Individual,

“Conclusion
The conclusion that the export of educational services attributable to the overseas student industry may be half the commonly-stated $15 billion”

http://www.universityworldnews.com/filemgmt_data/files/ExportRevenue%5BFinal%5D.pdf

What Bob Birrell’s conclusion does not take into account, is how much of the money spent by foreign students is spent on imports.

If they spend most of their money on imports (like so many others), then the money comes into the country, and then goes straight back out again.

Ironically, if they are Indian or Chinese students who spend their money on imports, then most of their money could be going back to their own countries (by purchasing Indian or Chinese products while in Australia).

In all, it could be costing Australia to teach foreign students.

"A perfect example of playing the man and not the ball."

It's nothing of the sort, David. If foreigners want to attack Australia in their own interests, they are fair game. And, if you think it's OK for people to make negative comments about your country and get away with it, that's entirely your business. I think differently.

Chau is well connected with the ethnic industry and is a multiculturalist and advocate of foreign students. In those capacities she is fair game. I don't take kindly to immigrants telling us what we should be doing, particularly when their advocacy is clearly in their own interests and not in the interests of Australians

She's an Australian citizen. She's your equal. She can say what she wants. She's just as Australian as you and unlike you she chose to be here.

Is she an Australian citizen, jjplug? We know she is a migrant, but is she naturalised?

She was a finalist in the Young Victorian Young Australian of the Year, but with the mistakes made in Australia, that doesn’t mean she is an Australian citizen. We’ve recently had a federal a MP who served almost a term before it was realised that she was not an Australian Citizen!

Of course she “chose to be here”. I would choose to be somewhere else if I lived in Hong Kong. But I’m a fourth generation Australian and haven’t felt the need to move to another country, accept their hospitality, and then start telling them what I think they should do because it suits me.

On the matter of citizenship, unless you are born here, it’s just for convenience and personal benefit. The Chinese, particularly, are always Chinese no matter where they are born or where they live.

Even with the best intent, non-English speaking immigrants revert and lose their English when they become old. It is ludicrous to suggest that an immigrant is an Australian in anything but a legal sense. The offspring of immigrants born here are, of course, naturally as well as legally Australian. Except when some of them regard themselves in the same light as dogs and, like Cocker spaniels, they are always Cocker spaniels no matter where they are in the world. Even I have a higher estimation of humans than that.

Ms. Chau is not my ‘equal’ as you state; she is not “just as Australian as (I am)”, and yes, she is allowed to say what she wants because our democracy and legal system is based on my British heritage.

I accept Ms. Chau’s rights and, and have no problem with her expressing them, but I have the right to express my views on what she thinks.

What I find obnoxious in this case is a blow-in poster who has nothing constructive to say and thinks it’s smart to just rubbish other posters who are prepared to give their personal opinions.

Well I'm sixth generation Australian. So what?
Chau is just as Aussie as you and me mate.
I reckon the stuff you been eating isn't vegemite.

You are also a first generation tool.