Rupinder Brar's Barkly International College shuts its website, office lights off
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A dodgy international college run by a Rolls Royce-driving businessman who sat next to Anthony Albanese at a suspected Labor fundraising event has 'permanently' shut its website.
Barkly International College — owned and operated by Indian-Australian property developer Rupinder Brar, who recently lauded the PM as a leader of 'vision, integrity and courage' — was stripped of its registration by a federal watchdog three months ago.
BIC's website now only displays a message stating 'our website is permanently closed' and when The Australian visited its Lonsdale St headquarters on Tuesday the lights were out and the office appeared closed.
Despite the 'permanent' closure of BIC's website, Mr Brar has maintained he intends pushing ahead with an appeal to overturn the deregistration of the college, which mainly caters to Indian students.
'We have shut the website down so there is no suggestion we are trading or advertising or otherwise breaching ASQA (Australian Skills Quality Authority) requirements while we pursue our appeal against the cancellation,' Mr Brar told The Australian.
'I feel like a broken record, but as advised to you previously (and as you have reported previously), the matter is still before the (Administrative Review Tribunal) so I cannot comment any further.'
Melbourne-based Australian-Indian businessman and entrepreneur Rupinder Brar.
Mr Brar dined with Mr Albanese and former Victorian Labor premier Daniel Andrews in a four-hour dinner at Toorak mansion last November and has actively promoted his association with the PM on social media. Mr Albanese, Mr Andrews and Mr Brar have all failed to deny the event was an election campaign fund raiser for the ALP.
In the days after Mr Albanese's emphatic May 3 federal election victory, Mr Brar described the win as a 'well deserved victory' in a social media post and hailed the PM as a 'true leader with vision, integrity, and the courage to rise above the noise'.
Rupinder Brar (seated beside the PM), Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Daniel Andrews (seated to the other side of the PM) at a function held in Toorak on November 12, 2024.
'Despite all the attempts to distract and discredit, the people stood with truth and truth won,' Mr Brar posted.
'I'm proud to have supported a man who leads with purpose and heart. This victory is not just his, but for all who believe in honest leadership and a brighter future. Myself and my community are very much looking forward to working with him in building a better future and contributing to the continued progress of our great nation.'
Three months ago the Administrative Review Tribunal rejected an application by BIC to continue teaching foreign students pending an appeal against its deregistration over what the watchdog found were serious noncompliance issues.
ASQA cancelled BIC's registration after an investigation found it had breached 30 regulations covering training, assessment, enrolment, marketing and governance systems, including a lack of training for students, insufficient trainers and educational support services and facilities to support students.
Mr Brar has made a fortune out of property investments, in one case pocketing a $22m profit when a company associated with him bought a Craigieburn block for $11m and sold it a year later for $33m.
Four months after paying $11m, the Victorian government announced Amazon was locating to a nearby industrial estate.
Mr Brar has told The Australian the business had 'no knowledge' that Amazon was moving nearby when it bought the block.
Mr Brar's company sold the block for $33m to property investment firm Cadence in November 2022 which, in turn, sold the land to Amazon for $79m.
Do you know more? Email damon.johnston@news.com.au
Read related topics: Anthony Albanese
Damon Johnston
Melbourne Bureau Chief
Damon Johnston has been a journalist for more than 35 years. Before joining The Australian as Victoria Editor in February 2020, Johnston was the editor of the Herald Sun - Australia's biggest selling daily newspaper - from 2012 to 2019. From 2008 to 2012, Johnston was the editor of the Sunday Herald Sun. During his editorship of the Herald Sun, the newspaper broke the story of Lawyer X, Australia's biggest police corruption scandal, which was recognised with major journalism awards in 2019. Between 2003 and 2008, Johnston held several senior editorial roles on the Herald Sun, including Chief-of-Staff and Deputy Editor. From 2000 to 2003, Johnston was the New York correspondent for News Corporation and covered major international events including the 9/11 terrorist attacks on the city. After joining the Herald Sun in 1992, Johnston covered several rounds including industrial relations, transport and state politics.
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