An Indian-origin woman has been appointed as state’s multicultural commissioner by the Victorian government to strengthen the multiculturalism and diversity in the state.
60-year-old Madhu Bhatia was appointed as Victorian multicultural commissioner by the state premier John Brumby.
Her appointment comes at a time when the relation of Indian diaspora in Australia really needs a thought, effort and imagination to integrate the community in the backdrop of “the outbreak of attacks on Indian students”.
Commenting on her new role, Bhatia said: “My aim is to work with different communities as a new commissioner with my special focus on Indians. I will try to work around the initiatives that would help Indian community to better integrate and participate in mainstream Australia.
She said that government had been really working hard to control stress post the Indian student crisis and have taken several initiatives.
“I would try and work on stronger links and closeness between the authorities here and the Indian community so that all misconceptions are eliminated,” she said.
The state Premier announced her appointment as a Commissioner to the Victorian Multicultural Commission (VMC) for further strengthening state’s multicultural communities.
Bhatia was born in India and had lived in countries like the USA, China, Bahrain, Iran, Syria and Germany where she has taught English and cultural sensitivity, according to an official statement.
Bhatia arrived in Melbourne in 1996 and currently serves as a convener and board member for Harmony Australia, where she works to identify issues and challenges faced by international students in Melbourne.
Source:http://indianlocal.com.au/blog/latestnews/indian-origin-woman-has-been-appointed-as-victoria-states-multicultural-commissioner/
Friday, September 10, 2010
Australia`s first “Indian” Senator
The 38 year old Lisa Maria Singh is the first person of South Asian origin to enter the Australian federal Parliament.She was a former minister and member of Tasmanian parliament who bounced back after her defeat in March state elections.
She is of Rajput origin from Gwalior located in Madhya Pradesh in India.Her great grandfather moved to Fiji in the year 1902 under the British government as a labourer.Her grandfather rose in ranks and became a member of the Fijian parliament in the 1970s. Her father had migrated to Australia as an international student.
She is proud of her Indian heritage. She has visited India several times and also as a member of parliament in 2007, meeting the president and fellow Indian parliamentarians.
Community development has been her path of interest throughout her tertiary education. In fact she did her thesis on street kids and petty crime in Hobart CBD, advocating the urgent need for early intervention and prevention.
As a Member of Parliament,she served on various parliamentary committees and has lobbied for housing, public transport, cultural diversity.
She introduced significant reforms in her portfolio areas, as well as assisting the Premier on Climate Change.She reformed workers compensation laws in Tasmania, established a unique whole of government asbestos policy, introduced reforms in the private rental market, vendor disclosure and energy efficiency standards for residential properties, and commenced a ten year reform plan for the Tasmanian corrections system.
We wish Lisa every success in her new prestigious role.
More : http://indianlocal.com.au/blog/latestnews/australias-first-indian-senator/
She is of Rajput origin from Gwalior located in Madhya Pradesh in India.Her great grandfather moved to Fiji in the year 1902 under the British government as a labourer.Her grandfather rose in ranks and became a member of the Fijian parliament in the 1970s. Her father had migrated to Australia as an international student.
She is proud of her Indian heritage. She has visited India several times and also as a member of parliament in 2007, meeting the president and fellow Indian parliamentarians.
Community development has been her path of interest throughout her tertiary education. In fact she did her thesis on street kids and petty crime in Hobart CBD, advocating the urgent need for early intervention and prevention.
As a Member of Parliament,she served on various parliamentary committees and has lobbied for housing, public transport, cultural diversity.
She introduced significant reforms in her portfolio areas, as well as assisting the Premier on Climate Change.She reformed workers compensation laws in Tasmania, established a unique whole of government asbestos policy, introduced reforms in the private rental market, vendor disclosure and energy efficiency standards for residential properties, and commenced a ten year reform plan for the Tasmanian corrections system.
We wish Lisa every success in her new prestigious role.
More : http://indianlocal.com.au/blog/latestnews/australias-first-indian-senator/
Thursday, September 9, 2010
Overseas student numbers plummet
THE fall in international student commencements accelerated in July as numbers from India plummeted with the crackdown on student visa fraud and tougher migration policies.
The falls are hitting vocational and English language courses heavily but these also feed students into universities, which are braced for the effects as well.
The figures, compiled by Australian Education International, have been revealed as the international education sector lobbies government for support and for adjustments to be made to the visa rulings.
Year-to-date new student commencements across the whole international sector were down 7.4 per cent at the end of July compared with a year ago.
The English college sector was worst hit, with a fall of 23 per cent, while the vocational sector dropped 8.6 per cent.
Commencements in the higher education sector, however, were up 5.6 per cent.
The drop is mainly in registrations from India, where much of the visa fraud had been concentrated. Year-to-date commencements from India have fallen by 20,000 students, or 40 per cent, to 30,500.
Melbourne University migration expert Lesleyanne Hawthorne said the vocational and English college sectors were experiencing a necessary reversal after fast growth as students and colleges took advantage of the previous study to migration pathway.
The old system awarded bonus points for permanent residency for a plethora of courses, including hairdressing and cookery.
However, the government's recent changes would keep students intent on migrating focused on doing quality courses and securing employee sponsorship, she said.
"We are having a shake-out that was inevitable. The steps that have been taken federally to say enrolment in an Australian course isn't an automatic entitlement to permanent residency was a necessary statement," Professor Hawthorne said.
Source:http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/nation/overseas-student-numbers-plummet/story-e6frg6nf-1225913528166
The falls are hitting vocational and English language courses heavily but these also feed students into universities, which are braced for the effects as well.
The figures, compiled by Australian Education International, have been revealed as the international education sector lobbies government for support and for adjustments to be made to the visa rulings.
Year-to-date new student commencements across the whole international sector were down 7.4 per cent at the end of July compared with a year ago.
The English college sector was worst hit, with a fall of 23 per cent, while the vocational sector dropped 8.6 per cent.
Commencements in the higher education sector, however, were up 5.6 per cent.
The drop is mainly in registrations from India, where much of the visa fraud had been concentrated. Year-to-date commencements from India have fallen by 20,000 students, or 40 per cent, to 30,500.
Melbourne University migration expert Lesleyanne Hawthorne said the vocational and English college sectors were experiencing a necessary reversal after fast growth as students and colleges took advantage of the previous study to migration pathway.
The old system awarded bonus points for permanent residency for a plethora of courses, including hairdressing and cookery.
However, the government's recent changes would keep students intent on migrating focused on doing quality courses and securing employee sponsorship, she said.
"We are having a shake-out that was inevitable. The steps that have been taken federally to say enrolment in an Australian course isn't an automatic entitlement to permanent residency was a necessary statement," Professor Hawthorne said.
Source:http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/nation/overseas-student-numbers-plummet/story-e6frg6nf-1225913528166
Officials clueless on student visa breaches
PRIORITY efforts by universities and TAFEs to win more streamlined visa processing for their students are being hampered by a lack of official research on student visa breaches.
Sixteen months after Indian student unrest triggered the collapse of the export education industry, the immigration department has conceded it can't tell which sector accounts for most student visa breaches.
The Australian Technology Network and TAFE Directors Australia are calling for upgraded visa processing of their students based upon a belief that their overseas students pose a lower visa breach risk, and should be assessed accordingly.
Australian Technology Network chairman, Ross Milbourne, said Australia faced serious issues regarding its overseas students, but they didn't relate to universities.
"Yet the government has made no differentiation in its crackdown on student entry requirements," Professor Milbourne said.
By refusing to deal with lower-risk university students in a separate category, Australia risked massive economic fallout and job losses, Professor Milbourne said.
Similarly, the TDA has called upon the immigration department to analyse whether private college students breach their visas more often than those enrolled in TAFE, TDA international director Peter Holden said.
However, the peak body for English language colleges in universities and the private sector -- English Australia -- has rejected the "differentiation" push.
"You can't just say public good, private bad. That's way too blunt an instrument," EA executive director Sue Blundell said.
The Australian Council of Private Education and Training has also opposed the move, saying Australia needed a single tertiary system that did not "favour one type of institution over another."
Current law doesn't allow for the assignment of separate risk assessment levels according to type of education provider within a student visa sub-class.
However, the department indicated it is open to changes to the student risk assessment regime following the lobbying. But the common practice of students bundling courses at private and public providers would have to be addressed, the department said.
Source:http://www.theaustralian.com.au/higher-education/officials-clueless-on-student-visa-breaches/story-e6frgcjx-1225912496595
Sixteen months after Indian student unrest triggered the collapse of the export education industry, the immigration department has conceded it can't tell which sector accounts for most student visa breaches.
The Australian Technology Network and TAFE Directors Australia are calling for upgraded visa processing of their students based upon a belief that their overseas students pose a lower visa breach risk, and should be assessed accordingly.
Australian Technology Network chairman, Ross Milbourne, said Australia faced serious issues regarding its overseas students, but they didn't relate to universities.
"Yet the government has made no differentiation in its crackdown on student entry requirements," Professor Milbourne said.
By refusing to deal with lower-risk university students in a separate category, Australia risked massive economic fallout and job losses, Professor Milbourne said.
Similarly, the TDA has called upon the immigration department to analyse whether private college students breach their visas more often than those enrolled in TAFE, TDA international director Peter Holden said.
However, the peak body for English language colleges in universities and the private sector -- English Australia -- has rejected the "differentiation" push.
"You can't just say public good, private bad. That's way too blunt an instrument," EA executive director Sue Blundell said.
The Australian Council of Private Education and Training has also opposed the move, saying Australia needed a single tertiary system that did not "favour one type of institution over another."
Current law doesn't allow for the assignment of separate risk assessment levels according to type of education provider within a student visa sub-class.
However, the department indicated it is open to changes to the student risk assessment regime following the lobbying. But the common practice of students bundling courses at private and public providers would have to be addressed, the department said.
Source:http://www.theaustralian.com.au/higher-education/officials-clueless-on-student-visa-breaches/story-e6frgcjx-1225912496595
Gandhi statue unveiled at the University of New South Wales in Australia
Sydney, Sept.7 (ANI): The close links between India and UNSW have been highlighted by the unveiling of a bust of Gandhi on the Library Lawn.
The bronze sculpture and a collection of books are a gift from the Government of India to the people of NSW and to the University.
The Consul-General of India in Sydney, Mr Amit Dasgupta, who presented the gift in October during the height of the student crisis, acknowledged the work being done by UNSW in maintaining close relations with the Indian community and providing a safe environment for Indian students.
At the unveiling, Mr Dasgupta said that education and globalisation are both key in spreading messages against violence.
"Gandhi was born in India, but he belongs to each and every one of you," said Mr Dasgupta, who spoke of the leader's message of non-violence.
The Vice-Chancellor noted that the sculpture is in one of the most prominent places at the University - and has already attracted much interest from students.
Mr Dasgupta, the Vice-Chancellor Professor Fred Hilmer and the Treasurer of NSW Eric Roozendaal unveiled the sculpture in front of other prominent members of the University, Indian and broader communities.
The event was held on the 100th anniversary of Wattle Day (1 September). Wattles are usually the first plants to rise from the ashes of bushfires and provide protection for other seedlings.
"Wattle is to be a lasting symbol of student safety at UNSW," says the Pro-Vice-Chancellor (International) Jennie Lang, who says that the plant will be grown around campus as a message of goodwill. (ANI)
Source:http://news.oneindia.in/2010/09/07/gandhistatue-unveiled-at-the-university-of-new-southwales.html
The bronze sculpture and a collection of books are a gift from the Government of India to the people of NSW and to the University.
The Consul-General of India in Sydney, Mr Amit Dasgupta, who presented the gift in October during the height of the student crisis, acknowledged the work being done by UNSW in maintaining close relations with the Indian community and providing a safe environment for Indian students.
At the unveiling, Mr Dasgupta said that education and globalisation are both key in spreading messages against violence.
"Gandhi was born in India, but he belongs to each and every one of you," said Mr Dasgupta, who spoke of the leader's message of non-violence.
The Vice-Chancellor noted that the sculpture is in one of the most prominent places at the University - and has already attracted much interest from students.
Mr Dasgupta, the Vice-Chancellor Professor Fred Hilmer and the Treasurer of NSW Eric Roozendaal unveiled the sculpture in front of other prominent members of the University, Indian and broader communities.
The event was held on the 100th anniversary of Wattle Day (1 September). Wattles are usually the first plants to rise from the ashes of bushfires and provide protection for other seedlings.
"Wattle is to be a lasting symbol of student safety at UNSW," says the Pro-Vice-Chancellor (International) Jennie Lang, who says that the plant will be grown around campus as a message of goodwill. (ANI)
Source:http://news.oneindia.in/2010/09/07/gandhistatue-unveiled-at-the-university-of-new-southwales.html
Australian unis drop in world rankings
The Australian National University (ANU) is one of a number of Australian universities that have fallen in the latest world rankings of tertiary institutions.
The ANU remains the country's top institution but has dropped three spots on the QS World University rankings, falling from 17 to 20.
Other universities around the country also fell, including the University of Adelaide which dropped 22 places to 103.
The University of New South Wales was the only Australian institution to rise, moving up one place to 47.
But ANU acting vice-chancellor Lawrence Cram says he is not worried about the shift.
"The rankings are so subject to minor variations up and down that one year's shift in one way or the other doesn't really mean much at all," he said.
"The rankings are produced by averaging together a number of different factors from different universities and it's almost impossible to see why the ANU would fall or rise in any given year."
The increasing quality of Asian universities is expected to see Australian institutions drop further in the rankings in coming years.
"International competition amongst universities is very intense and there are many countries who are supporting their universities to try and promote them up those ladders," Professor Cram said.
"A country like China ... is now building a university system and gradually their universities will start to move up in the world rankings.
"I think under the current settings Australian universities - including the ANU - will stay pretty level or perhaps slip back a little bit."
Professor Cram says more money needs to be invested in the country's top institutions if the Australian public wants to maintain the pride associated with high university rankings.
"Our university system is really high up there. We have an excellent system of universities in Australia and we're coming off a couple of years of quite good support. However other countries are investing a lot of money in building their university systems," he said.
"We need to keep up there. We need to keep the level of investment and keep catching up."
Source:http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/09/09/3007136.htm
The ANU remains the country's top institution but has dropped three spots on the QS World University rankings, falling from 17 to 20.
Other universities around the country also fell, including the University of Adelaide which dropped 22 places to 103.
The University of New South Wales was the only Australian institution to rise, moving up one place to 47.
But ANU acting vice-chancellor Lawrence Cram says he is not worried about the shift.
"The rankings are so subject to minor variations up and down that one year's shift in one way or the other doesn't really mean much at all," he said.
"The rankings are produced by averaging together a number of different factors from different universities and it's almost impossible to see why the ANU would fall or rise in any given year."
The increasing quality of Asian universities is expected to see Australian institutions drop further in the rankings in coming years.
"International competition amongst universities is very intense and there are many countries who are supporting their universities to try and promote them up those ladders," Professor Cram said.
"A country like China ... is now building a university system and gradually their universities will start to move up in the world rankings.
"I think under the current settings Australian universities - including the ANU - will stay pretty level or perhaps slip back a little bit."
Professor Cram says more money needs to be invested in the country's top institutions if the Australian public wants to maintain the pride associated with high university rankings.
"Our university system is really high up there. We have an excellent system of universities in Australia and we're coming off a couple of years of quite good support. However other countries are investing a lot of money in building their university systems," he said.
"We need to keep up there. We need to keep the level of investment and keep catching up."
Source:http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/09/09/3007136.htm
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Joblessness higher among migrants
Unemployment among skilled migrants and their families is 30 per cent higher than for the population as a whole, new research shows, but those who do have a job are more likely to be in a professional role.
A new Bureau of Statistics report provides the clearest picture yet of the economic outcomes for Australia's skilled migrant program by linking census data with the government's migrant settlement database.
Although the program is geared towards overcoming serious skills shortages, a significant number of skilled migrants are unable to find work.
At the last census, 7.3 per cent of skilled migrants were unemployed compared with 5.2 per cent of the population as a whole.
''[This] highlights the fact that the skilled migration program is not working,'' a Sydney University migration expert, Dimitria Groutsis, said.
''We are not fully utilising the skills and vocational experience offered by people living overseas.
''There needs to be better … information for individuals when applying in their home country for emigration to Australia about what the expectations are.''
The ABS report suggests another major contributing factor to the higher unemployment rate among migrants was the difficulty faced by the spouses and children of skilled migrant workers in finding work once they joined their partners in Australia. This group - known as ''secondary applicants'' - is made up largely of women, children and other dependent relatives.
Just 32 per cent of secondary applicants of working age were employed full-time compared with 68 per cent of so-called ''primary applicants''.
''The secondary applicant is invariably the female partner,'' Dr Groutsis said. ''They fall through the cracks.
''How many? What skills? What forms of work are they doing?
''The government and the labour market have and continue to focus on the primary applicant - the male head of the family.''
While they may find it more difficult to get a job, skilled migrants were more likely to be employed in a professional role when they did find work.
More than one-third of skilled migrant workers are professionals according to the figures, compared with 20 per cent of workers generally.
The most common industries offering work were scientific and technical services (12 per cent), healthcare and social assistance (12 per cent) and manufacturing (11 per cent).
MIGRANTS AND WORK
- 7.2 per cent of skilled migrants unemployed
- 36 per cent of skilled migrants professionals compared with 20 per cent of workers generally
- Skilled migrants living here for between four and six years 12 per cent more likely to have a full-time job than recent migrants
- 68 per cent of skilled migrant applicants have full-time jobs; 32 per cent of their dependents have full-time jobs
Source:http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/national/joblessness-higher-among-migrants-20100831-14fnb.html
A new Bureau of Statistics report provides the clearest picture yet of the economic outcomes for Australia's skilled migrant program by linking census data with the government's migrant settlement database.
Although the program is geared towards overcoming serious skills shortages, a significant number of skilled migrants are unable to find work.
At the last census, 7.3 per cent of skilled migrants were unemployed compared with 5.2 per cent of the population as a whole.
''[This] highlights the fact that the skilled migration program is not working,'' a Sydney University migration expert, Dimitria Groutsis, said.
''We are not fully utilising the skills and vocational experience offered by people living overseas.
''There needs to be better … information for individuals when applying in their home country for emigration to Australia about what the expectations are.''
The ABS report suggests another major contributing factor to the higher unemployment rate among migrants was the difficulty faced by the spouses and children of skilled migrant workers in finding work once they joined their partners in Australia. This group - known as ''secondary applicants'' - is made up largely of women, children and other dependent relatives.
Just 32 per cent of secondary applicants of working age were employed full-time compared with 68 per cent of so-called ''primary applicants''.
''The secondary applicant is invariably the female partner,'' Dr Groutsis said. ''They fall through the cracks.
''How many? What skills? What forms of work are they doing?
''The government and the labour market have and continue to focus on the primary applicant - the male head of the family.''
While they may find it more difficult to get a job, skilled migrants were more likely to be employed in a professional role when they did find work.
More than one-third of skilled migrant workers are professionals according to the figures, compared with 20 per cent of workers generally.
The most common industries offering work were scientific and technical services (12 per cent), healthcare and social assistance (12 per cent) and manufacturing (11 per cent).
MIGRANTS AND WORK
- 7.2 per cent of skilled migrants unemployed
- 36 per cent of skilled migrants professionals compared with 20 per cent of workers generally
- Skilled migrants living here for between four and six years 12 per cent more likely to have a full-time job than recent migrants
- 68 per cent of skilled migrant applicants have full-time jobs; 32 per cent of their dependents have full-time jobs
Source:http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/national/joblessness-higher-among-migrants-20100831-14fnb.html
Indian student visas fall by half
INTERNATIONAL student visa numbers dropped more than 16 per cent last financial year, with the number from India falling by more than half.
In 2008-09, 65,503 Indian passport holders were granted Australian student visas across all education sectors. But in 2009-10, the number fell to just 29,721.
Overall, 50,540 fewer international students were granted visas to study in Australia in 2009-10 compared with 2008-09.
The results follow a year of turmoil in the international education sector, with legislative changes, the global financial crisis and student security issues putting pressure on student numbers.
Stephen Connelly, president of the International Education Association of Australia, said the drop was not surprising but very worrying.
''There is so much goodwill we generate from having international students in our country, and we are absolutely shooting ourselves in the foot at the moment,'' he said.
Mr Connelly said the government and opposition had sent negative messages to potential students during the federal election campaign and work had to begin on improving Australia's reputation.
If the problems were not tackled quickly, Mr Connelly said, there would be a further significant drop in student numbers.
''Applications being received by agents would indicate that the numbers will go down even further. There's a lot more pain in store, I would say.''
But he played down the significance of student security issues, which flared up in Victoria last year following a series of allegedly racist attacks on Indian students.
''[Student security] would be lower down on the list of reasons than the difficulties of getting a visa and the lack of differentiation among providers,'' Mr Connelly said.
National Union of Students president Carla Drakeford said the drop in numbers was very concerning.
''International student decline is dangerous for the university sector - not only because it creates a hole in university funding, but also because of the innate value international students bring to our community and higher education sector,'' Ms Drakeford said.
She said student security, accommodation and cost of living were all contributing factors in the drop, but she welcomed the government's recent legislative changes designed to weed out ''dodgy'' providers.
Matt McGowan, Victorian secretary of the National Tertiary Education Union, said the drop had ''very real potential to undermine the financial viability of some of our universities and other education providers''.
The acting chief executive of the Australian Council for Private Education and Training, Claire Field, agreed that the government needed to act quickly to reverse the decline.
''The current and projected downturn in international student numbers is placing our economy, our education industry, and Australian jobs at risk.''
A spokeswoman for Immigration Minister Chris Evans said that despite the fall, Australia was still receiving large numbers of applications for student visas, but that ''the government understands it is a difficult environment for the international education sector at the moment''.
She said the government had made changes to ''protect the quality of education Australia offers and ensure the skilled migration program is more responsive to the nation's skills needs''.
''Education is a major export market for Australia and there must be a focus on the quality of the export, not just numbers of students enrolling in courses,'' the spokeswoman said.
Source:http://www.theage.com.au/national/education/indian-student-visas-fall-by-half-20100901-14nkl.html
In 2008-09, 65,503 Indian passport holders were granted Australian student visas across all education sectors. But in 2009-10, the number fell to just 29,721.
Overall, 50,540 fewer international students were granted visas to study in Australia in 2009-10 compared with 2008-09.
The results follow a year of turmoil in the international education sector, with legislative changes, the global financial crisis and student security issues putting pressure on student numbers.
Stephen Connelly, president of the International Education Association of Australia, said the drop was not surprising but very worrying.
''There is so much goodwill we generate from having international students in our country, and we are absolutely shooting ourselves in the foot at the moment,'' he said.
Mr Connelly said the government and opposition had sent negative messages to potential students during the federal election campaign and work had to begin on improving Australia's reputation.
If the problems were not tackled quickly, Mr Connelly said, there would be a further significant drop in student numbers.
''Applications being received by agents would indicate that the numbers will go down even further. There's a lot more pain in store, I would say.''
But he played down the significance of student security issues, which flared up in Victoria last year following a series of allegedly racist attacks on Indian students.
''[Student security] would be lower down on the list of reasons than the difficulties of getting a visa and the lack of differentiation among providers,'' Mr Connelly said.
National Union of Students president Carla Drakeford said the drop in numbers was very concerning.
''International student decline is dangerous for the university sector - not only because it creates a hole in university funding, but also because of the innate value international students bring to our community and higher education sector,'' Ms Drakeford said.
She said student security, accommodation and cost of living were all contributing factors in the drop, but she welcomed the government's recent legislative changes designed to weed out ''dodgy'' providers.
Matt McGowan, Victorian secretary of the National Tertiary Education Union, said the drop had ''very real potential to undermine the financial viability of some of our universities and other education providers''.
The acting chief executive of the Australian Council for Private Education and Training, Claire Field, agreed that the government needed to act quickly to reverse the decline.
''The current and projected downturn in international student numbers is placing our economy, our education industry, and Australian jobs at risk.''
A spokeswoman for Immigration Minister Chris Evans said that despite the fall, Australia was still receiving large numbers of applications for student visas, but that ''the government understands it is a difficult environment for the international education sector at the moment''.
She said the government had made changes to ''protect the quality of education Australia offers and ensure the skilled migration program is more responsive to the nation's skills needs''.
''Education is a major export market for Australia and there must be a focus on the quality of the export, not just numbers of students enrolling in courses,'' the spokeswoman said.
Source:http://www.theage.com.au/national/education/indian-student-visas-fall-by-half-20100901-14nkl.html
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