AISV calls for improved law and order system

The Australia India Society of Victoria (AISV) recently celebrated India’s 61st Republic Day and Australia Day at a glittering function held at the Buckingham International. The gala dinner dance promised great food, amazing entertainment and an opportunity to mingle with people, and they delivered on all accounts. The guests were a healthy mixture of Australians from Indian and non-Indian backgrounds. Chief Commissioner of Police Simon Overland attended the event with his wife Barbara. Clad in his famous tuxedo, Overland proved very popular with the ladies.

The President of AISV Dr Gurdip Aurora took the opportunity to briefly reflect on the significant role AISV has had in promoting and protecting the rights and welfare of Indians in Australia. Most recently, protection of Indian students has been the focus of work by the AISV.

According to him, over the past two years, the management committee of AISV has worked persistently on co-authoring a submission to the State and Federal Governments with regards to issues affecting Indian students who are studying in Australia. The document provided 45 comprehensive recommendations, including a request that Victoria Police make publicly available statistics on assaults on international students that involve racial abuse or vilification; that the Government public register; and that only appropriately qualified/lecturers should be hired to teach international students. The document was made public on the evening.

Dr Aurora also commented on current concerns about safety of Indian students. “A large number of Indians that I have spoken with do not believe the great majority of attacks on Indians that have occurred recently, are racially motivated. What we do acknowledge are serious law and order issues that are affecting all citizens in

‘lucky country’. Australia and India have traditionally held strong ties with positive regard for each other. In times such as these, we must attempt to remain positive rather than picturing our fellow citizens as racist or discriminatory” he said.

In his speech, Simon Overland reiterated that not all attacks on Indian students were racist in nature and the Victorian police are making every effort to ensure the safety of students in Victoria. He said that police numbers have increased