Opposition leader slams Victoria govt for attacks on Indians

Natasha Chaku

Melbourne, Feb 9 (PTI) An Australian opposition leader
has criticised the Victoria government for failing to tackle
the racist attacks on Indians in the state.

"Victoria has a serious and increasing problem with
racist attacks on Indian students, but the state government is
in denial and blaming the victims. Many of the assaults were
the result of 'racist violence' but Premier John Brumby had
failed to confront the issue," leader of opposition Ted
Baillieu said on Monday night.
He condemned the advice of Victoria police chief Simon
Overland to Indians to "look like poor" to avoid attacks.
Baillieu, who was addressing a gathering of Australian
and Indian business leaders, alleged that the problem of
racial violence was allowed to escalate with government
providing excuses that brought international condemnation.
"... this government's continued attempt to blame the
victim by suggesting he or she had brought it upon themselves
through their conduct or the provocative carrying of iPods,
computers and other such nonsense," he said.
"There were some who say these were not racial attacks
To those let me say this, those assaults they were racially
abused," he said.
Reacting to his comments, State Premier spokesperson
said Baillieu should know better than to use divisive and
inflammatory comments that he knows are not true. "Baillieu's
deceptive treatment of this issue makes things worse not
better," Fiona Macrae was qouted as saying in the media. PTI
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