Tony Abbott tells hosts Australia is 'barracking for a stronger Indonesia'

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/oct/01/abbott-barracking-stronger-indonesia

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Tony Abbott used the second day of his visit to Indonesia to push for a strengthening of trade ties with his host country, whose economic clout, he said, would soon "dwarf" that of Australia. Abbott told business and government delegates that Australia was "barracking for a stronger Indonesia", describing the northern neighbour as an "emerging economic superpower". "It may be many years before individual Indonesians' standard of living equals that of Australia, but it probably won't be very long at all before Indonesia's total GDP dwarfs ours," he said in a gathering at the Four Seasons hotel in Jakarta. Indonesia has clocked steady economic growth rates of more than 6% over recent years and with more than half of its 240 million people under the age of 30, it has a significant demographic dividend. "From Australia's perspective, there should be an urgency, a real urgency to building this relationship while there is still so much that Australia has to give and that Indonesia is keen to receive," Abbott said. The prime minister admitted Australia had more significant economic partnerships with other countries, but due to Indonesia's size, proximity and potential, it was the most important relationship overall. Accompanied by a delegation of business representatives from, among others, the agriculture, energy, health, infrastructure and telecommunications sectors, Abbott said there was plenty of room to boost bilateral trade and capitalise on Indonesia's burgeoning middle class. The prime minister echoed his previous statements that Australia is "open for business" and is "under new management", stating that his government would take a "consultative, no surprises" approach to bilateral trade. Abbott stressed that "panicked" decisions such as the former Labor government's ban on live cattle exports would never be allowed to happen again. Joking first about a shared love for protein and beaches, the Indonesian trade minister, Gita Wirjawan, emphasised there "shouldn't be any surprises". Wirjawan argued that bilateral trade between Indonesia and Australia should be 1% of combined GDP. Indonesia, he said, was aspiring to become a global player and to achieve its goal would need Australia's help. "It is impossible for Indonesia to be bigger and better and more relevant without a much more robust partnership with Australia," he said. Wirjawan, a former investment banker and possible presidential candidate, was also joined by the Indonesian agriculture and finance ministers at the breakfast meeting. Acknowledging that thousands of Indonesian students were studying in Australian universities and colleges, Abbott said only a few hundred Australians were returning the compliment and studying in Indonesia. Abbott said he was targeting an "Asia-literate" community and under his Colombo plan not only would Indonesia's bright sparks study in Australia, but Australia's best and brightest would also study in the Asia Pacific region. "This new Colombo plan could provide us with a new and more contemporary version of Rhodes scholars and Fulbright fellows, this time with a strong Asia Pacific orientation," he said. On Monday night, Abbott said one Australian scholar would be selected to study in Indonesia each year under a "Yudhoyono fellowship", named after the Indonesian president. The Indonesian businessman Sofyan Wanadi welcomed the broader commitment from Australia, calling for long-term investment in education and infrastructure. "This commitment, especially in education as part of the new Colombo plan, is what we need for education in Indonesia," said Wanadi, "and also so that Australians know more about Indonesia, how complex we are."

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