Students consider Australia to be one of the safest countries in the world.

A 2009 survey on student safety by international education agency IDP interviewed more than 6,000 students from China, Malaysia, Vietnam, Singapore, Thailand and Hong Kong. Overwhelmingly, nearly 40 percent of students ranked Australia as the safest place to study compared to the US, Canada, New Zealand and Britain.

It would be nice if this meant every international student will be 100% safe for the entire time they stay in Australia, but this just is not possible.

Similarly, as a small state with large rural areas, Tasmania enjoys a lower crime rate than the Australian mainland. Yet the truth is that even in small cities like Hobart, Launceston and Devonport – bad things can happen, just like anywhere else.

The Think Before campaign is dedicated to the safety of international students in Australia and has some helpful advice available in many languages.

Safety tips

• Tasmanian Police are there for your safety. In Australia, the police are generally well respected and helpful. They do not accept bribes.
• Wherever possible, walk or travel with a friend or in a group.
• Always try to walk in well-lit areas after dark, or where there are lots of people, even if it makes your trip longer.
• At night, public transport in Tasmania can be limited. Always check the bus timetable first, to avoid long waits at bus stops after dark. Alternatively, plan to stay overnight with a friend or make sure you have enough money for a taxi.
• Random attacks are fortunately still rare in Tasmania, but mostly involve groups of young males who are affected by alcohol. Avoid these groups.
• If you are going to drink alcohol, do not get drunk. You may make yourself vulnerable.
• Never accept drinks from strangers, you do not know what is in them.
• Do not hitchhike and never accept lifts home from people you do not know.
• Keep valuables such as phones and iPods out of sight wherever possible and avoid showing large amounts of money in public.
• If you are approached by a stranger who begs for money or ‘spare change’, you do not have to give them anything. Be polite, do not make eye contact and just walk away.
• In Tasmania, it is illegal to carry a knife or weapon for self defence. In a fight, a knife may be taken from you, or if your opponent also has a knife you can quickly find yourself in a knife fight.
• If you feel threatened in any way, make as much noise as you can and run to a house or a shop with its lights on to ask for help, or for the police to be called.

Emergencies

If you are ever in an emergency and require immediate help – call 000 on your telephone. It is a free call. The operator can connect you to:

• The Tasmanian Police
• The Tasmanian Fire Service
• Ambulance Tasmania

Speak clearly, explain the situation to the operator and tell them where you are.

Medical problems

If you want to see a doctor and need help to make an appointment, you can ask your International Student Adviser, homestay host, a teacher or contact the GETI office for assistance.

If you have a medical emergency, phone 000 and ask for an ambulance. If you need to take yourself to a hospital emergency room, here are the locations:

• Royal Hobart Hospital
  Liverpool Street, Hobart

• Launceston General Hospital
  Charles Street, Launceston

• Mersey Community Hospital (Devonport)
  Bass Highway, Latrobe

Water safety

Australians love swimming, surfing, fishing and boating and even though our waters can be a little colder, Tasmanians are no different. If you do not know how to swim, avoid going in the water until you feel confident of your own safety. If you do plan on swimming, here are some important safety tips:

• Beaches patrolled by surf lifesavers are the safest places to swim.
• If you can see red and yellow flags on a beach, you should swim between the flags.
• Take the time to read and obey all warning and safety signs on beaches and waterways.
• Avoid touching any sea creatures. Many of them can sting or bite.
• Never go swimming alone.
• Do not drink alcohol before swimming.
• If you get into trouble, stay calm. Try to stay afloat and raise one arm into the air to wave for help.
• If you feel yourself being pulled out to sea by a strong current, you are probably caught in a rip. Stay calm. Do not try to swim straight back to shore as the current will make this very difficult. Rips are not very wide, so try to swim parallel to the beach to get out of the current.
• The sun in Australia can be very strong, so it is always a good idea to wear sunscreen and a hat.