Lets hope all the overseas students go home. They are using Australia. They are actually abusing our system. I would bet that most of them don't care too much about the quality of the education they receive, they simple want something that gives them eligibility to apply and receive Australian residency. I have noted a huge explosion in the numbers of Indians in Melbourne over recent years. In my opinion they are nothing but trouble. Australia would do much better to ban foreign students and educate our own students. I have spoken with Indians on numerous occasions. They are some of the most racist people you will ever meet. Watch the problems grow as we allow these 3rd world people into our once great country.

I agree with Ozzie. I also think because the foreign student education programmes are such big business, education should having nothing to do with immigration. Once a student has finished their course of education they should be made to return to their own country and if they wish to immigrate to Australia they should then apply.

I also think that decisions about who comes to Australia on the immigration plan should be made by the Australian people and Australia should not be dictated to by monetary or overseas influences.

I want more Indian students to come over here. They are the best thing in Adelaide since sliced bread - which we only just got recently.

They add true cultural diversity, inject money in to the economy, and bring new entreprenurial ideas with them. As a former small business owner, I could not get enough Indian employees. They were hard workers and came up with brilliant IT and logistics management solutions. They also introduced me to great business contacts back in India.

Ozzie and Marie are time travellers from the 1950s and evince the kind of ignorance that reminds me of that old TV show The Sullivans.

Malcolm King is spot on in this article. However, in addition to his proposed advertising campaign to sell what is a major export product for Australia, a couple of other things need to happen.

Firstly, public transport needs to be made safe for all users. If that means employing transit police, then funds should be found. In particular, it sounds like Melbourne has real law and order problems that are getting worse.

Secondly, the linking of fee-paying education with residency visas must stop. Obviously, the relaxation of the rules in 2001 has led to the rise of shonky 'colleges' that are really back door immigration agencies pretending to be educational facilities.

Thirdly, Australian universities should provide accommodation specifically for fee-paying overseas students, the cost of which should be built into the fee structure.

As King suggests, the current situation is a mess, where overseas students are unsafe and unfairly targeted by Australian thugs and criminals. While claims of Australian racism have been exaggerated, the first couple of comments on this article indicate that it's still there, bubbling away just below the surface of acceptable discourse.

Cheryl, whatever way you put it a great number of these students are still trying to come in through the back door, that's why they come to study in Australia. In Sydney we already have and accepted massive cultural diversity and Sydney also has large amounts of money being injected into the economy through these students. But that doesn't mean we have to take them in as permant residents. That's what is called business.
I run a small business and have Indian employees. Remember we are talking about "students" here, not mature employees.
I'm not a time traveller just someone who who is trying to think what's good for Australia and not just myself.
By the way Cheryl my post name is MAREELORRAINE.

C J Morgan,
I believe its you that is the racist when you state "Australian thugs and criminals". If you in fact bothered to do some searching you would find that many of the bashings and assaults on Indians were in fact committed by recent immigrants. Its interesting how you label these people Australian thugs and criminals. The only thing that was reported was the bashing of Indians and you (without any investigation) immediately label these attackers as Australians just because it took place on Australian soil. Why do you do that? If you bothered to do some searching you would in fact find the majority of the attacks are from foreigners bringing their customs of violence here to Australia. Last year there was an uproar from the indian taxi drivers being assaulted. Of 12 attacks, 10 drivers reported that their attackers had dark skin. Of the Indian boy attacked on the train that caused the initial uproar this year, one of his attackers was in fact Indian. The origin of the others was kept secret ( although i'm sure you will assume they are Australian).
So I believe it is in fact you that is racist, without proof you immediately label the attackers "Australian thugs and criminals". You really should be ashamed of yourself for jumping to such conclusions.