Just how unfriendly is Melbourne to Foreign students? Not only do we rip them off with IELTS testing, with reports of tens of thousands of students sitting the IELTS test every month and being charged twice as much as is charged in the UK, Ireland and the US. But they are also being exploited by the State Government public transport authority. Denied student concession to travel on public transport.
One student I know purchased a concession ticket not knowing that student concession did not apply to foreigners. No one explained the system and their level of English was low. They were here after all to learn English and to experience Australian life.
The student was stopped by the metro stasi and detained for questioning. Something that is very frightening for a foreign student who has little command of English and comes from a country where enfrocement authorities can be brutal and generally try to extract bribes.
Our Metro statsi ignored their human rights and in breach of government policy failed to obtain the services of a translator before questioning the student. Instead of giving the student a warning and information about our transport system in their own language they issued an infringement notice and a demand for payment of $160 fine. Welcome to Melbourne.