Australian government, businesses urged to act on Burma

Last Updated: Wed, 10 Mar 2010 13:41:00 +1100

The Australian Government is being urged to take a tougher stance against Burma.

Australian Greens Senator, Scott Ludlam, has filed a motion in Parliament, calling on Australian companies to stop investing in Burma's gas and oil industry.

Senator Ludlam has told Radio Australia's Connect Asia program says the Australian Government should send a clear message to businesses about investing in Burma.

"Rather than sending the confused and mixed signals that the government does at the moment of neither supporting nor opposing investment in Burma we think they should just take a strong and simple line that says until the situation there improves, we will not allow Australian companies to invest in that country," he said.

The push comes just one week after the New York based International Tribunal on Crimes against Women in Burma recommended that the UN Security Council refer Burma to the International Criminal Court.

Senator Ludlam says the Australian government hasn't been putting enough pressure on Burma.

"I think it's really time we stepped up. The government has been very good on rhetoric and talks. The government has been very good on increasing the aid budget," he said

"But they've been very soft and strangely absent on conversation about tougher sanctions and about supporting an international push for a UN inquiry."

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