Embassy complaint

With reference to Mark Ogilvie's letter Request for tourist visa refused (May 10, 1999), I too have experienced difficulties with the Australian Embassy. At one stage, I was forced to write to the Minister of Foreign Affairs (in Canberra) who kindly sorted out my problem with the Australian Embassy in Jakarta.

It is virtually impossible for Australians to be granted interviews with Australian staff who hide behind the Indonesian personnel rather than do an honest day's work. The Indonesians do their best with routine enquiries but they are quite unable to deal with unusual situations, simply because this is the function of the Australian staff who apparently hate to have their four hour lunch breaks and two hour coffee breaks disturbed by Australian citizens.

LEONARD JONES

Jakarta