Australian businesses pressured to pull out of Burma
Updated
The campaign against Burma's military regime has taken on another front, with Australia's budget airline, Jetstar, the target of a new attempt to get Australian businesses out of Burma.
The Australian Council of Trade Unions the federal government to pressure Jetstar and other Australian companies to stop doing business in Burma and to step up sanctions against the military dictatorship.
Presenter: Samantha Hawley
Speakers: Sharan Burrow, Australian Council of Trade Unions; Zetty Brake, Burma Campaign Australia
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SAMANTHA HAWLEY: Jetstar flies to Burma four times a week.
And for the union movement it's four times too many.
SHARAN BURROW: It is immoral. You are propping up a military regime that is oppressing people.
SAMANTHA HAWLEY: Sharan Burrow from the ACTU will today launch a campaign against Australian businesses involved in Burma.
It coincides with the Burmese Prime Minister's scheduled address to the United Nations General Assembly.
Jetstar's being accused of fuelling the military dictatorship.
SHARAN BURROW: Jetstar has a 49 per cent stake in a company that transfers to and from Rangoon. We think that they should be out.
SAMANTHA HAWLEY: Zetty Brake is from Burma Campaign Australia.
ZETTY BRAKE: The income that Jetstar provides the regime through landing the planes etc is enough money to fund seven 727 soldiers each year which are used, and the soldiers in Burma are used to oppress the people of Burma.
SAMANTHA HAWLEY: The campaign is also targeting other Australian companies, including Twinza Oil, Lonely Planet and Gecko's Adventures.
Sharan Burrow estimates that $2.8 billion in revenue is going to the Burmese dictatorship, thanks to Australian companies
She says the Federal Government needs to pressure those businesses to pull out.
SHARAN BURROW: Many governments around the world - the US, the UK, Germany, Switzerland - a whole lot of governments have actually seen their companies, encouraged by government opposition, pull out of Burma.
SAMANTHA HAWLEY: In 2007 the Howard government implemented financial sanctions against members and supporters of the Burmese regime.
But the ACTU is calling for tougher action.
SHARAN BURROW: We now should be part of increased sanctions, increased pressure to make sure that everything is done to bring this military rule to an end.
SAMANTHA HAWLEY: A spokeswoman for Jetstar says the airline is open to dialogue and is in the process of responding to the ACTU's concerns.
