Indians among members of key Australian panel

The 17-member committee has been formed with an aim to increase and improve engagement with wider ethnic communities on their issues of concern, to assist service delivery to those communities and to improve the dissemination of information on the government's policies, a Melbourne-based committee member Manoj Kumar said.

'Subcontinent Ministerial Consultative Committee' will works under the, Minister for Immigration and Citizenship Chris Bowen and will advise them on various issues related to the Subcontinent people in Australia.

Kumar, an engineer and active member of Australia India Business Council Victoria, said the initiative was a positive sign to improve relations with Indian community and also a way for the community to make a valuable contribution to Australian cultural, social and economic life.

Commenting on his new role, Kumar said his first and prime agenda would be to urge the government to simplify rules of International English Language Testing system for the migrants wanting to acquire Permanent residency (PR).

Lauding the role of Australia's ruling Labor party for reversing the Uranium sale ban against India, Kumar said the issue now was how to proceed and implement the deal and take it to next level.

"Our discussions and feedback to the federal government on trade issues pertaining to the sub continent community here could include uranium sale proceedings as well," he aid.

Meanwhile, the immigration minister Chris Bowen congratulated the inaugural members of committee.