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Indonesian president Joko Widodo arrives in Australia for two-day visit Indonesian president Joko Widodo arrives in Australia for two-day visit
(about 1 hour later)
The Indonesian president Joko Widodo has arrived in Sydney on his first visit to Australia as his nation’s leader.The Indonesian president Joko Widodo has arrived in Sydney on his first visit to Australia as his nation’s leader.
The president and first lady Iriana Widodo landed in rainy conditions and clutched umbrellas as they greeted Australian officials on the Sydney airport tarmac.The president and first lady Iriana Widodo landed in rainy conditions and clutched umbrellas as they greeted Australian officials on the Sydney airport tarmac.
Improving trade and investment will be a key focus of Widodo’s two-day state visit with plans to finalise a bilateral free trade agreement this year.Improving trade and investment will be a key focus of Widodo’s two-day state visit with plans to finalise a bilateral free trade agreement this year.
The Indonesian president will meet with business leaders on Saturday afternoon before a private dinner at prime minister Malcolm Turnbull’s harbourside mansion.The Indonesian president will meet with business leaders on Saturday afternoon before a private dinner at prime minister Malcolm Turnbull’s harbourside mansion.
“Our relationship with Indonesia is growing deeper by the day but it has not yet reached its full potential,” Turnbull wrote in an opinion piece in the Sydney Morning Herald newspaper, adding that Australia trades more with Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand than with Indonesia.“Our relationship with Indonesia is growing deeper by the day but it has not yet reached its full potential,” Turnbull wrote in an opinion piece in the Sydney Morning Herald newspaper, adding that Australia trades more with Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand than with Indonesia.
Indonesia has a population of 250 million and is Australia’s nearest neighbour after Papua New Guinea. Australia has 24 million people.Indonesia has a population of 250 million and is Australia’s nearest neighbour after Papua New Guinea. Australia has 24 million people.
Meanwhile, Australia’s live cattle trade to Indonesia has received a boost with Jakarta moving from four-month to one-year import permits.
The announcement coincided with Widodo’s arrival in Sydney.
Agriculture minister Barnaby Joyce hailed the changes saying it would allow better business planning for Australian exporters, increase the range of cattle eligible for export and ultimately improve returns at the farm gate.
Weight limits will be increased from a 350-kilogram average weight to maximum 450kg for live feeder cattle. The age limits will also rise.
“Australian farmers will have the ability to produce a greater range of cattle for the Indonesian market at competitive prices,” Joyce said in a statement.
Australia’s live cattle exports to Indonesia were worth $578m in the 2015-16 financial year.
The industry suffered a big blow under the previous Labor government, which introduced a sudden ban on live cattle exports in 2011 following the airing of animal cruelty footage at Indonesian abattoirs.