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ASHLEIGH GILLON: This story has been getting huge coverage in India and over there Australia's being accused of being in denial over the racism issue. Joining me on the line is the Trade Minister and Acting Foreign Minister, Simon Crean. Minister, thanks for your time. Even if there is no evidence that this was a race hate crime, there certainly is the perception in India that it was. How is the Government working to overcome that?

SIMON CREAN: Well I think it is true that that’s the perception there Ashleigh, but it's very important that we deal with the facts, and at the moment the police certainly have no evidence to the effect that it is racially based. I think it's best to let them proceed with their investigation. I think the more immediate issue is the condolences to the family concerned, and assisting in getting Mr Garg's body back to India.

ASHLEIGH GILLON: Well, Nitin Garg's family has complained that Australian officials were very slow to contact them. Have any Indian Government officials that you've been in contact with expressed disappointment over the way that Australian authorities have handled this case?

SIMON CREAN: No, no, that hasn't been expressed to us, and we acted in accordance with established protocols, and the authorities notified the Indian Consulate General on Sunday morning. The process then is for them in turn to notify the family. We've acted as expeditiously as time and circumstances allowed us, and I think that again, if there is any hurt felt by the family about the lateness, I can only apologise for that but can reinforce the fact that I'm informed we acted in accordance with established protocols.

ASHLEIGH GILLON: Even so though Minister, India's external affairs minister has apparently warned that this attack will have some bearing on bilateral ties between the two countries. How likely is it that if this sort of thing continues that there could be other ramifications like, for example, sanctions or travel warnings coming out of New Delhi.

SIMON CREAN: I think it's too early to say how that will play out. I doubt very much that it will because we've been in touch with Indian authorities and government ministers over many months now in relation to these and other related type issues. I think we do have to understand that there is a lot of emotion surrounding this. It is a dreadful crime. It is a shocking thing to happen for someone on their way to work, an innocent person, whoever the person is. But receiving it in the context and the background against which these other attacks have been mounted, I can understand the public reaction in the immediate aftermath. I just hope that cooler heads prevail, that we get on with the task of investigating, not only the details and the circumstances surrounding the death, but bringing the perpetrators of this horrible crime to justice.

ASHLEIGH GILLON: You said that you have been in touch with Indian officials. There have been reports today of crisis talks happening here in Canberra. Is that an exaggeration then?

SIMON CREAN: Yes it is, and when I read that report this morning, I checked there had been no requests made. We have been in touch ourselves with the Indian High Commission. There's been no formal meeting, but there have been phone calls, and I think that this is the basis upon which - we're obviously prepared to meet with the officials if that needs to happen. But at this stage, we're trying to deal with this in a calm and measured way, bearing in mind, as I say, the horrible grief that the family itself is going through.

ASHLEIGH GILLON: Simon Crean, thanks for your time.

SIMON CREAN: Okay Ashleigh, thank you.

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