Terima kasih Bapak President. Selamat siang, memang bagus sekali kembali ke Indonesia. Maaf bahasa saya kurang lancar.
[Thank you Mr President. Good afternoon, it is indeed good to return to Indonesia. I apologise that my Bahasa is not fluent]
Indonesia is a great country and Bapak President thank you for your kind invitation to be back here again. I am pleased to be here for the third Australia-Indonesia Leaders’ Meeting.
Indonesia is critical to Australia’s interests. I believe Australia is critical to Indonesia’s interests. Indonesia is also emerging as an economic powerhouse of South East Asia. GDP of one trillion US dollars.
It is the fifteenth largest economy in the world; by 2030 it is estimated to be the seventh largest economy in the world; and by 2050 the fourth largest economy in the world behind China, the US and India. Something big is happening in Indonesia and everyone in Australia and the world should pay attention.
This is a population of 250 million people. Massive social transformation is underway and for Australia this means that across our nation, whether it is those engaged in politics, whether it is those engaged in business, whether it's those engaged in education, or whether it’s those engaged in the community sector, we need to bring these two great economies together and forge a great future. And that is what I am personally dedicated to doing.
Since 2007 we have had almost 130 two way high level visits between Australia and Indonesia. We’re been busy. I’ve been here about ten times myself and SBY has been to Australia as well, and I’ve been pleased to receive him there.
Indonesia is also the only ASEAN member of the G20, a meeting which of course we will host at summit level in Australia in my own home city of Brisbane next year.
Our defence relationship is strong. It’s our most important in the region.
We’re signed defence cooperation agreements and we’ve held our inaugural defence ministers meeting only last year. Indonesia is one of our most important terrorism partners and SBY I congratulate Indonesia and our good friends in the TNI and the Indonesian police and in the other Indonesian government agencies for the work we do together to combat our common enemy of terrorism.
We talk about the future. I believe a core message from this meeting is we need to expand our economic horizons – do much more in terms of the economic relationship between us. Indonesia is our twelfth largest trading partner, but trade is still only worth around fifteen billion between us. We can do with imagination and hard work a lot more than that.
SBY and I confirmed our commitment to the Indonesia Australia Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement, the first round of negotiations occurred in March this year. There is a lot of work to be done, but I’m sure Bapak President and myself will be encouraging the negotiators to reach agreement as soon as possible.
Food security is also critical to the quarter of a billion people who live in this vast archipelago. Today we discussed how to advance this in terms of our cooperation in the beef industry.
I was pleased to announce the establishment of the Indonesia Australia red meat and cattle forum. A sixty million dollar ten year initiative to boost investment in the red meat agri-business sector in Indonesia. Good for Australian beef industry. Good for Indonesian investors and good also for Indonesian consumers.
The President and I also discussed extensively cattle exports to Indonesia, and I thank Indonesia for its cooperation given recent challenges. And of course we’ve also discussed the continuing challenges of animal welfare.
Indonesia will host APEC in October this year in Bali. Bapak President has indicated the theme for APEC is economic resilience. I support him in that.
It is an important message for all of us given the challenges of the global economy. Maintaining economic resilience in Asia, because now the global economy depends on the health of our region like never before.
As I said before, we have the G20 in Brisbane next year and I look forward very much to coordinating with the President of Indonesia how we build on his theme of economic resilience into the agenda of the G20 as well.
The President has also mentioned our cooperation in the area of people smuggling and I acknowledge the strong work that he and his officials have done in this area. I congratulate the President on his new initiative, that is, to convene a regional ministerial meeting of key origin, transit and destination countries.
A conference to explore concrete operational policy responses, including new regional responses and actions to enhance border security in addressing the problem of irregular movements of persons.
As the President of Indonesia just said, this problem of people smuggling is a problem for our entire region. Therefore the President’s initiative is for all of us to work now together, and I salute you, Mr President, on your bold initiative in hosting, in the immediate period, ahead a ministerial conference to bring about concrete actions to reduce this problem for all of us.
Furthermore, could I also congratulate the President more broadly for his work as an international statesman. President Yudhoyono is now known throughout the world. Not just because he is the leader of the world’s largest Muslim country. Not just because there are a quarter of a billion people who live here. Not just because you have successfully transformed this country into a modern democracy and a growing economy. But also for the President’s personal contribution in these areas as well.
President Yudhoyono has in his period as President consolidated the transformation of Indonesia into a strong robust democracy, and I publicly thank you for that SBY.
You have also presided over the growing strength of this economy. Six per cent average annual growth over the period of your presidency, making this into the big economy it is today. On the wider world stage also, the work you have done with the United Nations as the co-chair of the UN Secretary General’s high level panel of eminent persons; on the post 2015 development agenda; the future of the Millennium Development Goals.
SBY is representing the Republic of Indonesia, is having a crucial voice in the councils of the world in shaping the future global campaign to reduce poverty, and eliminate extreme poverty, for all the peoples of the world.
Finally, SBY referred to the important challenge which he faces and the region also confronts in terms of security. He also referred in particular to the challenges which still exist within Papua.
I would like to publicly reaffirm here what successive Australian Prime Ministers have done in the past which is that Australia recognises now, has recognised in the past, and will recognise into the future the territorial integrity of the Republic of Indonesia. That includes Papua.
Secondly, I would also congratulate the President’s strong leadership in what he’s described as his autonomy plus package for the future of Papua. I encourage him in this direction and I’ve said as the Prime Minister of Australia I will do everything I can to support him in this important direction as well.
The President of Indonesia, President Yudhoyono, has achieved already huge success in Aceh. To the extent that the entire international community has looked with great appreciation at what he’s achieved there. Australia, Bapak President, wants to work with you in a way which you would best suggest we can be helpful in making sure that we bring about a long term, stable, peaceful, prosperous and secure Papua as part of the Republic of Indonesia.
Bapak President, thank you so much for your hospitality.
Thank you also to Ibu Ani, who is here somewhere perhaps, who has been kindly hosting my wife Therese. Therese has brought to Ibu Ani a yellow rose for planting in the Presidential Palace in Jakarta which was taken out of the Rose Garden at Parliament House in Canberra. Something that they visited together when Ibu Ani and Bapak President were there in March of 2010.
I hope the yellow rose blooms well in your garden and as it does, remember not just our wives, Ibu Ani and Thérèse, but also our friendship and also remember the friendship between the peoples of Australia and Indonesia.
Thank you Bapak President.