A female Indian reporter was attacked while working undercover to expose scams targeting foreign students in Australia's booming education sector, the country's public broadcaster said Monday.
The young woman was threatened and then physically assaulted in a Sydney street over the weekend while investigating dubious practices exploiting Indian students, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) said.
The ABC said police had been told about the attack on its reporter, which comes after a string of assaults on Indian students in Sydney and Melbourne prompted street protests and strained diplomatic ties with New Delhi.
The 'Four Corners' current affairs show set out to investigate the international student sector, which generates about 15.5 billion dollars (12.7 billion US) a year, making it Australia's third largest export earner.
Student groups have raised concerns about unscrupulous agents providing inadequate courses and promising to obtain Australian residency in return for huge fees.
The ABC said migration agents told the reporter she could pay between 3,000 and 5,000 Australian dollars (2,436-4,100 US) for a fake English language certificate. It said it was not suggesting the agents were behind the attack.
Separately, the Australian Council for Private Education and Training said it would launch a register of education agents to help students find reputable providers.
"The recent concerns of international students has rightly placed the actions of some education agents in India under close scrutiny," council chief executive Andrew Smith said.
Some 95,000 Indians are studying in Australia following a publicity blitz targeting the huge country's growing middle class.
Source
The young woman was threatened and then physically assaulted in a Sydney street over the weekend while investigating dubious practices exploiting Indian students, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) said.
The ABC said police had been told about the attack on its reporter, which comes after a string of assaults on Indian students in Sydney and Melbourne prompted street protests and strained diplomatic ties with New Delhi.
The 'Four Corners' current affairs show set out to investigate the international student sector, which generates about 15.5 billion dollars (12.7 billion US) a year, making it Australia's third largest export earner.
Student groups have raised concerns about unscrupulous agents providing inadequate courses and promising to obtain Australian residency in return for huge fees.
The ABC said migration agents told the reporter she could pay between 3,000 and 5,000 Australian dollars (2,436-4,100 US) for a fake English language certificate. It said it was not suggesting the agents were behind the attack.
Separately, the Australian Council for Private Education and Training said it would launch a register of education agents to help students find reputable providers.
"The recent concerns of international students has rightly placed the actions of some education agents in India under close scrutiny," council chief executive Andrew Smith said.
Some 95,000 Indians are studying in Australia following a publicity blitz targeting the huge country's growing middle class.
Source
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