You are hereAustralia Not as Safe as Claimed, insists FISA
Australia Not as Safe as Claimed, insists FISA
MELBOURNE: FISA questions the claim made by the Australian delegation visiting India that attacks on Indian students in Australia were In response to the Australian delegation’s claim, FISA insists that the authorities have failed to investigate and tackle the presence of miscreants who’ve adopted terms like ‘curry bashing’ as an activity they would like to engage in. Gautam Gupta, spokesperson for FISA, says, “How can they say that none of these attacks were racist when we hear criminals using terms like curry bashing? How can the Assistant Commissioner of Victoria Police oppose the Victorian Police Commissioner Simon Overland and Victorian Premier John Brumby, when both of them have expressly accepted that some of these attacks were racist in nature? How can they say that these are petty crimes when victims of these crimes are in hospitals struggling for life? The Australian authorities must define what they mean by ‘petty’.†Mr Gupta says, “We are not surprised that these delegates are trying to put their spin on the facts as it is nothing more than an expensive marketing junket to preserve their multi-billion dollar industry. Unfortunately it is coming at the cost of students’ lives and careers.†Mr Gupta says that the international student population is increasing every year and there are around 100,000 Indian students currently studying in the universities and private institutes of Australia. He says, “while we acknowledge that not all attacks are racist, the attacks are definitely on the rise, and when compared to the USA or UK, Australia is not safer. However, Australia is the only developed country that blames the victims, and spares the criminals.†According to FISA, “a criminal is a criminal. If they are young, send them to special prisons, but do not release them to recommit crimes and make our streets unsafe. It is high time that the Australian Government takes control of its street and make it more liveable.†While acknowledging an increase in the number of crimes in Australia, Mr Gupta quoted statistics from Australian Institute of Criminology. The report indicated a disturbing trend in assaults that show an average growth of five per cent each year from 1995 to 2007, four times the annual growth of the Australian population in the same period. While FISA welcomed efforts by Australian authorities to acknowledge the problem and to put it on the Council of Australian Government’s (COAG) agenda, they still believe there is a long way to go to make Australia safer. For further comment: Gautam Gupta 0061 413 211 534.
