaras to collect signatures against this Bill. We also met the Immigration minister, Mr Chris Evans, asking him to not proceed with this Bill. See www.fairgo4internationalstudents.org.
z.6. Formed a national organisation called National Council of Indian Australians [NCIA, www.ncia.org.au] with participation from all over Australia [all states and territories representatives].
z.7. Spoke as a lead doctor in the Health Summit, organised by GOPIO, Sydney, educating/informing people on Health matters on 4th Dec, 2010.
z.8. Helped a family locate their son [International student] http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/a-dumped-bike-a-glimpse-on-sydney-stations-cctv-what-happened-to-indian-student-abhijeet-20101006-166rs.html
z.9. Raised $7100 as a team for Qld Flood relief on 28th Jan, 2011.
z.10. Took up the issue of attack on Sri Mandir temple, Auburn and brought it to the national media.
z.11. Took up the matter involving HINDI in the Australian national draft curriculum-Languages and wrote to ACARA.
z.12. Campaigned for removal of an incorrect map of India in DIAC website and succeeded.
I have not listed every thing I have done or am doing. Much more is being done presently.
I had to write this down because some of my detractors were making comments like “what has he done for the community”.
Just to let you know that it gives me a sense of satisfaction to do some community work beyond my medical work.
Yadu Singh/Sydney/22nd November, 2010
http://tinyurl.com/ya85bnx [A Current Affairs Video]
This is the video from “A Current Affairs” programme of Channel 9, which has my interview on the fatal stabbing of a young man in Melbourne.
Yadu Singh/Sydney/5th Jan, 2010
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZKJ9_x4VLdc
I have seen this video from FISA.
There are some serious problems with it.
1. what was this student doing in this lonely road?
2. why does he throw his water bottle like that?
3. why did the Indian Porsche driver is so unhelpful? He drives off after giving the street directory to this lost fellow. Shameful.
4. Why did this Indian Porsche driver not give this lost fellow a lift?
I did not like this Video which is totally artificial with no theme, meaning or purpose.
Yadu Singh/Sydney/14th Dec 2010
FISA presents itself as an association of Indian students in Australia. It had published a 10 points charter of demands.
In addition to many impractical demands contained in this 10 point charter, it is canvassing for the help lines or hot lines in all Indian languages.
I am bemused and perplexed with this demand.
What is wrong with help line in English, FISA leaders? After all, students have passed IELTS exam which means they have proficiency in English and Australia is an English speaking country!
May be, FISA leaders can explain their thought process!
For details on FISA’s charter, please click “FISA” category in this site.
Yadu Singh/Sydney/23rd Oct, 2009
UPDATE
Australian Council of Private Education and Training [ACPET] tried to place students in alternative colleges but succeeded only partially. After 28 days, the matter was placed at the hands of DEEWR which has arranged/is arranging placements in TAFE, other institutions in Sydney and in colleges in Melbourne. I know some students have already gone to Melbourne.
While attending a meeting at CRC offices recently, I heard that some schools are asking for fees of about $3000-4000 for the new COE [Contract of Education] which is required as a condition for the international education and the student Visa.
I raised a question about the justification for this unnecessary burden on students when it was not their fault for the Stirling College to go out of business.
I believe that;
1. this extra fees should come from ESOS/DEEWR or
2. DEEWR should speak with the new colleges to not charge this fees.
The bottom line is that former students of Stirling College should not suffer anymore than they have already suffered.
Yadu Singh/Sydney/04-10-09
————————————————————————————————————————————————-
Dear DEEWR authorities
After the collapse of the Stirling College in Sydney, we understood that these students were going to be placed in alternative colleges within 28 days. This was the promise which was made by ACPET.
More than 28 days have passed but the promise has not been fulfilled. We further understand that their matter is now with DEEWR/ESOS.
These students are desperate, frustrated and disappointed because;
1. their money has been taken but they have not received the appropriate training,
2. there is uncertainty about their training and future,
3. there is uncertainty about the plan of action by the DEEWR/ESOS.
We are worried that this desperation may go out of hand for some students. They have invested a big amount of money in their courses and things are going out of control.
We ask DEEWR/ESOS to help these students quickly;
1. by acting speedily in arranging an alternate placement of all students including students of community welfare in Sydney/NSW.
2. by helping these students get the certificates, transcripts and other relevant documents/records from the administrators of this college
3. by doing everything to look after the health and Visa needs of these students until the mess is sorted out.
4. by nominating a “Nodal person” from DEEWR to deal with the matters of the students of the failed Stirling college.
5. by refunding the full fees under Tuition Assurance Scheme if alternate placement is not possible.
Students of community welfare chose Sydney as the place to have their training. The alternate placement must be in Sydney. Some of them have their jobs in Sydney [for the entitled hours as per the the Visa conditions].
We request Minister Ms Julia Gillard and NSW Premier, Mr Nathan Rees to please direct the relevant people to act in a speedy manner in these matters.
Dr Yadu Singh/06-09-09
AISA is holding a function “Students’ issues:from here to where?”
On Sunday, 11th Oct 2009,
At Granville Town Hall, Granville, NSW [300 mtrs from Granville station]
Between 6-9 PM.
All students are invited.
Please RSVP to aisa.sydney@gmail.com
Visit: www.aisa.asn.au for info.
Dr Yadu Singh/Sydney/03-10-09
The stories of the Flying school are known to all. These were covered in SMH, The Australian and ABC [Four Corners] recently.
I met a couple of them today, Sunday, in my office.
We all need to know that they came to Australia to train as pilots and return to India. They were not interested in the “PR” here. They had a vision about their career but it did not go according to their plans.
We all know that Vocational Education, Training Accreditation Board [VETAB] has done an enquiry and taken some action. Dept of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations [DEEWR] has created some confusion by circulating a document about this school. I was sent this document by the Indian Consulate, Sydney recently. I already had this document as it was sent by a student a few days ago, telling something contradictory.
It is not our concern whether this school is registered or de-registered. VETAB and DEEWR can sort this out themselves.
VETAB has its role only up to the registration or lack of registration based on the training standards or lack of it. That is what VETAB is saying. They say that further actions have to be taken by other agencies. These are Fair trading Dept, DEEWR/ESOS and Australian courts.
I think it is not a correct view.
VETAB and DEEWR, both, have a duty of care and have a moral/legal responsibility to to help students in getting a fair treatment because,
1. students came to Australia, knowing that these agencies would look after the quality issues and standards,
2. students had an expectation of fair dealing from these agencies when they complained,
3. students had complained to VETAB/DEEWR well before they either left the school or forced out of the school.
Students complained to these agencies in 2008 but not much was done except passing the buck between these agencies. VETAB became serious only after we and students met Hon Mr Peter Primrose, Hon Ms Helen Westwood, Hon Ms Verity Firth, Minister of Education’s senior advisers and others in April/May 2009.
We ask;
1. that VETAB/DEEWR get involved actively in the matters of these students and put sufficient pressure on this school to resolve the matter quickly.
2. that VETAB/DEEWR encourage the school to use the services of a suitably trained mediator/conciliator to help resolve the problems.
These students are going through a very difficult time in Australia. Some of them have left Australia and others are still here.
We want the VETAB/DEEWR to know that we are willing to be the bridge between the school and the students. We deal with them regularly and know how difficult it is for them. We do however admire them for their resolve to fight against the injustice.
Injustice, they have suffered undoubtedly. We will fight along side them, no doubt because it is the right thing to do.
They deserve a “Fair GO” from VETAB/DEEWR/ESOS/Australian media.
VETAB/DEEWR/ESOS, Please act fast!
Would the ministers in charge of these bodies [Hon Ms Verity Firth and Hon Ms Julia Gillard] please look into the plight of these students?
Dr Yadu Singh/06-09-09
Dear AISA and FISA leaders,
We ask that you;
1. work together,
2. interact, communicate and co-ordinate with the us [Indian community] as we are also a significant stake holder,
because you would have a better results for the international students if you follow these principles.
We ask you to please;
1. stay away from those who have a conflict of interest in the students’ matters,
2. be aware of the agenda of those so called “leaders” who are directly benefiting from students related matters,
Our Indian students need the help, support, encouragement, mentoring and leadership which can be provided if we all work as an effective and efficient team.
They have a right to have a quality training and freedom from exploitation. They have paid the money for it.
We can do it and lets do it.
Dr Yadu Singh/-6-09-09
Dear DEEWR authorities
After the collapse of the Stirling College in Sydney, we understood that these students were going to be placed in alternative colleges within 28 days. This was the promise which was made by ACPET.
More than 28 days have passed but the promise has not been fulfilled. We further understand that their matter is now with DEEWR/ESOS.
These students are desperate, frustrated and disappointed because;
1. their money has been taken but they have not received the appropriate training,
2. there is uncertainty about their training and future,
3. there is uncertainty about the plan of action by the DEEWR/ESOS.
We are worried that this desperation may go out of hand for some students. They have invested a big amount of money in their courses and things are going out of control.
We ask DEEWR/ESOS to help these students quickly;
1. by acting speedily in arranging an alternate placement of all students including students of community welfare in Sydney/NSW.
2. by helping these students get the certificates, transcripts and other relevant documents/records from the administrators of this college
3. by doing everything to look after the health and Visa needs of these students until the mess is sorted out.
4. by nominating a “Nodal person” from DEEWR to deal with the matters of the students of the failed Stirling college.
5. by refunding the full fees under Tuition Assurance Scheme if alternate placement is not possible.
Students of community welfare chose Sydney as the place to have their training. The alternate placement must be in Sydney. Some of them have their jobs in Sydney [for the entitled hours as per the the Visa conditions].
We request Minister Ms Julia Gillard and NSW Premier, Mr Nathan Rees to please direct the relevant people to act in a speedy manner in these matters.
Dr Yadu Singh/06-09-09
MEDIA grandstanding must stop: FISA is making impractical and irrelevant demands.
We are concerned about impractical and irrelevant demands which FISA seems to be making. We have seen their 10 point charter and considered it carefully. We see some serious problems in their thought-process and offer following response point by point;
1) Free two weeks board to welcome Indian students:
If Melbourne’s 100,000-strong Indian community gave each student 2 week’s free boarding it would help them find their feet in a new country. (Note: the City of Darwin has launched borders without borders program with the general Australian community along these lines. Sure the Indian community can help with free accommodation). Together we can help students settle easily as many professional Indians have large homes with empty rooms.
OUR RESPONSE: It is not practical and realistic to expect established Indian Australians to provide boarding for any number of weeks to Indian students. How can one provide such boarding when they do not even know them? There is no justification for such a ridiculous suggestion. FISA’s suggestion is nothing but media grand standing. This type of suggestion is not going to solve the accommodation issues which students face in Australia. It is our belief that education providers who make money from these students must arrange accommodation for the initial 3-6 months at a market cost. This would allow these students to get used to the system here and give them sufficient confidence to be able to find the appropriate rental accommodation.
2) Donate to the FISA victims of crime fund
Indian migrants are one of the richest migrant groups in Australia. Indian businesses and professionals can afford to donate generously to the FISA victims of crime fund so that victims like Sravan Kumar who was savagely attacked in his home in Glenroy are looked after properly.
OUR RESPONSE: FISA is not able to think beyond media grand standing. Any Victim of crime fund will never have sufficient money to cover the medical expense of the nature which Sravan Kumar needs. The ICU fees for one day could be something like $5000 and it could go for more than $100000 for one victim. No community can and will be able to arrange funds of this nature. Making such suggestions is completely unrealistic. Expenses on the treatment for a Victim of crime must be covered by the Gov/Medicare which is the case with the Victim of petrol bomb attack in Sydney. We believe that every student must maintain valid, appropriate and current medical cover insurance for a situation when they need treatment due to injuries or illnesses. This is not the case with many students presently. Ongoing and current medical cover insurance must be a condition for the continuation of the VISA.
3) Free medical checkup from Indian doctors
The local Indian community has thousands of medical doctors and medical specialists. By offering free medical checkups to students we can ensure they are looked after health wise while they are here. This will also ensure a point of contact that is badly needed.
OUR RESPONSE: Medical doctors will/do provide free medical check-ups in some situations but this is not going to be the solution which FISA seems to be suggesting. Medical doctors cannot provide free treatment in case of admissions in ICU etc and cannot provide free medicines. As before, FISA’s suggestion is completely unrealistic and is indicative of media grand standing. Again, we believe that every student must hold a valid, current and appropriate medical cover insurance while in Australia and this must be a condition for their VISA. If they have this cover, they do not need to depend on the charity from anyone.
4) Free legal advice from Indian lawyers
the local Indian community has thousands of lawyers. By offering free legal service the established Indian community can help students on critical issues. Indian lawyers could also join together to lodge human rights cases against Victorian and Australian governments, education institutions and immigrations agents who are ripping off many students with false claims and promises. Lawyers could also help lodge disputes for unfair treatment and discrimination at work.
OUR RESPONSE: Free legal assistance from Indian Australian Lawyers and free service from every Indian Australian for our students would be great but is not going to happen. This suggestion is completely impractical and unrealistic. Our students are getting ripped off by so many and they include agents in India, some education providers and some immigration agents but we cannot see that our lawyers or other professionals would provide free services at all times. We believe that Federal Gov must establish an Ombudsman immediately to deal with these issues. Decisions from the Ombudsman cannot be challenged in a court. FISA must stop media grand standing.
5) More student Hotlines in all Indian languages
we need all community groups to chip in and establish hotlines in all Indian languages. These need to be staffed with qualified counselors. Most students look to the Indian association that speaks their language. Few have heard of FIAV or other umbrella groups.
OUR RESPONSE: Helpline should be in English language and not in Indian languages. All students are able to speak and understand English which is a condition of their VISA. Our students need to integrate. Nobody is going to start help lines in all Indian languages. It would be impossible to arrange funding for such ridiculous ideas. We leave FISA and FIAV to sort out their turf war in Melbourne. What is the stand of FISA in Sydney where they are part of an umbrella group but not chairing the students’ committee of that umbrella group? They were nowhere to be seen when our committee and that umbrella group held a combined meeting recently. Despite FISA and that Umbrella group’s public stand against the Rally in Sydney, they did not follow their words.
6) Safety watch committees
Local established Indian groups could adopt a station to provide community or neighborhood watch committees. If middle class and educated people are at stations at night then the risk of attacks will be reduced. Police are more likely to listen to wealthy professional Indians than students. In addition these safety watch committees can report back to Police and work to reduce poor lighting and other hazards at stations in the poorer suburbs.
OUR RESPONSE: Safety watch by established Indian Australians is not the solution. This suggestion is ridiculous. FISA seems to come out with immature, impractical and inappropriate suggestions. We do not need a parallel security apparatus for Indians in Australia. We are part of the same Australian community and our problems will need to be solved within the holistic approach to safety/security issues. We do need to put sufficient pressure on the Governments/Police to intensify the patrolling, under-cover policing and adopt proactive measures to stop the crimes against our students.
7) Political power – the great Indian vote boycott
Established Indians have huge political power given that they live in large numbers in marginal seats in the Melbourne’s more affluent east. By refusing to vote for the major Liberal and Labor parties until action is taken to ensure students safety they can send a powerful message to state and federal government. Established Indians should boycott voting for major parties until students’ demands are met and their security assured. Politicians are power hungry and will meet our demands if they know established Indians are boycotting their parties. By boycotting both parties, we will also stop the state and federal opposition’s ‘political play acting’ and get them to vote for real changes in parliament for Indian students.
OUR RESPONSE: The suggestion of boycotting the main political parties is a crazy idea. We, in fact, need to join them and participate in the political process in Australia. We will be more effective if we join them. FISA guys, please get real. Indians in Australia do not subscribe to a victim mentality and we do not want any of us to adopt a victim’s mentality. We need to analyze, debate and formulate a proper strategy to stop the crime against our students. We must accept that some crimes will continue to happen as they happen against non-Indians.
8) Public shaming of community rip off merchants
in many cases landlords, bosses, immigration agents and education institutions are ripping off our Indian students. Indian community groups need to name and shame these people who are bringing the reputation of Indians in to disrepute and exploiting Indian students. Each community groups could publish the name of ‘rip off merchants’ on their websites so that students know exactly who they should avoid.
OUR RESPONSE: Public naming and shaming of the “rip off merchants” from our or other communities is again an impractical suggestion. It would lead to legal cases and unnecessary legal fees and damages. No individual or association with sane mind will do the public naming or shaming. FISA guys, please get real. Yesterday, the committee of education ministers and federal education minister has announced a helpline which students can call if they have a complaint and they can do so anonymously. They will also be doing a rapid and effective audit of the “Fly by night” schools which have mushroomed in every suburb in Australian cities. These schools need to be audited effectively if Australia wants to continue growing the $16 billion education industry.
9) Free food kitchens across Melbourne to help students survive
many students are now unemployed or working for as little as one quarter of the legal minimum wage. (Note: The Sikh Temple in Blackburn in Melbourne’s east currently feeds thousands of students seven days a week and is happy to extend this to other suburbs. But we need more Australian Indians to help in southern, northern and western suburbs.
OUR RESPONSE: FISA should remember that they are students and not refugees. Temples should not be converted to Vincent de Paul societies. While community members are able to help on a case to case basis for any genuine or temporary situations, long term free feeding of students would result in too much burden on the local Indian community and might lead into negative effects. Students are expected to have adequate financial capabilities for their stay in Australia according to student Visa conditions. It is not a bright idea to expect the Indian community and temples to provide free food seven days a week for the rapidly growing student population. In addition who is going to fund this type of “free kitchens for students?” and for how long?
10) Local Indians to support FISA demands
Established Indians can call their local MPs and lobby them to support FISA 10 point plan for better student safety.
Many Australian MPs are not scared of students because they do not vote and will not take FISA’s demands seriously. These MPs are more likely to address FISA’s student demands if the local voting Indian’s call, email and write to politicians demanding action on student safety. If Premier John Brumby receives 100,000 letters and Kevin Rudd receives 200,000 letters from local voting Indians then they will both act swiftly on Indian student safety.
OUR RESPONSE: This is nothing but a cheap publicity stunt and a copy cat of typical Indian politics carried out in Australia in the name of student issues. Both Australian Government and the Indian Government have agreed at the Prime Minister level to take immediate measures addressing student concerns including safety related issues. FISA seems to have run out of ideas in getting the local support for their “10 point” demands and it is a joke to think that Kevin Rudd will act only after receiving 200,000 letters. The Indian community will be a laughing stock even if a few members support this funny idea of sending mass mail.
We urge FISA guys to think through anything before jumping with suggestions which are laughable and unrealistic. FISA guys need to discuss with others before going on media grand standing with half-cooked and ridiculous ideas.
Indian Consul General’s Community Committee on Indian Students’ Issues
Sydney, NSW
PS:[1] This was the response we gave to Indian Link newspaper which asked the committee to provide its response/views in regards to the FISA’s 10 points charter.
[2]Please note that the above-mentioned committee had completed its job and provided its reports/recommendations to the relevant authorities. It had then dissolved itself at the end of June 2009. The committee had communicated its decision to the Consul General on 1/7/09.
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