Gavin Marshall (Victoria, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I rise as deputy chair of the Senate Education, Employment and Workplace Relations References Committee to speak about its inquiry into the welfare of international students and acknowledge the contribution just made by the chair, Senator Humphries. I note at the outset that this was a unanimous report, so I congratulate the chair and my fellow members of the committee for being able to achieve that. International students from India were the victims of a number of attacks earlier this year. These attacks were reported extensively in the Indian press and have harmed Australia’s reputation as a safe destination for overseas students. It is important to note that more than 80 per cent of international students return home satisfied with their experience of living and studying in Australia and are happy to recommend studying here to others. Therefore, the government considers any damage or threat to Australia’s reputation as a study destination a very serious matter. It has acted swiftly to address these concerns, which were the catalyst for the inquiry, with a number of initiatives and responses.

Delegations have travelled to India to meet Indian government ministers, officials, prospective students and their families, to hear concerns and to offer reassurance that Australia is a safe destination for Indian students. These delegations have included the Minister for Education, representatives from the Commonwealth, New South Wales and Victorian governments, Victoria Police and representatives of the vocational and higher education sectors. More recently, the Prime Minister visited India to meet representatives of the Indian government and discuss the measures that the government has taken to address these concerns.

What began as an issue focused on the attacks soon became enlarged into an issue about the quality of education being sold to foreign students. This inquiry overlapped in time and subject matter with the legislation committee’s inquiry into the Education Services for Overseas Students Amendment (Re-registration of Providers and Other Measures) Bill 2009, the ESOS bill. The ESOS bill inquiry reviewed proposed amendments to the ESOS Act requiring, among other provisions, the reregistration of education providers and the listing of agents used by providers. This bill was introduced as an interim measure to address concerns with the international education sector similar to those that prompted the references committee inquiry. The committee reported on this bill in October. It supported the amendments to the act, and these will address some of the issues raised during the inquiry.

A number of witnesses told the committee that some education agents have acted in an unethical manner in their recruitment of international students. One of the ESOS amendments requires the publication by providers of the names of education agents who represent them and promote their education services. In addition, all CRICOS registered providers will have to reregister by 31 December 2009. These measures will allow for greater transparency in the industry.

In September the minister hosted an international student roundtable discussion in Canberra to identify the difficulties experienced and concerns held by international students. Following this, three representatives from the roundtable presented the findings of the roundtable discussion to the Ministerial Council for Tertiary Education and Employment. The findings of the roundtable will be used by COAG in the development of a national strategy for international students.

Witnesses told the committee about the difficulty they experienced in making complaints about services. In response, the government has established a complaints hotline for international students. Students can access this hotline anonymously over the telephone or via the web. It will allow the identification of trends in student complaints so that action can be taken to address these problems. The committee also identified the lack of an independent body as an important issue for international students, and has recommended the establishment of an international student ombudsman.

The committee was concerned to ensure that credible information and appropriate support services are available to assist students in their studies and in everyday life in a foreign culture. The government, through COAG, is also working to improve the provision and accuracy of information to international students by implementing an online manual for students wanting to study in Australia. This guide is due to be rolled out in mid-2010.

During the hearings the committee was informed that the minimum level of funds required to secure a student visa was not an accurate reflection of the real cost of living in Australia. The Department of Immigration and Citizenship has now reviewed the requirements and has increased the minimum level of funds by $6,000 to $18,000. This will provide students and their families with a better indication of the actual costs, allowing them to budget more effectively.

The linking of skilled migration with education and training had profound effects upon the international education sector. This policy led to substantial growth in the higher education sector, the vocational education and training sector and a marked escalation in the number of private providers ready to profit from the opportunities in the VET sector. It has been claimed that some providers of education and training for international students established training centres not for any educational purpose but with the single objective of securing permanent residency for students. The migration policy was also claimed to result in a reduction in quality standards within the sector because of the proliferation of providers with non-educational purposes. The government has moved to decouple skilled migration and international education by giving priority to employer sponsorships in the processing of applications for permanent residency. Other measures to strengthen the application process include a job-ready test for migrants with Australian based trade qualifications.

Evidence to the committee suggested that regulatory failure in the form of inadequate auditing and monitoring of quality control in some private colleges in the VET sector has resulted in the current crisis. The Hon. Bruce Baird is currently undertaking a review of the Education Services for Overseas Students Act 2000, and as part of this he will consider more effective regulatory processes and ways to improve quality in the sector among other issues. To ensure the quality of providers and the provision of quality education and training within the sector the government has introduced the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency. For the VET sector, the government will work through COAG to discuss options for the establishment of a national VET regulatory body. The Baird review into international education in Australia will also consider the need for further enhancements to the ESOS framework. The review will further assist the government to identify other areas for improvement in order to ensure that we continue to offer international students a world-class education. It is expected that a report from the review will be available early next year.

In October my government colleagues from the committee and I attended the 2009 Australian International Education Conference held in Sydney. The conference highlighted the success of our education industry and identified the issues facing the sector. The sheer number of people at the conference is indicative of the effect international education has on our economy. The government is committed to ensuring the continued prosperity of this sector and that Australia continues to be seen as a safe and attractive study destination that provides international students with quality education and training. Again, I thank the chair, my fellow committee members and also the secretariat of the committee for another superb job. I seek leave to continue my remarks later.

Leave granted; debate adjourned.