Dave Tollner (Solomon, Country Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is addressed to the Minister for Foreign Affairs. Would the minister update the House on the latest developments in Australia’s relationship with Indonesia? How are our countries working together for mutual benefit?

Alexander Downer (Mayo, Liberal Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the honourable member for the question. I also acknowledge the support he gives to the prostate cancer cause, for which I believe he has grown his moustache. My wife is involved in that campaign as well, so I am delighted that he has made an effort.

Honourable Members:

Honourable members interjecting—

Alexander Downer (Mayo, Liberal Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I think you misunderstand—not to mislead the House here in any way.

David Hawker (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! The minister has the call.

Alexander Downer (Mayo, Liberal Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I think they must misunderstand, Mr Speaker.

Honourable Members:

Honourable members interjecting—

Alexander Downer (Mayo, Liberal Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I look forward to seeing her tonight!

David Hawker (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order!

Ms Catherine King (Ballarat, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Treasury) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Ms King interjecting

David Hawker (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Ballarat will remove herself under standing order 94(a).

Julia Gillard (Lalor, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Health and Manager of Opposition Business in the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, I rise on a point of order. From your angle I appreciate you might not have realised this, but the member for Ballarat was in fact talking to me, not interjecting.

David Hawker (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I appreciate the comments of the Manager of Opposition Business, but the Speaker was on his feet and the member for Ballarat continued to speak, and she is therefore removing herself under standing order 94(a).

The member for Ballarat then left the chamber.

Alexander Downer (Mayo, Liberal Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I am pleased to inform the House that my Indonesian counterpart, Hassan Wirajuda, and I signed the Australia-Indonesia Agreement on the Framework for Security Cooperation, as the Treaty of Lombok is formally called, in Indonesia on 13 November. This is a historic agreement, and it will provide a bedrock for the bilateral relationship between Indonesia and Australia for many years to come. So, even if there are difficulties in that relationship from time to time, we will have this bedrock of the relationship.

It will of course provide a framework for dialogue exchanges but will also, importantly, provide for the implementation of joint activities in areas such as law enforcement cooperation, counter-terrorism, defence, maritime security, people trafficking, and emergency management and response. It also includes a clear support by both countries for each other’s territorial integrity. It is an unambiguous statement by both our countries that we will not support the break-up of each other’s countries. Obviously, it is hardly likely that Indonesia would support the break-up of Australia, but the Australian government would not in any circumstances support the break-up of Indonesia. That has been the position of Australian governments for a very long time. This agreement will in no way derogate from domestic laws in our country.

Finally, let me make this point: the agreement will be subject to full public parliamentary scrutiny before it is ratified. I have written to the Joint Standing Committee on Treaties, which is chaired by the member for Boothby, to advise of my intention to table the agreement in parliament when all the paperwork is completed, which is likely to be during the course of next week.

In short, as Dr Wirajuda has said, this agreement reflects the maturity of Australia-Indonesia relations as close neighbours and is an important landmark for the future. I think it will serve future generations of Australians and Indonesians very well by allowing us to work very closely together to deal with the sorts of modern threats which could affect Australians and Indonesians.