Oz delegation's New Delhi visit being 'closely watched'

New Delhi News.Net
Monday 6th July, 2009 (ANI)

Sydney, July 6 : As a top-level Australian delegation meets Indian officials, parents and students in New Delhi today, Indian will closely watch how Australia plans to treat its international students recently subjected to racial attacks.

The delegation is part of the Australian Government's damage control efforts following a string of attacks on Indian students, mostly in Melbourne and Sydney.

Team leader Colin Walters from the Commonwealth Department of Education said the delegation will visit eight Indian cities to explain what actions are being taken to promote the well-being of Indian students in Australia and listen to their suggestions.

"We will make it clear that racism is not going to be tolerated by the Australian Government," The Sydney morning Herald quoted Walters, as saying.

The nine-member delegation, drawn from state and federal governments, police and the tertiary sector, is meeting with senior government figures including the Chief Minister of Delhi, Sheila Dikshit.

It will also face a media conference later today. The attacks have triggered a media frenzy in India and the delegation is likely to face aggressive questioning.

Victorian Assistant Police Commissioner Paul Evans said extra uniformed and covert patrols were already having an impact in affected areas on the outskirts of Melbourne.

"We have already seen a significant turnaround in some of the figures," he said.

About 95,000 Indians are studying in Australia and the Indian Government has called on Australia to do more to ensure their safety in the wake of recent assaults.

Evans said undercover police working on targeted areas, inc
luding transport hubs, had yielded valuable intelligence that had contributed to a drop in robberies and assaults.

Victoria has the largest education industry in Australia and many of the attacks have taken place in Melbourne.

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