The Tasmania University Union (TUU) is disappointed with the claim made in an article in the Mercury today that the Union "has distanced" itself from student concerns about safety.

The article contained contributions from a media release put out by the TUU to counter claims made in another article in the Mercury ('Students living in fear', 2 August).

The 'Students living in fear' article listed concerns of National Liaison Committee for International Students in Australia (NLC) head Manish Jhowry, including that attacks on international students were racially motivated and students were taking their own measures to protect themselves, feeling that they were being ignored by authorities.

TUU President Clare Rutherford said that the meaning of the media release was "completely lost" in the article published in today’s Mercury ('Foreign student claims countered', 3 August).

“The TUU takes the safety of all students very seriously and will continue to work towards improving safety for all students until this matter is rectified.”

“The media release sent to the Mercury yesterday was intended to distance the TUU from the claims made by the National Liaison Committee which is an organisation that is not recognised by NUS, CAPA or the Universities Australia.”

This information was sent in the media release by the TUU as a statement made by Carla Drakeford, the president of the National Union of Students (NUS) yesterday.

"The National Liaison Committee are no longer endorsed by NUS and CAPA or recognised by Universities Australia as a representative group of international students."

These comments were completely misinterpreted and misrepresented by the Mercury.

The media release did not intend to signify that the TUU was distancing itself from the concerns of international students. The media release merely states that the claims are being made by a body that is, in the eyes of a number of relevant organisations who have dealt with NLC, illegitimate and not representative of the opinions of international students.

The NLC was disaffiliated from the NUS in April 2009 and is now run as a business.

"The TUU deals with many international students on a regular basis and the majority of them understand that while some attacks appear to have been racially motivated, others have not been", Ms Rutherford said.

"We have never and will never deny that students have concerns, but we do not believe that anything will be gained by allowing an environment of fear to be perpetuated by inaccurate reporting."

The original media release can be viewed below:

MEDIA RELEASE – FOR IMMEDIATE PUBLICATION

02/08/2010

TUU HIGHLIGHTS CONCERNS OVER ALLEGED STUDENT SAFETY ISSUES IN TASMANIA

The Tasmania University Union (TUU) is deeply concerned by the allegations made in the Mercury about
international student safety today.

Comments were made by the National Liaison Committee about student safety in Tasmania. The
National Union of Students President Carla Drakeford has highlighted that "The National Liaison
Committee are no longer endorsed by NUS and CAPA or recognised by Universities Australia as a
representative group of international students".

The TUU State President Clare Rutherford today said “That for the National Liaison Committee to
comment on international student safety in Tasmania and create an atmosphere of fear in the community is disheartening.”

Ms Rutherford concurs with the University of Tasmania’s Vice-Chancellor Prof Daryl Le Grew when
comments in the Mercury stating “By far the majority of our international students see their experience
in Tasmania as a positive and enjoyable experience”.

Ms Rutherford went on to say “Situations that degrade the relationship between international and
domestic students should not be tolerated because the diversity and enrichment of the community that
international students bring to Tasmania is invaluable.”

Media contact:
Clare Rutherford
TUU State President
M: 0414 018 543
E: president@tuu.utas.edu.au

By Ally Gibson James Walker