Australia’s opposition leader Kevin Rudd announced in his budget replay speech that his party, Labour, would spend $65 million over four years to re-establish a strategy for Asian languages and studies in Australian schools. This is to help the economic and political engagement between Australia and Asian countries. Kevin Rudd can speak Mandarin Chinese fluently himself.

However in a radio report broadcasted on Austrialia’s Radio National, reporter Paula Kruger interviewed students learning Asian languages and found for Australian students, learning the tonal Asian languages is not easy. Moreover Australian employers still don’t see their language skills as necessary.

A transcript of the program can be read here.