Transcript
10 September 2009
Interview with Liam Cochrane, Connect Asia program, Radio Australia
SUBJECTS: Indian Students, Doha, Balibo Five
COMPERE: Simon Crean who's just returned as we heard from a visit to New Delhi. Simon Crean welcome back to Connect Asia.
SIMON CREAN: Good to be back, Liam.
COMPERE: I'd like to begin with the issue of education. We've just heard some interesting comments there on education visas being used as a back door to residency, in effect. You've said quite clearly that Australia is in the business of selling education, not visas. So would you like to see changes made to stop education visas being used as a back door to residency?
SIMON CREAN: Of course, and I think that we've got to do it for a couple of reasons, Liam. Obviously, there's the safety issue. We need to ensure that - to students that come here, not just for themselves, but that their parents are satisfied they're coming into a safe environment and that's why we've been working with the state authorities and law enforcement bodies and setting up hotlines to try and +address that issue. But look, one of the great brands Australia has is the quality of its education services. We've got to protect that brand. And, as I say, we're into selling not just education but quality education. We're certainly not selling visas. What that requires is for us to get stronger disciplines into accreditation processes, so that the shonks don't undertake the courses. But as I also said in India, and accepted by the Indian authorities, that we require their cooperation at their end because there are circumstances of agents in India sending people for the wrong reasons.... My point is, it requires a cooperative effort. And I think the importance of last week's visit was to underscore, not just our commitment to getting on top of it but going forward develop that cooperative relationship.
COMPERE: We've heard from many in the sector that a lot of the students that come to Australia take out loans to pay for
- what is quite an expensive education system, tens of thousands of dollars in many cases. They do that on the basis that they will be able to stay in Australia, work and make that money back to pay the loans off. If visas are changed, that will most likely see less foreign students coming from poorer backgrounds. Do you think Australia's education sector is ready for that sort of downturn?
SIMON CREAN: Well again, I think we've got to understand what it is we're trying to do. If we're giving people qualifications that ultimately the country needs then the circumstances in which they would be able to apply for jobs would be a reflection of the state of the economy at the time. There has to be this understanding and integration with our immigration policies, our education policies and our trade policies. That's why we do need a whole-of-government approach. The question of what we're trying to do here is to clamp down on those who say they're coming for an education, enrol in some sort of course that doesn't really meet any sort of standards that would recognise appropriate accreditation and then they apply for the visa. Now, that is what we are trying to stop. We're not trying to stop circumstances in which people genuinely come for an education and then depending upon the state of play, assess their circumstances when they've completed that course.
COMPERE: Simon Crean, I'd like to move to discussions of Doha now. You've described India's hosting of the Trade Ministers' meeting as a significant re-engagement, especially considering that India, as well as the US, were part of the key stumbling blocks last year. What sort of compromises are there on the key issues of agriculture and services that derailed the talks last year?
SIMON CREAN: I think the fact that the US and India are back re-engaged is the first major hurdle that we haven't really been able to get an engagement on ever since the talks broke down in July last year because both the US and India went through their elections and required - and there were changes as a consequence of those elections of Ministers. We started the re-engagement process in June. I think that there's been a lot of political will reinforcing building the momentum. The significance of India hosting, I think, was important in its own right but also significant was the fact that India was able to attract the most representative gathering of trade ministers since the failed talks of July last year. People weren't just there in their own right. They were there representing the various groupings within the WTO. What they've instructed is not just the commitment to conclude and to conclude by next year, if we can, we've actually instructed our officials to get to Geneva next week in the hope that what we can do is to report real progress to the G20 in Pittsburgh. That's the strategy, Liam. Now, is it guaranteed to work? No. But I tell you what, it's a significant advance and important political momentum given where we were.
COMPERE: Simon Crean, I'd like to move to the issue of Balibo now. I mean, we've just heard some stories about that, some concerns that the fresh investigation by the AFP could lead to damage to trade ties between Indonesia and Australia. Do you see that as a risk?
SIMON CREAN: I don't, because I think that the Australia-Indonesia relationship is a very strong one indeed. It's mature, we understand each other. But the fact is, as a democracy and as an advanced society here, we do take all allegations of war crimes seriously. But, you know, this is now a matter for the authorities and I think it's inappropriate for me to comment on the detail of those. But if you're asking me the question, will it impact upon the relationship, I don't believe it will.
COMPERE: Simon Crean, thanks very much for your time this morning.
SIMON CREAN: My pleasure, Liam.
[ENDS]
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