Category Archives: DIAC

Nov 12 2010

OZ in November 2010 listens to our echo and my impressions of the new Skilled Migration Point Test.

“An echo (plural echoes) is a reflection of sound, arriving at the listener some time after the direct sound.”

This has been an unusual week and one that fosters optimism and hope for 2011 in the Industry. On Tuesday, a gathering of selective education agents and also some members of the press in presence of several officers of the Australian Post in New Delhi heard an eminent expert from Australian International Education Industry indicating the following:

  1. The interpretations and use of various stats on student mobility and the number of international student numbers tend to confuse and misguide and the only real statistics to gauge changes to demand for a country destination is the fresh student visa numbers. The reality is that there has been a severe fall in student numbers from India this year and he was quoting the DIAC statistics.
  2. The Minister for Education of Australia (while in Beijing) has reportedly criticized the student visa regulations which have become a detriment in the growth of the industry and is not serving the purpose. There are indications that he will be recommending to the Minister for Immigration to review them.
  3. An urgent need for all to come together to re-launch brand Australia.

He is right in making the points but these points are not being made for the first time. No. Not at all. I have argued over last 4 years that the use of enrolment stats by Australia often ends up misguiding and confusing the decision makers. The point has been repeatedly made and even recently, I attacked the attempt to spin the reality with the help of enrolment stats that painted a better picture but just a picture nevertheless. The second point too has been the one that AAERI has lobbied for and provided “formal and informal” submissions to the then Minister of Immigration directly or through their office. Wait a minute here: The Minister for Immigration of that time is the current Minister for Education and hence the Minister seems to be acknowledging finally that the regulations that he introduced and decided upon have indeed become an undesired “cocktail”. AAERI too has been shouting to all who matter that there is need to re-launch the Australian Education Brand in the Indian market and this job has to begin with the Government and others pooling in. I have written on the need to re-create a “pull” for quality Australian Education in my blogs.

This is the reason why I refer to the comments as an “echo” but certainly welcome. I want to thank all for coming around to the views here… This gives us fresh optimism for 2011. Now the voice will be louder and hence the echoes will be more effective.

Fresh optimism also arise from the New Point Test for General Skilled Migration announced in Australia yesterday.

Though not a Migration “expert” or a Migration “agent”, I have been involved with the industry for a sufficient period of time to be able to gather its merits and demerits. Having said this, my comments below remains an opinion only and can still be plagued by biases. (Though I hope not.)

I find the new point-test to be a huge directional change as far as it attempts at favouring the “university graduates” over “vocationals”.

However, I failed to find any implementation of the hyped commentaries that Australia was delinking migration from international education. I have always maintained that it is just not possible to delink the two as they inter-dependent. Students travelling overseas from markets like India or China do and will continue to seek “post study work or settlement opportunities” and I have made this point even in my earlier blogs. The new point-test too maintains the link in future.

There are several ways in which education will continue to remain a pathway to migration and it is not unique to Australia. Under the proposed point-test, International students graduating after two years of study will get 5 points extra which appears to be of critical importance when the pass mark for PR will be 65. International students who choose to study at campuses away from larger cities will get another 5 points AND there are 5 points for 1 year Australian work experience that in my opinion will be easier for graduating students who move to subclass 485-visa post study. The professional year gives 5 points and can now be counted as additional (not in lieu) of the 1-year OZ experience points.

I want to say THANK YOU to the Minister and the department.

Saying THANK YOU are possibly the following others in Australia:

  1. Migration Agents may find that the new system opens opportunities for them in offshore markets where those with minimum 6.0 IELTS can quite easily make it with a few years of experience and points from partner’s qualification. Also the regional sponsorships will keep them busy.
  2. Private Education Providers are possibly smelling “quick bucks” by way of onshore students attempting to undertake parallel English Classes to enable a higher IELTS and possibly some who might need tutoring for them to clear the requirement for the community language points. The “professional year” is worth exploring too.
  3. Onshore education agents may attempt to market the “professional year” courses and programs and enable thousands of the currently enrolled vocational students at TAFEs to either move through a package onto degrees or move institutions from private diplomas to the universities.
  4. IELTS Australia will certainly once again come out smiling. The unfortunate monopoly that IELTS enjoys (despite TOEFL and PTE lobbying hard) ensures that the higher IELTS score requirements will result in applicants retaking the IELTS several times to clear the tough requirements.
  5. Those in the age group of 30-32 and 45-50 will be delighted with the new point test. The highest points for age are now allotted up-to the age of 32 (and not 30) and the ceiling has been raised to under 50 from the earlier limit of 45.

These are the positives but there are those who seem to be quite disappointed and would say “rightly so too” in “some” cases.

  1. Vocational Courses and providers have been dealt a severe blow. The students who undertake these courses are certainly more “job ready” but will find the point-test more difficult due to less points for diplomas and also due to minimum bench marks set for English proficiency even though their work skills require lower levels. Vocational students at the most undertake 2-year diplomas and hence the age of the graduating student will mostly be around early 20s and now they will get fewer points for being under 25. I feel that Australia has failed to address the needs not just of the TAFE providers who offer quality training but will also lead to skill shortages in Australia in fairly near future once again.
  2. The issue of lower points for those less than 25 years of age also disadvantages graduating Bachelors degree students. Historical evidence will indicate that those who undertake a Bachelors degree over 3 or 4 years in Australia fit in better in the country’s work place even over those who come with Bachelors from elsewhere and undertake a shorter Masters degree.
  3. The provision for the highest English language points to those with 8.0 score in IELTS is too too severe. I challenge an “average” Australian University graduate even with a “distinction” in academics to take the IELTS and get this score in the first attempt. Doctors. Nurses and Teachers world over and including in UK are required to only provide evidence of 7.0 in IELTS which too is considered quite a high bench mark and hence the new 8.0 score requirement for the maximum points is only going to rich-en the providers of the IELTS as the students will be forced to retake IELTS several times.
  4. In India, markets like Punjab, Gujarat and possibly even Hyderabad will find fewer takers even for the quality Aussie degrees or programs.

Having said the above, I welcome the new point-test for two reasons. Firstly, it maintains the pathway for international students studying in Australia to move to PR despite all politically noisy arguments and Secondly, it puts an end to the 9 months of labour(!) ever since the government’s announcement in February that the system will be revamped and then began introducing the policies in “installments” leading to utter chaos.

Now that we have the bricks delivered we can begin re-building Australia once again in the Indian minds.

Disclaimer: Though not a Migration “expert” or a Migration “agent”, I have been involved with the industry for a sufficient period of time to be able to gather its merits and demerits. Having said this, my comments below remains an opinion only and can still be plagued by biases. (Though I hope not.). More authoritative information can only be found on www.immi.gov.au

Sep 10 2010

UK Immigration Minister signals “review” of student visas… Has UK learnt its lesson? I doubt.

Deccan Chronicle reported on 7th September that British immigration minister, Mr Damian Green, is due to announce a crackdown on student visas. (See link.)

Mr Green, in an interview with Radio 5 Live on Monday morning mentioned his India visit. “I’m going to see if [visas] are benefiting university students. We’ve found people calling themselves collegiates but instead had a room above a kebab shop … I recently came back from India where I saw rows of shops where literally every other shop was offering visas to study in England. The authorities in India want to cooperate, as they don’t want their students conned by unscrupulous agents there,” he said.

Guys, are you surprised!!! Ever since UK lifted the flood gates more than a year ago, I have been predicting that a “review” will be needed sooner than later…

In an attempt to better understand what the Immigration Minister is saying, I visited the speech made to Royal Commonwealth Society by Home Office Immigration Minister Damian Green on 6th September 2010. Here are the excerpts from that speech:

Of course it is true that there have been many changes in the system since 2004 so it would be wrong to extrapolate directly, but the possible consequences are clear. If we continue to have a fifth of each cohort of students staying long term we will have very high net migration numbers indeed.

To those who say that these are precisely the brightest and the best who Britain needs, I would say let’s look at the facts. We estimate that around half, I repeat, around half of the students coming here from abroad only, are coming to study a degree level (or above) course.

Most people think foreign students come here to attend our top universities and of course these are the students we want to attract. But the real picture of the parts of Britain’s education system that attract foreign students is much more varied. It includes the publicly-funded further education sector, private vocational colleges, language schools, independent schools and many partnerships between higher and further educational institutions. The foreign students attending these various establishments may, or frankly may not be, the brightest and the best.

I want a student visa system which encourages the entry of legitimate students coming to study legitimate courses.  For me that certainly means students coming to study at universities, students who are equipped to study the courses to which they have subscribed and who fulfil their academic obligations, students who at the end of their period of leave return to their country of origin. That is good for the students concerned, it is good for the institutions they study in, and it is good for Britain. Indeed study of this kind has been one of our national success stories ever since Margaret Thatcher took the decision to expand our higher education sector and it certainly brings significant economic benefits to the UK.

However, it also means that we need to understand more clearly why a significant proportion of students are still here more than five years after their arrival. And we also need a system which can scrutinise effectively, and if necessary take action against, those whose long-term presence would be of little or no economic benefit. Of course we are the ideal country for others to come to learn English. But I want to ensure those who come here to study at language schools or any other institutions play by the rules and leave when their visas expire.

We estimate we are bringing more than ninety thousand people into Britain every year to do courses below degree level at private institutions.  We need to decide whether this is right and also whether it is the best thing in each case for the students themselves, given the high financial commitments required of them.  When I visited India last month I found the authorities and education sector representatives were happy to work with us to raise the quality of applicants and also to make life difficult for the unscrupulous agents who too often prey on them.

It is beyond dispute that Britain’s universities contain some of the best in the world and that they need to be competing for the world’s best students. The immigration system should help them in this. But this does not mean that every student visa issued is necessarily benefiting Britain.

So is he saying that the system put into place last year has not worked and that policy is going to be re-jigged?  Listen on to what he continues to say in that speech… (full text of the speech available on this link)

There is no doubt that by the end of their period the last government wanted to bring immigration under control. But we’ve learnt the Points-Based System is not enough on its own. It needs bolstering in two important ways. Annual limits on work visas, just as they have in other open and successful economies: and a much closer focus on who is qualifying under each section of our immigration system. We absolutely need sustainable immigration levels. This will relieve pressure on public services, and stop immigration being such a delicate political issue. At the same time, we must be confident enough to say Britain is open for business and study to those who will make this a better country, and a more open society.

Its like history repeating itself again and again and lessons of one country not being learnt by another. The Australian Immigration Minister Senator Chris Evans indicates this in his media release on 8th September when he states:

‘This was one of the factors which led to the unsustainable explosion in student numbers. Other countries, including the United Kingdom, are now dealing with the same problem and are looking to follow Australia’s example by tightening immigration controls.’

Senator Evans said Labor had already introduced regulations which were proportional to the risk posed by different categories of prospective students.

Australia now has a minority government akin to Britain and while the care-taking Immigration minister is not called Green, they have indeed got Greens in the government. (The new Immigration Minister will be appointed by the new PM, Miss Julia Gillard, next week…)

The story is the same and players are the same. The affected country is India. The private colleges woo students from India. And the interestingly the scapegoats will be the education agents from India who are so generally stereotyped as unscrupulous…

I am also an education agent and not unscrupulous for sure… Excuse me!!!

Sep 10 2010

Indian message to Australia: “An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind.” and random thoughts on the Australian Elections.

Indian expectations from the new Aussie Government…

This is being penned from Sydney where I have been keenly observing the dynamics of the Australian politics over the last few weeks. To me it has been so very interesting and one that I can easily relate to (coming from India). Minority Governments, a deal with Independents, last minute jigsaw and not much to decide between contending political parties is all too common in today’s India. Also like Indian political alliances between contrasting outfits, Australia too is seeing the Greens and the Labour and conservative Independents going with the Labour to form the Government.

I am often asked what can be expected from the current Government with regards to the “international education angle” in the “Indian” context and that does get one to start thinking. Is there really going to be any change? No. Not actually. Wasn’t Julia Gillard, the PM today, the education minister yesterday? Was she not the one who was the first Minister to visit India to soothe its nerves in September last year and how can she absolve herself from the gross in-action on part of the Victorian Police and also by the federal government’s non-regulation of the private colleges for such a long time.

Anyway, we all learn with time and even though I would avoid trying to read much into the words uttered by the politicians, I do believe that continuity is the best medicine at this time. There is a policy that is emerging in Australia in favour of quality education providers and in favour of the genuine migrants who bring in skills to Australia. We may have to forget the emotions and understand that at the end of the day Australia needs international education export and needs skilled immigrants. Both are linked and will remain linked in some manner. The other advantage of continuity is that the current Indian Government and new Australian Government have been talking to each other through the last one year and almost a dozen visits by Australian senior leaders reciprocated by 3-4 visits by Indian ministers has led to a level of understanding now. Kapil Sibal as India’s education minister (Minister of HRD) has hit off with Julia Gillard apparently and that is good too. With no real reshuffling expected of the bureaucrats, we can expect the joint working group continuing with its dialogue.

I am further encouraged by the fact that Greens who are now a part of the ruling coalition has been talking through the campaign for less vindictive border control and better treatment of migrants including the illegal migrants and asylum seekers. Marry this to “stop the boat” campaign of the Labour government and you are certain to get a balanced immigration policy.

At the micro level to my industry, I am expecting a fairly quick call with regards to easing of visa norms for the “university bound” students and this will be really welcome. For those who understand technicalities, I am advocating lowering of Assessment Level for India for category 573 and acceptance of Pearson’s and TOEFL in addition to IELTS. I also hope for less “anti-migrant” noises that were previously made for the domestic vote-banks, now that elections are out of the way.

I have been however desirous of observing if the Indian Media was following the Australian elections and whether it understood its relevance to India. The sad truth is that there was hardly any coverage outside of wire reports from time to time. Even on the day of the final result on this Friday, very few newspapers gave it prominence and even the internet sites of NDTV and IBN failed to even mention it. Hence pleasantly surprised I was when my hometown newspaper (The Telegraph in Calcutta) carried an editorial on the election result yesterday. While I don’t agree to the first paragraph of the article on this link where it claims that most attackers were “white Australians” (reality: attackers were of mixed race and also Indians) and most attacks ended in death (aware of only one death from the attacks and most deaths in the last few years were handiworks of other Indians), the editorial commentary on the election result including the caution that even one single by-election can bring down the government before its tenure ends, display a good understanding of the current Australian politics. Quoting from this editorial from The Telegraph (Kolkata, India) below:

So India may well hope that Mr Rudd’s successor and party colleague, Julia Gillard, who became the first female prime minister of her country, would be more proactive in making Australia a safer and more equitable place for immigrants. Such an expectation is not unwarranted. After all, Ms Gillard has cobbled together a ‘rainbow coalition’ with crucial support from one Green and three Independent members of parliament. And the Greens want the new government to focus on humane treatment of asylum-seekers and other foreigners in Australia. So this is Ms Gillard’s best chance of salvaging the global image of her country even as she tries to repair the schisms within her party.

Earlier this week, I was hosted by UNSW to pay my homage to the newly installed bust of Gandhi. The bust, I am told, was presented by the Government of India to the State Government of NSW and the state Government chose UNSW grounds as the appropriate location for its installation.

What an appropriate symbol at this time…  What was even more appropriate was the choice of his words that are inscribed on the sculpture…

“An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind.”

Sep 2 2010

Ground Reality: Aussie bound Indian student numbers down 77% NOT BY HALF. Newspapers and Experts foxed by data.

Ground Reality: Aussie bound Indian student numbers down 77% NOT BY HALF. Newspapers and Experts foxed by confusing stats that include re-issued visas.

In yesterday’s The Australian, UNSW Pro VC (International) is quoted that the Indian student visa numbers are down to 29,721. Today in The Age, Stephen Connelly echoes the same number (see link). They are not wrong but the number that they refer to is not just of Indian students issued visas offshore and those issued eVisas BUT also those who were given visa extensions and re-issued visas onshore. From the words used in the two articles I guess they have not picked up the difference or have got foxed by the DIAC spin.

The ground reality is that the student visa numbers for July 2009 to June 2010 for offshore grants including eVisas is actually down by 77%. The stats of both types are available on the http://www.immi.gov.au/media/statistics/study/

Now lets look at comparative stats from United Kingdom: The student visas issued during Jan to December 2009 over 2008 were actually 100% increased. Need we say more!!!

I expect the 2010-2011 student visas grant offshore (and evisa) to actually go down further to about 8000 and then expect a gradual growth over the coming years from mid 2011 onwards and my prediction in 5 years is that the total student visas to Indians will rise to an optimum of 15000-20000. I feel that this is the limit and capacity.

On 20th August 2010, I made a presentation to staff members of 22 Australian Institutions and am sharing a few slides from that presentation. (The source of the data for Australia is already provided above. The source of the UK data is British Council.)

aus 09-10

UK 2009 over 08

Ways to quicken turnaround

Aug 5 2010

OZ chucks a doosra confusing all… Minister Crean uses enrollments to hide a 77% fall in student numbers!

New education minister (Simon Crean) has today been quoted in newspapers (look up http://www.theaustralian.com.au/higher-education/crean-says-the-overseas-market-wont-collapse/story-e6frgcjx-1225900787442 ) in Australia that things are not as bad since the enrollments have gone up, I have been forced to look for the exact statistics.

The following is the data for the student visas to Indians issued offshore (paper and eVisa) for the period July to June. All from the stats section of the DIAC site and hence reliable.

For 2009-10 the total numbers of student visas for Indian nationals to Australia is only 12483 and compared to 54574 for 2008-09, it is a huge drop in numbers of 77%.

Interestingly we seem to assume that the drop has been mainly in 572 and not in 573. On the contrary, the stats show that 572 dropped fro 31451 to 7014 while for 573 it dropped from 22366 to 5018. Hence 573(degrees and University coursework HE students) has dropped by approx 77% while 572 (VET diplomas) has dropped by approx 77% too.

There is something about the figure of 77% as it is uniform drop across the major subcategories and also with the total figure. I used to believe that 7 was a lucky number! Maybe but a double 7 is not so lucky now.

This is the reason why I have always advocated that enrolment stats tend to misguide and should be avoided… Statistically it is proven that at several times in past, numbers have dipped for countries but enrollments have risen due to re-enrolments or students being forced to stay as students to maintain visas. I want to re-invite you to an earlier blog that I did on 29th April regarding the attempt of US in confusing the world with enrolment data when their numbers fall. Ours indeed is a land of apes. Australia unlike the UK but copying the US began citing enrollments to show up larger figures and hence has once again tried to camouflage the fall by using useless enrollment data…The link to my previous blog on this topic is http://ravilochansingh.com/2010/04/29/us-fed-education-data-misleads-the-world-and-themselves…/

May 15 2010

Time for Aussie TUTORIAL to the “education” world!!!

Before Minister Sibal left for Australia in April, I, in my blog had suggested that he should take some tips from the Aussies regarding Vocational Education and any collaboration to focus on the Vocational Education and Training in India will be to India’s benefit.

As it turns out, Minister Sibal, not just did that but went one step ahead.

“India plans to restructure its college admission policy to allow vocational education students lateral entry mid-course into mainstream higher educational institutions for the first time following the Australian model.”

“Under the restructured policy, such a student will be allowed to join an appropriate engineering course mid-way — directly in second year, for instance.”

“The impetus for the plan came following a trip by HRD minister Kapil Sibal to Australia last month. Australia allows lateral movement of students between mainstream and vocational education courses. Close to a lakh Indian students went to Australia last year alone, mostly to pursue vocational education courses.”

These are only the first paragraph and the last paragraph of the article COLLEGE SWITCH IN SIBAL PLAN from The Telegraph of this day. You are welcome to take a look at the link for the full article.

India is not the only one, which seems to be taking notes from the Australians.

BBC has reported (see link) that

“Unscrupulous” recruitment agents who bring bogus overseas students into the UK are being targeted in an international initiative.”

“The British Council has for the first time brought together countries including the UK, the US and Australia to try to keep out such students.”

“A meeting of immigration and education authorities in London, the first of its kind, is intended to co-ordinate a multi-national response. Higher education has become a globalised market and the British Council says there needs to be an international approach to tackling fraud.”

“There are also concerns about “multi-national businesses which open up money-making colleges and then close them down, leaving students stranded”.”

“An inaugural meeting of English-speaking countries brought together representatives of the UK, the US, Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the Irish Republic. The UK Border Agency was among the representatives from the UK.”

“Pat Killingley, the British Council’s director of higher education, said competitor countries need to work together. “We have common interests – we’ve all built up reputations for quality in higher education that we want to protect,” she said.”

Not just the British that find need to exchange notes with the Aussies, Americans have gaped for long at the lead taken by the Australians. Take a look at the following slide used by AIRC (American International Recruitment Council) highlighting Aussie ESOS as an example for US to follow… It will be quite obvious…

These are only a few as examples. I found the American SEVIS to be inspired by the PRISMS. British too have openly admitted being inspired by the Ozzie point system and also they have just recently moved from visa letters to CAS (Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies) aping the Ozzie electronic COE (Confirmation of Enrolment).

I did a blog earlier this week titled WILL NZ EVER BE A DESTINATION FOR INDIAN STUDENTS. This blog resulted in me receiving so many emails with differing views and also many who were aghast as my being so candid. This blog too indicates that even NZ has lessons to learn from the Ozzies.

Lets certainly give the Aussies their due here. They are in the lead. 2009-10 is actually going to be part of their experience and 2011-12 will build upon this current year. Lessons are to be learnt. Following the Twenty-20 World Cup Semi-final match, I need to say that they have “hussey-ed” the world and India too stands “siballed”.

Mar 19 2010

Red Herrings… indeed: Summarising last 8 months of Indian-OZ tussle

”The whole racism issue has really coloured this debate in an unhealthy way, because when our media either seizes on that, or the Australian media in turn respond critically, we are essentially dealing with not black or brown or white, but red herrings,”
SHASHI THAROOR, MOS External Affairs, Government of India.
Quoted in THE AGE.
If Minister Tharoor believes that the whole racism issue is nothing but red herrings, then first lets understand what “Red Herrings” are…
The expression red herring is an idiom referring to a device which intends to divert the audience from the truth or an item of significance. For example, in mystery fiction, an innocent party may be purposefully cast as highly suspect through emphasis or descriptive techniques; attention is drawn away from the true guilty party.
.
The idiomatic sense of “red herring” has, until very recently, been thought to originate from a supposed technique of training young scent hounds.[2] There are variations of the story, but according to one version, the pungent red herring would be dragged along a trail until a puppy learned to follow the scent[4]. Later, when the dog was being trained to follow the faint odour of a fox or a badger, the trainer would drag a red herring (whose strong scent confuses the animal) perpendicular to the animal’s trail to confuse the dog.[5] The dog would eventually learn to follow the original scent rather than the stronger scent. An alternate etymology points to escaping convicts who would use the pungent fish to throw off hounds in pursuit.[6]
In reality, the technique was probably never used to train hounds or help desperate criminals. The idiom probably originates from an article published 14 February, 1807 by journalist William Cobbett in the polemical Weekly Political Register.[7] In a critique of the English press, which had mistakenly reported Napoleon’s defeat, Cobbett recounted that he had once used a red herring to deflect hounds in pursuit of a hare, adding “It was a mere transitory effect of the political red-herring; for, on the Saturday, the scent became as cold as a stone.”[7] As British etymologist Michael Quinion says, “This story, and [Cobbett's] extended repetition of it in 1833, was enough to get the figurative sense of red herring into the minds of his readers, unfortunately also with the false idea that it came from some real practice of huntsmen.”[7]
.
Now with reference to the Indian-OZ tussle-point, and using the above explanations from WIKIPAEDIA, we realise that there are not one RED HERRING but several…. Let me list them.
.
The person who first called the Australians as Racist and who was quoted and projected by the Indian and Australian Media turned out to be neither an Indian, nor a Student and neither the formation had any validity as the voice of the Indian community. As exposed later, his comments were clearly without basis and even he tried to distance himself from them. However, the damage was done big time and everyone believed the media hype following the claim without waiting for facts to emerge. All instances of attacks by anyone including when the offender was a migrant of similar colour, fake claim of attacks for insurance or simple mugging and even deaths of Indians by Indians were seen as acts of Racism. Australia was branded as Racist and there were even suggestions that India should move for a sanction by the Commonwealth. The first and the original Red Herring…
.
The Victorian Police Chief gave statistics on crime on Indians soon thereafter. Later it turned out that the crime stats are not kept on nationality but on the basis of appearance and what he described as Indians, actually included several nationalities. Further, since the crime data for other “appearances” was kept under clearly described categories such as Caucasians or Asians, Media assumed that attacks or crimes has only been against Indian nationals. This is second Red Herring…
.
The Indian Government displayed significant patience and maturity. However, the External Affairs Minister, Mr Krishna, speaking at a function organised by an American body, made a statement that indicated, “Indians were being singled out in Australia”. This led to a number of serious commentators in Indian media to also believe that the killings of Indians in Australia over the last many years has been largely targeted and targeted by Australians. As data stood before us, this turned out to be totally unfounded. Of the last 15-16 deaths of Indians in Australia in last two years, only 1-2 is still under investigation. Of all the other deaths, it is now found that clearly in about 10 cases, it is people of Indian Origin themselves who have killed the other Indian. The remaining few cases of last two years has been deaths due to suicide or accident or by drowning. However, when the senior minister made the comment, many took it at face value.  Indian students and Parents continue to believe that INDIANS ARE INDEED BEING SINGLED OUT. This was third Red Herring…
.
Without waiting for investigations to complete in the Ranjodh killing, MOS Preneet Kaur, received the body as it arrived in India and then laid a wreath from the Government giving it a “martyr” status. She also made a comment at the occasion indicating that a second advisory had been issued asking students not to go to Australia. The reality was very different but only surfaced after the Media had blown up the issue. Indians killed Ranjodh and he was possibly someone who had entered Australia illegally using a contract wedding and his legal widow stays on even right now in Australia and did not participate in the funeral. The “second travel advisory” was also incorrect awareness of the MOS and the Ministry immediately posted a correction on its website indicating that there is no second advisory and Indian students have not been asked to avoid travelling to Australia. The fourth Red Herring…
.
Australian Government remained fractured between the actions in the state of Victoria and the comments being made in Canberra.  There appeared a push primarily to show to all that the acts were not racist and there was little that appeared to be done to act immediately to curtail the street violence in the city of Melbourne. Steps were taken but very late and very slow. The Press quotes provided by the functionaries in Victoria remained badly worded and focussed more on defensiveness and justifications. Clearly the focus of the Australian Government was now distracted and revolved around the sting of the word “racism”. Damage continued as crime continued. Indians continued to believe Australia to be in denial. Red Herring No. 5.
.
Focus shifts to QUALITY of INDIAN STUDENTS. Hence scapegoats were found: Private Colleges and their agents. Rapid audits were announced and visas were immediately tightened. This led to closure after closure of colleges. These colleges should not have been in existence in the first place itself but that happened because of low compliance level of the State Government. However, now the tightening and the closures led to different problems for students who were in Australia legally and on valid visas. The Aussie Education brand was affected in the process.  The reality is that the ones to be affected at the end were the Universities and the quality providers and their quality agents who for no fault of theirs were being termed as “bad quality”. Journalists who were not education journalists were quoting in parts totally out of context and even the fall in visa numbers due to the severe visa tightening was projected as a drop in interest of Indian students due to “racism in Australia”. This in turn had a spiralling effect and the market finally lost interest in Australia even in reality. This is the Red Herring No. 6.
.
Australia’s USP to International students has been the pathway to work/settlement. There is nothing fishy about this at all and world over all education destinations do offer this pathway using one terminology or another. However, a direct result of noise was the new-belief of so-called experts that this umbilical cord needs severing. Many students who can actually be able to contribute so well in Australia will soon find it difficult to stay on. The intention of ensuring that only those who can get a job stay on or even simply continuing with the reforms that had taken place in the system over the last two years could, easily have enforced that those who are willing to apply their education to workplace in the same line of occupation are granted residency. There was no need to replace the system totally and only fine-tuning would have served the purpose. Australia needs Immigration and potential OZ educated migrants are indeed best fit. More will now be affected and OZ is the loser at the end. Red Herring No. 7.
.
In the election year, Australian Opposition is trying to use this issue to attack the Labour Government. Labour Government blames the Liberals stating that it is the result of the policies of the Howard regime. The reality is that the problem was not with legislation then or now but only in compliance of the legislation, then and now. ESOS even in current format is a solid document but hardly enforced. There is no guarantee that it will be enforced after the changes Compliance did not get so much of attention and only the blame-game continued. Who wins, will be known later this year but who is definite to lose is already known. Indian students and OZ-Indian free trade. Australian quality education providers and Australia. POLITICS is the Red Herring No. 8.
.
Last eight months has proven that audience has indeed been diverted from the truth due to the RED HERRINGS…
Mar 13 2010

AUSTRALIA loses its USP with changes to SOL/PR RULES & threaten downsizing of the Education Export Business

.
New SOL and PR changes threat closure and downsizing of Colleges, TAFEs and also Universities. Losses of jobs, slowdown in economy are byproducts.
.
A few weeks ago, a friend commented, in reference to the DIAC tag-line, on my blog: “OZ always said “PEOPLE OUR BUSINESS”, they never said education our business. So, we provided them with what they wanted and it is their headache now to fix it. “
My reply, in continuation of what I shared in my last blog regarding transfer of some roles from AEI to AUSTRADE, is: “OZ has an unsaid mantra that EDUCATION IS ONLY BUSINESS.”
.
Now coming to more serious and threatening issue:
.
Developments since mid of last year resulted in reviews after reviews being announced with an assumption that the system is not working. This HAS BEEN a huge mistake. There were many systems that had already been improved upon due to other monitoring mechanisms over the years but were now being junked, as each review has to result in a change. Let me give two such examples here:
  • 1. In September 2008, DIAC, following a realization that there were a number of migrants who would use MODL to clear the pass mark but would never practice that as a profession, modified the full MODL points process. The new system initiated required only those who had one year of experience following the qualification in the MODL occupation could count it as a MODL. THIS WAS SUCH A MAJOR CHANGE and would have put an end to “TAXI DRIVERS entering as ACCOUNTANTS” or “COOKS working in SALES”. However, not sufficient time was allowed at all for it to be tested. The review was initiated even when there was no data available to prove this 2008 change was “not working” and now the MODL has been dropped altogether.  Whatever the experts may say, a good system instead of fine-tuning has now been put to rest.
.
  • 2. In mid 2009, DIAC announced that from 2010 a job-ready test would be used to ensure that all with trade skills actually have gained the requisite skills that are in shortage and will need better English levels. THIS WAS A MAJOR CHANGE AGAIN AND WOULD HAVE ADDRESSED THE KEY ISSUE and also driven the need for better education delivery by Private Colleges. Now, without even trialing it, it stands junked.
PEOPLE are the one most confused by DIAC’s business decisions.  Hence the DIAC slogan is a mere creation of copy-writers. Knowing that changes are certainly DIAC’s prerogative, it does not need to keep repeating that Immigration rules do change and will change. It also do not need to repeat that students should not assume that they will get immigration post their course of study. It is known and was never assumed. However, any sensible mind, will definitely assume that if  a change is announced, it will be given a period of time to deliver  before it is again reviewed and junked. I forgot, this time period for testing and review, only applies to a particular decision on India’s AL. Not in other aspects of DIAC’s business!!!
.
I had done an earlier blog titled PLANNED VACUUM and it is now proving to be worse. PEOPLE are now air-less completely and suffocating. There is no clue to the direction that Australia’s immigration policies will take.
.
There is an email in circulation from a Migration Agent who summarized his impressions from the DIAC Asst Secretary at a recent MIA Conference. I wrote to him for a permission to use his name since the email is already in wide circulation/distribution. However, my mail to him bounced as it was treated as a spam. I use content from his mail in parts only and will not reference it to him though would have preferred doing that. He does make a lot of sense when he writes:
It appears that from 1 July 2010 the new approach is for DIAC and the Australian Government to target its Immigration to cater for the current labour market needs. In doing so, the new Skills Australia SOL that will replace the current SOL, CSL and revoked MODL will have a list that is much more like one that is already existent in New Zealand and it is a system that does not seem to work.
What Australia seems to be saying is that a student is meant to study but we still want them to experience the Australian workforce and local employment culture and if it so happens that their occupation is on the new SOL then they will need to prove that they can get full time employment of at least one year and prove their ability to Australian Standards (under the SC485) and during such time if the employer like the candidate that they hired then it would up to the employer to sponsor this candidate to meet the labour market needs under Employer Nomination Scheme.
The truth of the matter out there in the labour market that we asked DIAC is how many Australian employers out there who would be willing to employ an overseas student who has not much experience in their field of study and invest in the sponsorship of that candidate. As I am an Australian employer and looking at an overseas candidate that I need to spend thousands of dollars to help that candidate to get PR to be able to retain them as an employee as opposed to a local Australian candidate I would rather invest in the latter. Wouldn’t you?
The shift that is going to happen post 1/7/2010 will be that Skilled – Independent will be very limited and that Skilled – Sponsored by State Nomination will be somewhat favoured because a candidate will need to show that they have an employer and that the Employer has offered them an employment but really the preferred scheme as told by the DIAC representative is that pathway above which in itself has many flaws.
So where does that leave the education sector and GSM? Well I can say based on that insight it is a real dark place which in the long run it will not achieve its intended purpose of encouraging new labour force to enter the labour market to subsidise for the baby boomers who are retiring and needing the new breed of labour force to subsidise for their pension.
If I were a student, I would not want to come to Australia to study if I am using this as vehicle for Immigration nor would I come to Australia to study and even consider applying PR at the end of my study. Too many hoops to jump. Too many barriers of entry. Is it even worth it? After much consideration, I would rather go back to my country and work back home. So in effect we will not get these new breed of labour force in the Australian labour market all together.
It will have the opposite effect of what is intended and the Australian Education Sector being at the forefront of it is to feel that by a net reduction of Overseas student to Australia in the next few years and beyond as the Australian Tsunami is about to hit on 1/7/2010. Good Luck to Us All!!!
.
Now coming to the new SOL draft. Though it is only a draft and the final list will be available in April, the draft by itself is frightening.
.
The AUSTRALIAN on 3rd March reported in an article titled JOBS LIST WILL DASH HOPES OF RESIDENCY, the reactions to the shortlist:
Mr Konrad said cooks, hairdressers and accountants made up more than 60 per cent of applicants waiting in the onshore skilled migration pipeline.
“Given the statistics of 60 per cent [waiting in the] pipeline, you’d have to say 70 [per cent] to 80 per cent of students would have their hopes of achieving [permanent residency] dashed,” Mr Konrad said.
He said fresh graduates of accounting and information were unlikely to meet the new criteria.
A broad range of professions – including surgeons, judges and lecturers – make up 52 of the 92 “specialised occupations” on the draft Skilled Occupation List.
Para-professionals such as fire, police and emergency services, and 22 trades – not including cooking and hairdressing – make up the balance of the list.
Skills Australia said the new list would be based on the 92 specialised occupations but might differ in the final occupations included.
However, I was intrigued by the comment from UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY SYDNEY in this article:
University of Technology, Sydney business dean Roy Green said the draft list was dramatic and “much more credible than anything we have seen previously”.
“UTS business will look very closely at this list to see which occupations were included and excluded,” Professor Green said.
“We note accountancy is still included, which is an important part of our intake of overseas students.”
I really wonder how closely Professor Green really looked, to hint that since Accountancy is still included, their intake of overseas students is protected.
.
The reality is that Accountancy is on the draft list but with an asterisk(*) and if you look at the second page there is an indication that only CPA or equivalent will be acceptable. Now, for a fresh student from a Masters in Professional Accounting type course to become a CPA, one has to not just clear some more additional tests, one also has to have 3 years of article experience. Hence, is it not closing the door on Accountancy in reality?
.
For those who are still hunting the full draft list, I share it below, courtesy a friend…
Now only time will tell whether the knee-jerk move to delink education from being a migration-pathway is indeed a right decision. I indicated in an earlier blog, education has been the pathway to work and settlement world-over and is not unique to OZ. I really wonder if the commentators and advisors are fully confidant themselves on the direction that they have advised the Australian Government. There appears to me a case of “over enthusiasm” and also “professional negligence” on part of the experts.
.
Prediction:
.
I predict that without the work/settlement pathway, Australian education’s USP vanishes and only the elite Universities (such at the GROUP of EIGHT) will be able to attract overseas students to Australia, albeit in even smaller numbers. TAFE, newer Universities and almost all private colleges should see the writing on the wall. All the good work over many years seems to be over. Less of International students will mean less jobs and slower economy…
.
God, please make me wrong!!!
.
I actually foresee a review being announced in 2011-12 and new changes once again in 2012-13. Mates, I will remind you all that I wrote this today and next time you will pay more attention to my words. Remember that there is a transitional arrangement in place for students currently studying in Australia and hence any impact that is felt will only after this group has exhausted all options to move to work/settlement post their study. Till then the statistics will keep misguiding us.
.
G’day

Mar 10 2010

Baird’s ESOS Recommendations: Misplaced Diagnosis!!!

I have just put down the 95-paged Report submitted to the OZ Government by Former Liberal MP Bruce Baird recommending ESOS amendments. Find it here. THE AGE informs that

Education Minister Julia Gillard said the government would begin immediately to implement six of the recommendations, including measures to fine colleges that break the rules, and prevent colleges from poaching each other’s students.

The report is historic and the changes if the recommendations are followed will be historic too. Anything historic need not necessarily be positive and I forecast that if all the recommendations are followed to a tee, it will lead to a “historic blunder” and there will be a need for another commissioning for a report just a few years ahead.
.
Before I lead on, lets take a synopsis from THE AGE:

Former Liberal MP Bruce Baird yesterday handed down his report, which calls for changes to weed out shonky operators and provide greater protection for students.

Mr Baird said migration policy, which made it easier for people to achieve permanent residency if they studied courses in areas of skill shortages, such as cooking or hairdressing, had distorted the education sector.

”We have permanent residency factories,” he said. ”If you ask any of the good providers, they will quickly name those that they believe are dodgy operators who are rorting the system.”

He said they made up about 20 per cent of the vocational sector.

Colleges would face tougher registration standards, including a sharper focus on their financial resources and business models. Those considered high risk, for example, because they draw heavily from a single source country, would be monitored more closely and bear a greater portion of the cost of industry assurance schemes.

Colleges would be required to provide more information to students and regulators, including details of their student population, facilities and support services and the commissions they pay to agents, information that could in the future form the basis of another My School-style comparison website.

Mr Baird wants a new streamlined system to place students left stranded by college collapses, and in some cases to prevent college closures. This body would also provide refunds to students who could not be placed in a similar course.

Mr Baird also called on NSW and Victoria to join with other Australian states and territories in extending transport concessions to international students.

”Discrimination in terms of travel passes goes to the very heart,” he said. ”These students need to feel part of Australia and I think that is part of it.”

.
On the face of it, all this will sound so good and positive and you may question the line that I am taking in this blog. Hence, my explanation:
.
Like most of us, Jerome Groopman believes that practitioners of modern medicine are all too human and so are prone to make errors in judgment. But since the doctor’s errors can be fatal, every effort should be made to minimise them. That requires studying medical errors scientifically. This is precisely what the author does in this splendid volume.
The book, he says, “is about what goes on in a doctor’s mind as he or she treats a patient.” Every physician — even the most brilliant — makes a misdiagnosis or chooses a wrong therapy. Groopman differentiates “medical mistake” from “misdiagnosis.” While the former involves prescribing a wrong dose of drug or looking at an X-ray upside down, the latter is about the way doctors think, analyse a situation, or arrive at a diagnosis taking into consideration all the factors available at that time.
A majority of medical errors, according to him, do not qualify as technical mistakes, but are attributable to flaws in the physician’s thinking. He quotes a study of one hundred cases of incorrect diagnosis where inadequate medical knowledge was identified as the reason in only four cases. The rest are all due to what he calls “cognitive-traps,” which are of three types. First is “availability,” where recent or dramatic cases come to mind and colour judgment about the case in hand. Then comes “anchoring,” or short-cut thinking, where the doctor does not consider multiple possibilities but quickly and firmly latches on to a single one. And the third is “attribution,” where stereotypes can prejudice the doctor’s thinking and lead to conclusions that do not flow from the data on hand.
(HOW DOCTORS THINK: Jerome Groopman; Byword Books Pvt. Ltd.)
.
Before putting out the recommendations, Baird has provided the arguments and the reasons. Unfortunately, the diagnosis at several instances is totally wrong and in sync with Groopman’s theory. The recent cases have coloured the judgement, short-cut thinkings have disallowed multiple possibilities and stereotyping of agents and private colleges have further led to wrong conclusions. The initiation of the reform is due to the recent “attacks on Indian students” and Baird indicates this in the letter to the Deputy PM right in the beginning of the report. Still, the Indian angle is also absent.
  • Singling out of Private Colleges is misplaced. Baird ignores the role of Public Providers (some Universities and some TAFE) for this mess:
While attacking the role of private providers, there is no mention of the type and the nature of the loophole in the system that they exploited to bring the students onshore other than what we knew already about some of them being “permanent residency factories”.  Simply talking of a nexus between a private provider and their agents is not sufficient. This is where a major glitch occurs. The nexus was not just between Private Colleges and their agents BUT also there was a role-played “knowingly and for financial gain” by some public providers.
.
Without this “hand holding” by some Public Providers, the Private Colleges couldn’t have brought the students from overseas markets to the “permanent residency factories”. While the colleges still had to run the programs, public providers simply pocketed a portion of the fees for issuing the packaged enrolment letters and this too knowing fully well that they don’t have to run the course. Diplomas in Cookery in Sydney were packaged with Degrees in Melbourne. Diplomas in Motor Mechanics were packaged with Degrees from Northern Territory and even the Diplomas in Hairdressing were packaged with Degrees in Criminology. This was the SCAM that led to the huge increase in student numbers between 2004 and 2008.  The inappropriate packaging that allowed students to slip through easier visa norms and these Public Providers and Private Colleges were clearly shaking hands even legally. I feel that some Public Providers are more to be blamed as without their packaging the abuse of the system couldn’t have occurred. How can Baird’s report be so one-sided, I really wonder.
.
I am not too surprised that the former MP missed it totally considering that despite an extensive resume, he doesn’t seem to have much experience with the “education industry”.  The recommendation that “travel concessions” be offered to international students in NSW and Victoria is welcome BUT is this ambit of ESOS review. However, considering that Bruce Baird was the Transport Minister in the NSW government at some stage, experience counts here.
  • Education Providers and Education Agents.
The report does detail the need for education providers taking responsibility of their agents. But, was this not part of the ESOS even earlier. The report lays out some clear norms on use of agents mid way into the course, which is welcome. However, what is not welcome is that the report confuses the distinctness of the role played by agents in offshore markets with some agents onshore. It quotes example of flyers being distributed at railway stations in Melbourne and the adverts that incite students to switch Universities. By putting all the ingredients into the same bowl and churning, the image of agent blurs giving out a stink.
.
Baird quotes providers to indicate that agents run the roost and get paid commissions of 50%. How ridiculous that none of the quotes in this reference are from TAFE or Universities. Can Baird not make some differentiation here to ensure that the Government doesn’t trip when implementing the recommendation? Which Public Provider or a reputable Private Provider pays this type of commission and why should they? The quote was from a language school and no wonder it doesn’t reflect the reality in India. Mr. Baird, the standard commission paid by the University is 10% of first year fees and hence if we take an undergrad degree and average it out, we are looking at only about 3.33% of the total fee. For a two year Masters, it will be 5% of the total fees. Mr Baird, bring about a balance in your report considering the sensitiveness of the issue rather than exaggeration from selective quotations to further an argument. The decision takers will only look at your recommendations and set norms for the entire industry and future of Australian education.
.
Asking institutions to provide details of the commission to students is another huge blunder. This is not in line with what is being done around the world and not desirable. The contract of institution and agent is a private agreement. The ESOS can address the issue of unrealistic commissions by some language schools or private colleges through putting a cap on the total commissions quite easily and this will address the issue for all. All students counseled by agents are told and hence are aware that the reason why they are not being charged for the services is that the institutions will be paying the agents. There is nothing really more than this.
  • Baird overlooks the loopholes of the AL system:
Bruce Baird also makes no mention of how the system of generalization provided by the AL mechanism has lead to “low quality” students getting preference over “better quality and genuine” students for student visas. He may argue that this is not part of the ESOS and is for DIAC to fix BUT if he can make recommendations on transport subsidy to the state governments of NSW and Victoria, can he not make recommendations to another federal department of the Government of Australia considering he is doing the report for the Federal Government.
  • Missing Indian link and the successful experiments by AEI in India:
Bruce Baird notes the difficulty of extending the Australian legislations to foreign markets and this is where I find his not mentioning the role AEI has been playing in India with the promotion and support of self-regulating AAERI, to be another blunder. AAERI can be a model for all other markets. Just this Monday, AAERI General Body has fine-tuned its own constitution and has not just made it stricter but has introduced “third party integrity check” for all its members. The General Body meeting held at the Australian High Commission in New Delhi was addressed by AEI and DIAC and AEI counsellor clearly acknowledged and appreciated the role being played by AAERI in the interest of Australian Education Industry. Australian High Commissioner in New Delhi too is appreciative of AAERI’s contribution. Mr Baird, the only way to implement the ESOS Act legally in India is through the use of a body like AAERI. AAERI is registered in India though promoted by OZ Govt and in its code requires that its members follow ESOS and hence it leads to the implementation of ESOS in India. Do you get my point, Sir? Don’t tell me that you did not hear of AAERI at all over the last 8 months. AAERI seems to be the only point where the Australian Opposition supports the Government.  I quote from an Australian Media Report (26th October 2009):

It’s the proposals affecting agents that have stakeholders worried. They would require Australian providers to work only with agents who had completed recognized training courses such as the one run by Professional International Education Resources (PIER), and who belonged to professional bodies such as the Association of Australian Education Representatives in India.

“AAERI … has a code of ethical practice, the agent activities are streamlined, the students are given authentic information, and the agent charges are fair,” the Opposition’s spokesperson on international education, Dr Andrew Southcott, told Parliament – although he also pointed out that most agents in India hadn’t joined the association.

Just to clarify, ALL active agents in India are members of AAERI and after the recent changes to its constitution; all members also have to clear the PIER’s EATC in addition to third party integrity checks. There are clear schedule of fees and full transparency. Advertising norms that have ensured over years that the quality of adverts of AAERI members is far superior to those of agents in the “unorganized” sector. Australian High Commission site clearly recommends students to use AAERI members. Mr. Baird, I do think you missed this somehow.
  • DIAC and eVisa system:
Baird’s suggestions that DIAC notifies education providers whenever they suspend an eVisa agent are also misplaced. The DIAC list has always been a public listing and available on the immigration website. There should be some role for privacy to be maintained too as there are many reasons on which an agent may be suspended from the eVisa process and those reasons can include 1) volume requirements and 2) inaction on a login for more than 28 days. The eVisa mechanism is already being tightened a fair bit.

  • Baird overlooks Aussie Government’s commercialization of Education:
Mr Bruce Baird, would have done well to recommend to the Australian Federal Government to take a political decision and still stop the transfer to AUSTRADE of some of the educational roles that currently is with AEI. Treasury announced last year, plans to shift responsibility for promotion from Australian Education International to Austrade. Announced as part of the government’s Mid-Year Economic and Fiscal Outlook, Treasury said it expected to reap $8.6 million in savings over four years. The government said the move would facilitate a “whole of government” approach to promoting education. It will be effective from July 1. I know that it has been planned earlier but the circumstances and scenario has changed and hence to allow this changeover to occur will be the historic blunder.
The Australian in INDUSTRY QUERIES AUSTRADE ROLE writes:

THE international education sector is expected to renew its call for an independent body to advise on strategy after being surprised and disappointed by the government making Austrade responsible for promoting the industry.

The industry is worried the move risks sending a message that international education is valued largely as an export earner. It is complaining that it was not properly consulted and is concerned the announcement by Treasury was more about cost cuts.

“I don’t think this is the best option,” president of the International Education Association of Australia Stephen Connelly said.

“I think it sends a particular message about international eduction that at this time is probably the wrong message.

“It is disappointing that a decision like this has been made with no real consultation,” he said.

AND Times of India in its Editorial article “Fix the WELCOME sign” says:

Having assured all parties that international students are not just a commercial opportunity for Australia, the government has quietly transferred responsibility for international education marketing from the education portfolio to Austrade – Australian Trade Commission – whose only goal is commercialisation. In India, that will confirm suspicions that while Australia is investing in scholarships and research collaboration, at heart a carpetbagger approach prevails.

This Jekyll and Hyde approach undermines the long-term value of international education for Australia. Regrettably, the present inquiries have amassed uninsightful information and ineffective recommendations in anodyne reports that do little to calm the atmosphere, let alone improve the situation.

Concluding remarks:
.
My assessment of Baird’s report doesn’t mean that there are no positives at all. There are and they are in plenty. However, I am not sure if the report lives up to the expectations. Many knew whatever has been reported, and some could have done a much better job in lesser time.
.
A piece of Art doesn’t fetch the price because of what we see on the wall or that it makes sense. Its value is in the signature at the corner of the frame. Sometimes, confusing brush strokes on a canvas by a politician fetches more than an art by a trained artist. This is our world.

Feb 23 2010

Now when FISA attacks my initiative… I detail what I‘d rather avoid.

This blog results due to claims made by FISA spokesperson in Herald Sun about a visit that I had organised for a group of Indian journalists on behalf of the Victorian Universities. Hence need to provide the requisite clarifications.

On 5th February, in my blog I had attempted at exposing the incorrect assessment of many that FISA Inc was a representative voice of the Indian Community in Australia. I had also detailed the missing links that indicated that there was something else that was the agenda in the whole game and summarised that the “Gupta” was not a “Gautam”. (see the linked blog).
.
On 21st February, one of the more respected newspapers, THE AGE, carried a detailed exposure of this “SECRETive BUDDHA”. Am not providing any quotes here since I do want all of you to click on this link and see the similarities of the exposure through my blog with the exposure by THE AGE. I express my sincerest appreciation to the correspondent. Hopefully more media setups will question Gupta’s integrity now and will question the formation of the four lettered FISA.
.
Not all will. Gupta has found support in the Opposition Party and an audience with newspapers like Herald Sun. Both are no surprises.  Taking help from Wikipedia, I detail the rise of GUPTA rule in India and the advice that Chanakya, the mentor to Chandragupta and certainly the Guru to all Politicians would give:
.
Chānakya (Sanskrit: चाणक्य Cāṇakya) (c. 350–283 BCE) was an adviser and prime minister to the first Maurya Emperor Chandragupta (c. 340-293 BCE), and was the chief architect of his rise to power.
The phrase the enemy of my enemy is my friend is a proverb that advances the concept that someone who is the enemy of your enemy is therefore your friend. It further means that because two parties have a common enemy, one can use the other to advance their goals.
.
However, In the case of the Gupta that some Indians in OZ are likening to Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, while an attempt is being made to use the enemy of his enemy, there is going to be big gaps. The Opposition Party will soon realise that the Indian Community is not buying the theory put forward by GG who likens himself as Mandela and Gandhi to great amusement of many. This GG also tends to believe that all those who lived prior to 1947 in India were SLAVES… Such a poor understanding of Indian history will not find support with any sensible intellectuals who understand what SLAVERY is. The Opposition leaders who are hoping for the migrant votes (interestingly, the current Federal Government too had banked on Migrant votes a few years ago when it had attacked the policies of the Howard Government.) will soon realise that the temporary residents who seem to have been used by GG donot have a vote and the settled Indians are not in support of the theories prescribed even though all want Victorian Police to act against street crime.
.
It’s indeed POLITICS and in the election year, truth will remain quite sullied.
.
Herald Sun carries an article where the Opposition Leader has attacked the OZ Government for undertaking PR activities from budgets kept for PR and bringing in journalists to Australia. See link.
.
I will let the Australian Tax Payers decide (I am one too) if OZ needed to bring “real” journalists to Australia and let them write from their actual experience considering that most of the media coverage in India was a result of second hand journalism and from feeders. Real Journalists do indeed make some very uncomfortable. I was involved in one such visit that has been quoted in the article and hence do need to put some substance to paper. The Journalists have always had the freedom to write what they want. This is referred to as “journalistic freedom”. I would not liken it to “junket journalism” which is the forte of corporate bodies. Almost all journalists got to visit sensitive areas and on their own terms. They got to meet “attacked” students and ask whatever questions that they may have had to anyone and were never asked to push one-sided stories. They visited Gurudwaras and met with students and Indians on random in addition to the respected Master Darshan Singh and the team and articulate Counsellor from the Indian Sikh Community Harvin Dhillon. They interacted with Indian officials at the Consulates and the High Commission. They walked into University campuses and asked students on random.
.
This is why I have a clear problem with the following comments made by Mr GG on 23rd February 2010:
.
Another delegation of Indian reporters, whose trip was financed by universities, was treated to a cricket session at Monash University with former Test skipper Graham Yallop.
“These (IMV visits) are just marketing junkets paid for by the taxpayer,” said Federation of Indian Students of Australia secretary Gautam Gupta.
The comfort and entertainment being lavished on the Indian journalists, and the tightly scripted itinerary, was designed to gloss over the attacks on Indian students that have seen Indian media outlets paint Melbourne as racist and sparked a diplomatic crisis.
Mr Gupta said only the top universities were on the list to be visited by the Indian reporters and, apart from seeing railway stations at St Albans and Footscray, the journalists were kept from areas and people that would negatively affect their coverage.
“They are never taken to the colleges which collapse and they are never taken to the victims of assault,” he said.
Mr Gupta said the reporters were hosted at five-star hotels and given soft diplomacy such as tours of the MCG and tickets to live shows.
.
As a key organiser of this quoted visit, I confirm, that the visit was indeed sponsored by the Universities who needed to differentiate between the quality of some private colleges and the Universities considering that the media in India had forgotten that Australia did indeed have some very fine Universities that secure good ratings worldwide.  The visitors still were taken to TAFE providers such as NMIT (where another counsellor from Indian community Mr Tim Singh provided his candid views about the attacks) and they visited private vocational colleges such as Academia and Pivot Point to see the Hairdressing and Cookery students. If Monash has excellent training facilities for sport people and the journalists got an exposure to the nets there, is it wrong. Indians are known for their love for Cricket and so will visit Cricket nets and not Baseball fields…
.
The journalists (and I) took an unstructured trainride on the western line in Melbourne at 10 pm and on Saturday and went right past Footscray upto Sunshine which was termed as notorious. We did get out of the station and went for a walk around the area and actually missed our return train. Journalists were able to talk to Pizza delivery boys and also encounter the drunken behaviour of teenagers at that time. Therefore, doesn’t Gautam Gupta, once again edging on sensationalism in tandem with what he has always done, make the accusation.
.
Journalists did tour MCG, which all first time visitors to Melbourne do and there is nothing news-worthy here to criticise about. The visit to MCG highlighted the role Cricket Australia is playing in building bridges between the communities through their various schemes over the years.
.
The journalists actually also met with an attack victim too who had been highlighted in Indian press and got him some assistance through our gracious Consulate General, Ms Anita Nayar.
.
Hence, where has this man got his facts and how can he keep going to the “some” media and selling the rot to them, again and again? Why does the media not crosscheck his comments to discover the man as a liar or as Gandhi.
.
I have met with Gautam a few times and have had courteous communications too. I had expectations from him and hence had avoided talking so openly about his antics till early Feb simply in hope that he will correct himself sooner than later. Had advised him too. Gautam, you have let me down as you have let down many other Indians. While Pauline Hanson’s migration to UK is Australian Gain Britain’s loss, Gautam Gupta’s taking up of Aussie citizenship by giving up Indian nationality is India’s gain Australian loss.
.
Gautam is indeed very uncomfortable with the questions that real journalists ask and would prefer the sanctuary that existed when the Indian journalists just relied on the feeds that he would provide.  He exploited the fact that Indian Media Organisations did not really have a presence or bureau in Australia.
.
I witnessed one such session in August last year when “real” journalists pushed him off his comfort zone through questions like:
.
  1. If you believe Australia is racist, why have you taken up its residency and have now even given up Indian nationality to become an Aussie citizen?
  2. You are not a student and so how can you run a Federation of Students?
  3. We met students across campuses and on random and most had not heard of FISA till a few months ago. How can you claim that FISA is the voice of all Indian students?
  4. How do you take membership of FISA? Simply subscribing to the website and not filling membership forms or paying subscription cannot make a student your member? Can you provide a list of your members?
  5. Indian Community leaders and also Indian associations feel that what you claim as “racism” is gross generalisation. Why do you not have support of Indian community?
  6. None of the committee members seem to be student and even the President was graduating soon. How can non-students lead an association of Students?
  7. Who provides money to FISA? How does it survive and your motive?
  8. Now you say that all Australians are NOT racists and that all attacks were not racist, but this is not what you said earlier?
  9. We met an attack victim who felt that he wants to stay away from FISA due to FISA’s role in politicising it. Why?
  10. You detail a problem or issue; do you have any solutions or suggestions?
.
This was at a session at Hotel Windsor and Mr Gautam Gupta who had changed from Advisor to Spokesman for FISA almost during the meeting, was accompanied by Mr Amit Menghani, as President of FISA. The entire discussion should be on an audio recorder of one of the experienced journalist (and possibly I too will have a copy somewhere) who post the session told me that he read through this man quite clearly and sees him of the same mould as several Indian small time politicians who use half-facts to build up the full-story. None of journalists bothered to give him any real importance and one even seeked the permission from editor to do an exposure on FISA. (Not needed now that The Age has done the job.) Interestingly, the President of FISA turned out to be a bouncer of a nightclub who kept mum throughout evoking pity for the youngster who was clearly “much used” by the seasoned Gautam. One of the hilarious comments made by Gautam was that FISA is like Amnesty and Red Cross. Does he even know how structured these organisations are?
.
No further comments. I wish I were a lawyer who could take this exposure further to its logical conclusion.
.
Didn’t Venu advise me in an earlier blog to go for the full deal! Hope I did not let you down. No mini-skirts this time.