CANBERRA - Australia’s Labor Party (ALP) passed resolutions today condemning the violence against Indian and other foreign students who come here to pursue higher studies.

According to The Australian, several speakers told the ALP National Conference it was important that Labor condemn the violence against international students and ensure private colleagues met appropriate educational standards.

New South Wales federal MP Sharon Bird moved a motion saying the party expected all investigations into allegations regarding insufficient resources and poor learning environments in private training colleges to be conducted expeditiously.

The motion also condemned attacks against international students and called on Australians “to make these students welcome in our country, as we expect other countries to welcome our Australian students studying overseas”.

Indian-born Labor member Susai Benjamin said the message had to be sent out that Labor was concerned about the attacks on Indian students.

Australian educational institutions have been under siege in the Indian media over a series of attacks on students and claims that they have been racially motivated.

Further controversy has been generated by the collapse of private educational colleges, including Sterling College in Sydney this week, leaving international students without a course and facing the loss of fees..

However, Deputy Prime Minister and Education Minister Julia Gillard said today that students at colleges that had closed were guaranteed a places in an equivalent course even though the insurer, AIG, was a victim of the global financial crisis.

“Since that time, it’s true we haven’t been able to find a new insurer for the scheme. These are obviously difficult days for insurance and financing arrangements because of the financial crisis,” she said.

“But the Australian government stands behind the scheme and our guarantee is clear, if an international student is enrolled in a college that closes for whatever reason, we will find them a comparable place to complete their course or we will refund their fees.”

The conference was also told that more effort had to be devoted to cracking down on migration agents who provided misleading or inaccurate information to students. (ANI)