Aussie visa difficulties

Aussie visa difficulties

I must comment on Max Lane's most interesting article in the
Nov. 20 edition of The Jakarta Post where he wrote:
"If you are from a poor country and are traveling to Australia,
you are guilty of being an illegal immigrant seeking residence
and work until you can prove yourself innocent. This policy must
be changed to allow equal access for Indonesians to Australia as
Australians have to Indonesia."

As an expatriate Australian living and working in Jakarta, I
had first-hand experience of this inequity only recently. I had
planned to take my Indonesian partner to Brisbane in early
December and so we proceeded to apply for a visa. In her visa
application, my friend included a letter from myself saying that
we would be accommodated in Brisbane at my friend's house and
that I was paying for all the costs associated with the trip. I
provided the name and contact details of my friend in Australia.
I also included another letter of recommendation from my employer
(who knows my partner) and ticket details of our departing and
returning flights were provided.

Her application was rejected on the grounds that there was
insufficient evidence that she would be able to support herself
in Australia. What can you say to that? I had even included my
most recent payslip in my partner's application to show that I
was earning more than sufficient U.S. dollars to cover the cost
of our trip.

It is embarrassing to me as an Australian living in Indonesia
to witness at first hand how our embassy devalues the citizens of
this country. My partner has indeed been judged guilty of being
potentially an illegal immigrant, perhaps because she does not
have a U.S. dollar bank account. Suffice it is to say we won't be
going to Australia this Christmas. Do I need to add that I didn't
vote for John Howard?

SEAN REEVES

Tangerang, Banten