Is Melbourne a violent, racist place?

Comments originally from a Facebook Group - 4 June 2009

The stories we're hearing in the media point to some semi-organised gangs who are targeting Indian - looking overseas students. I am reminded of the film "Romper Stomper", a 1992 movie where a gang of neo-Nazis attack Vietnamese in Footscray. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YXa-nAYdjrk )
I mention it because the movie may give you all some insight into why these people choose to attack the latest new arrivals. Its not nice or pretty & these kind of racist people do exist in Australia, but we don't hear about Vietnamese being attacked any more. Why?

On something completely different, I disagree with some writers about provision of accommodation. I think overseas students should be provided with the option of living on campus at least during their first semester. I was an overseas student in London & found staying on campus a very easy way to gradually learn how to act & how to live in my new city. I could then avoid living in areas where I was likely to be attacked on my way home from the University.
That is not to say overseas students should be provided with free accommodation, but something which is at comparable rates to living off-campus. Traditionally, living on campus at the Universities in Melbourne has been a more expensive option.

5 June 2009

It is extraordinarily difficult to work here for 20 hours a week, make enough money for tuition fees and living expenses & study a full time course as well. That is more than the local students try to do & an awful lot of pressure for someone to put on themselves. In these circumstances, racist attacks are only one of the dangers students face. I have recently had a close friend become very ill under these kind of pressures - a serious illness which probably wouldn't have happened without the study & work & English language pressure - and which will be with her for the rest of her life. I think a better solution for the present time is to somehow change perceptions that you can do all these things. Discourage students from coming over here for PR. Let students be students, not PR applicants. If the course gives you nothing but PR, don't do it. Do a course which can get you a step ahead when you get home.
The government may change the immigration rules to reduce further the number of OS students eligible for PR anyway.

10 January 2010
Sadly, attacks on Indian students in Melbourne are continuing. Despite government platitudes about Melbourne's safety Indians here are living in an increasing environment of fear. The fear isn't about statistics. What terror is ever about statistics? Who cared if more people were killed on New York's roads in 2001 than in the 9-11 attacks? The TV footage had the whole world scared. An Indian graduate, Nitin Garg, was fatally attacked this week while walking to work through a park in Yarraville. Traditionally nearby Footscray is one of Melbourne's most dangerous areas. Most of the the attacks are in Melbourne's Western suburbs, a cheap place to live, but much more dangerous than the eastern suburbs. Some of the violence may be simply opportunistic robberies by drug addicts looking for their next fix. Avoiding dangerous areas and times would help prevent people from being a soft target for these kind of crimes.

The concerning factor is that Indian students say there is a more sinister kind of crime occurring, which the perpetrators call "curry bashing", which is clearly racially motivated. Whether Nitin Garg was the victim of a random attack or whether it was racially motivated, its clear that attacks on Indians in Melbourne aren't stopping. I wonder whether the Andrew Bolt's Herald Sun column from September 2007 explains why the police response is inadequate. Andrew Bolt explained how police statements underplayed the role of gangs in violent crime in Noble Park, an outer Eastern suburb of Melbourne. Are they doing the same thing when a gang attacks an Indian student?


http://blogs.news.com.au/heraldsun/andrewbolt/index.php/heraldsun/comments/some_gangs_are_too_ethnic_for_the_police_to_see/

Hairdressing. PR or not PR?

This desperate message arrived in my in-box in Dec 2008...

HELLO. I AM A HAIRDRESSING OVERSEAS STUDENT. I HAVE ALREADY COMPLETED MY ONE YEAR. OF STUDY. I WISH TO STAY IN MELBOURNE & OPEN MY OWN SALON. BUT NOW GOVERNMENT HAS CHANGED THE RULES. I AM GOING TO APPLY FOR PR. IN DEC 2009. SO WILL I GET THE PR?

Rajan's advice on jobs and immigration to Melbourne

Hi Rajan, I must say that this person is really amazing and I wish that Rajan gets all the good things in his life for the effort he is putting in just to help others. Great work buddy. Let me tell you about myself. I am Raaj here and I am a Delhite, coming to Melbourne on a student visa in January. Just want to ask what are the opportunities for hairdressers there? I am a hair stylist here with Loreal and I want to do a lot of hair cuts there. Can you help me in that? I mean can you tell me about the demand for hairdressers in Melbourne and is there any racism against Indians, and what is the living cost for a bachelor like me for say a month? Take care, thanks.

Hairdressing.... a really good prospect....heaps and heaps of jobs if you are good at it. Everyone is looking for hairdressers. You should not face much problem after being trained by Loreal. Living costs are not as high in Melbourne as compared to Sydney. But still as I said before in this thread. It depends on your preferences.

Thanks Rajan, you are a real sweetheart, and can you please tell me that do you have Indian food easily available there or not? And how much would a room will cost me? And the most important thing is how much do hairdressers like me who will work part time earn in a day? And how much is enough if I want to lead a normal life. I am just looking for a rough idea of living cost for a month. Take care dear and I must say that you are really nice.

I do not have any friend who is doing hairdressing as a job so I would not be able to help you in that regard. For living expenses, if you will be sharing with other people it would be about $1000-$1500 a month. But I saw people living of on less than that. But its all about priorities.

Architects

Thinking of immigrating to Australia, Melbourne soon. Any ideas if there are any good prospects for architects, photographers and social workers? Would really like to get to know someone who already lives there so I can get some insight into what its really like to settle in Melbourne career wise and education wise..because I'm planning to continue with my studies as well...like in social sciences or something...

Architects, have prospects but since I am only a IT engineer I most know about IT and cookery (through friends). For photography I am not sure.. but I guess if your work is exceptional then you might find good work. Social work: are you talking about old age care? If that is so then yes there are heaps and heaps of jobs. But you might have to get police clearance as well as some local experience as a volunteer. Nursing is also in demand. Not enough nurses in Australia.

Hi rajan ... first of all HATS OFF to U .. its really helpful to find such info for the first timers like me ... I will be joining Uni of Melbourne for Master of Telecommunications Engineering ... i ll be coming for the Feb intake ... any idea about the prospects in the telecommunications sector .. i also want to know bout INTERNSHIPS during the semester breaks as we have here in India ..I don't have any idea bout what's the common practice in Australia... does your UNIVERSITY name have any impact on finding jobs at all ... I have chosen Uni Melb because of its ranking.

Melbourne University is one of the best universities in Australia in almost all the faculties. Its well known for Medicine and related studies.

For telecommunication internships I would not have clue. I am aware of people who did really well in telecommunications and then joined come ISP or telco companies. But I could not still tell you about any internship programs.

Hello Mr Rajan,
I will be in Melbourne soon for a two year course on accounting. . .and looking for PR . . .do you have any advice for the terms of the PR for my kind of study?

Accounting is everyone's choice these days. Currently its getting you good points which you need for your PR. Look at the MODL list from immi.gov.au

Its on the list, but this gets reviewed every year or 6 months... one of these... so we do not know how much demand will be there in next two years since everyone seems to be doing Accounting... but we all hope for the best... best of luck with your studies and move to Melbourne.

Hi Rajan, no words for your appreciation but still wanna say great work for for all students,
I was about to come to melb but changed my mind for the next two years as per the MODL list, because you are right its changes in every six months and who knows which course would be in demand after 2 years especially for those who want PR, and PR also depends on points...I think now the Australian government has introduced a new policy that every student will have to work for a certain duration in their respected field(course) to get PR. My sister and Jijaji are there but don't have PR yet...one more year to get that. They also advised me to come after some time so that I can get points from their PR. Can you please put your opinion on the PR process? Your suggestion or advice?

You Sister is right, I would recommend you start working in India and file for residency from there. Since your sister will be a resident in Australia you should get the points needed.

From the Orkut Melbourne community. Republished here with permission from Rajan.