National Liaison Committee for International Students (NLC), the national peak body for International Students in Australia, supports the amendments that will allow the ESOS Assurance Fund to be used to compensate International Students who have been adversely affected by closures of their education institutions.

Under current legislation, the ESOS Assurance Fund only covers the school fees of International Students when their institution closes down. The amendments would give the Education Minister the power to grant reimbursement for other consequential costs, such as homestay and visa fees, on a case-by-case basis.

NLC National President, Ms SINGH Dolores, said, "As we have seen in the recent closure of the GEOS private colleges, many International Students are facing eviction from their homestay accommodation, as their homestay fees along with their school fees have all been lost following the closures."

"The amendments will allow the ESOS Assurance Fund to provide assistance to International Students who face such desperate situations," she said.

NLC has been actively lobbying the Commonwealth to improve the lives of the International Students Community.

On 25 November 2008, NLC met with Shadow Minister for Immigration and Citizenship: Dr Sharman STONE in her Parliamentary office in Canberra. The concerns over the lack of information regarding International Students Deaths were highlighted.

On 27 November 2008, Dr STONE asked the Minister representing the Minister for Immigration and Citizenship: Mr Robert MCCLELLAND in writing, in respect of International Students Deaths.

On 9 February 2009, the Votes and Proceedings Hansard of the House of Representatives was released confirming that from November 2007 to November 2008, there was a record of 62 deaths in the International Students Community.

On 4 March 2009, NLC met with Senator Brett MASON, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Education, in Melbourne to discuss about the Opposition’s support for a Senate Inquiry on International Education.
 
On 6 April 2009, NLC met with Greens Senator Sarah HANSON-YOUNG in her Adelaide office and brought to her the issues facing the International Students Community, in particular the need for public transport concession for International Students in NSW and VIC, and the worrying number of deaths in the International Students Community.

Senator HANSON-YOUNG pledged her support for the International Students Community and stated that she would support NLC as the national peak body for International Students in Australia by supporting the call for a Senate Inquiry on International Education on 1 May 2009, the annual International Students Day.

On 1 May 2009, International Students Day 2009 was held at the New South Wales Parliament House and attended by Consul-Generals, Deputy Consul-Generals and Education Consuls from top 20 home countries for International Students, local politicians and representatives for former NSW Premier Nathan REES, Opposition Leader Barry O’FARRELL and City of Sydney Lord Mayor Clover MOORE, Executives from relevant educational institutions and International Student representatives from all around Australia.

On 14 May 2009, NLC met with Senator Brett MASON again, together with Shadow Minister for Youth Sophie MIRABELLA at her Parliamentary office in Canberra on the Higher Education Legislation Amendment (Student Services and Amenities and Other Measures) Bill 2009.

NLC does not support the bill introduced by the Labor government as it forces International Students to pay an additional compulsory $250 student tax, over $50 million in total annually to support domestic student unions which are controlled by Young Labor factions that do not represent the interests of International Students.

On 18 August 2009, the bill was rejected by the Senate, and the legislation would not proceed.

NLC will continue to lobby all levels of government and industry stakeholders to make sure that International Students are no longer treated as "cash-cows", and that more is being done to improve their lives.