Union's boycott misleading

The trade and industry minister is warning Australia "of further repercussions". And for what? For something which is beyond the aegis of the Australian government, let alone the Australian state: the actions of the Australian trade unions.

You do not have to have a PhD in political science to know that conservative governments like that of John Howard strongly disapprove of trade union activity in whatever form it takes. To see the boycott activities of the Australian unions as an extension of government policy is either willfully misleading or politically illiterate. Take your pick.

There are times when such boycotts catch the public mood and others when they plainly do not. I strongly suspect that the former applies. There is a real sense of outrage in Australia and a number of other countries at the military abetted atrocities in East Timor. No amount of opportunist demagoguery by discredited politicians here is going to alter that fact.

DAVID JARDINE

Jakarta