Kerry Rea (Bonner, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Foreign Affairs. How is Australia working with Indonesia to advance the relationship of trust and cooperation between our two countries?

Stephen Smith (Perth, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Relations between Australia and Indonesia have never been in a better state. Relations between Australia and Indonesia have never been at a higher level. There are, I think, three reasons for that. Firstly, there was the signing and bringing into force of the Lombok-Perth Treaty earlier this year, brought into force by me on behalf of Australia and Minister Wirajuda on behalf of Indonesia. Secondly, there is a realisation that after many years of friendship and partnership, which started with Australia’s support of Indonesian independence, we came to appreciate there could be things about which we might have a different view which did not disturb the basis and the nature of the relationship—which did not disturb the respect, the regard and the trust between our two nations. Thirdly, as I have said publicly in the past, and I repeat it today, whilst it is the case that the relationship has never been at a better level, the current government did inherit from the previous government a relationship with Indonesia in very good order. This has not always been the case, but we inherited a relationship in very good order which we have taken to a new level.

Today I can indicate to the House that we conducted the 9th Australia-Indonesia Ministerial Forum, which saw a meeting of over a dozen ministers from both our countries. Can I acknowledge on the floor of the chamber my counterpart, Minister Wirajuda, and the Minister for Law and Human Rights, Minister Mattalata. I warmly welcome them to the House, and I know that sentiment is shared by all members of the House. The coming to Australia of half-a-dozen Indonesian ministers brings to 29 the number of two-way ministerial visits since the government came to office. This includes two visits to Australia by Minister Wirajuda, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, and two visits to Indonesia by the Prime Minister and by me. This high-level exchange is very, very important and very, very productive.

The 9th Australia-Indonesia Ministerial Forum was very instructive and very productive. A 47-paragraph communique has been issued reflecting the array of interests between our two nations: from security and counterterrorism cooperation to cooperation against people smuggling and illegal people movements; cooperation in partnership development and assistance; our cooperation so far as addressing the global financial crisis is concerned; and our cooperation on democratic matters, including our very strong support for the Bali Democracy Forum, which the Prime Minister hopes very much to attend in December and co-chair a session of with the Indonesian President. On Australia’s support of Indonesian democracy, I can announce to the House a contribution of more than $6 million from Australia to assist the Indonesian Electoral Commission in the running of the Indonesian elections, both parliamentary and presidential, in April and June of next year respectively.

We had a long conversation, the foreign minister and I, about not just the good nation-to-nation relationship and not just the good government-to-government relationship but also the need to consolidate this first-class relationship with people-to-people exchanges. Central to that is education. I am very proud that this parliament and this government is in the middle of a program to build 2,000 schools in Indonesia—2,000 schools for Indonesians built by the Australian people and the Australian parliament. This is a terrific contribution that we make. Those young Indonesians, when they finish their education, will end up becoming ambassadors for Australia because they know that their education has in part been provided by Australia. The same is true of our extensive scholarships program.

Can I finish by making this point. Recently we saw the 20th anniversary of the Australia-Indonesia Institute, which has done very good work in building people-to-people exchanges between our two countries. There are three documents every member of the House should have to refer to the modern Australia-Indonesia relationship: the Lombok Perth Treaty, the communique issued today and Minister Wirajuda’s speech on the 20th anniversary of the Australia-Indonesia Institute in Jakarta on 4 November. I thank Minister Wirajuda, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, and Minister Mattalatta, Minister for Law and Human Rights, for coming to Australia and for coming to question time, and I warmly commend our relationship to the House and to the Australian people.