Sydney/New Delhi, Aug 6 - Australia Thursday assured India that 'firm action' will be taken against those responsible for attacks on Indian students and stressed that inputs from the Indian community will be factored in a safety plan for international students.

External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna, the first cabinet level Indian minister to visit Australia since the recent spike in attacks on Indian students, met New South Wales Premier Nathan Rees and discussed violence and difficulties faced by Indian students.

Rees assured India that 'firm action' will be taken against those responsible for the recent wave of attacks on Indian students that had created outrage in India and the diaspora community.

Rees also assured Krishna that inputs from the Indian community will be included in the action plan for international students. He informed the minister that a meeting of the task force on the issue was to be held Friday.

Besides meeting representatives of the department of education, the Foreign Office and the law enforcement authorities, Krishna interacted with Indian students and the Indian community.

The discussions focused on monitoring the role of travel agents and mechanisms to monitor private colleges in Australia, official sources said in Delhi.

The Indian consulate has started a weekly interaction with Indian students to discuss their problems and safety issues, the sources said.

After the meeting, Krishna said that he was satisfied with the steps taken by Australian authorities to ensure the safety of the students.