Strangers Next Door?: Indonesia and Australia in the Asian Century

Description

There are no two neighbouring countries anywhere in the world that are more different than Indonesia and Australia. They differ hugely in religion, language, culture, history, geography, race, economics, worldview and population (Indonesia, 270 million, Australia less than 10 per cent of that). In fact, Indonesia and Australia have almost nothing in common other than the accident of geographic proximity. This makes their relationship turbulent, volatile and often unpredictable. Strangers Next Door? brings together insiders and leading observers to critically assess the state of Australia–Indonesia relations and their future prospects, offering insights into why the relationship is so important for Australia, why it is so often in crisis, and what this means for the future. This book will be of interest to anyone concerned with the Indo-Pacific region, Southeast Asia, Australia and Indonesia, and each country's politics, economy and foreign policy. It contains chapters that will interest specialists but are written in a style accessible to a general audience. The book spans a diverse range of subjects, including political relations and diplomacy, security and defence, the economy and trade, Islam, education, development, the arts, legal cooperation, the media, women, and community ties. Contributors assess the current state of relations in their sphere of expertise, and outline the factors and policies that could shape bilateral ties – and Indonesia's future – over the coming decades. University of Melbourne scholars Tim Lindsey and Dave McRae, both prominent observers and commentators on Indonesia and its relations with Australia, edited the volume, providing a synthesising overview as well as their own thematic chapters. Preface Contents Notes on Contributors 1. Strangers Next Door? Future Prospects Conclusion 2. A Rising Regional Neighbour of Increasing Importance Indonesia in a Changing Asia Economic Development and Trade Security and Diplomatic Relations People-to-People Relations Conclusion 3. Perceptions and the Capacity to Persuade Australia’s Diplomatic Challenge And Now to Indonesia The Power of Perceptions Soft Power What Now? Conclusion 4. President Joko Widodo’s Foreign Policy: Implications for Indonesia-Australia Relations Close Historical Ties Before Widodo: ‘Australia’s Best Friend’ Yudhoyono President Widodo: High Hopes and Reality Conclusion 5. Ignorant and Ill-disposed?: Opinion Polling and Attitudes to the other between Australia and Indonesia The Evolution of Public Opinion Polling on Indonesia Attitudes to Indonesia Knowledge of Indonesia Is Australian Ignorance Wilful? ‘Australians Know Little about Indonesia and Consequently Have Negative Attitudes’ Conclusion 6. Through a Glass, Darkly: Bali, Bad News and Australia-Indonesia Relations Bad News from Bali Michelle Lesley The Second Bali Bombing A Dangerous Destination? Zero Tolerance or Harm Reduction? The Weight of Numbers Conclusion: Bali, Crime and the Bilateral Relationship 7. Prospects for the Australia-Indonesia Defence Relationship A Transformation in Australian Strategic Thinking Positive and Negative Factors in the Relationship More than You Might Think: Recent Defence Cooperation The Agenda for Future Defence Cooperation Will any of this Really Happen? 8. Big Fears about Small Boats: How Asylum Seekers Keep Upsetting the Indonesia-Australia Relationship The Howard Years: Megaphone Diplomacy and Cartoon Wars Labor Governments in Search of ‘Solutions’ The Abbott Regime: Hitting Rock Bottom Conclusion 9. Islam in Australia-Indonesia Relations: Fear, Stereotypes and Opportunity Historical Attitudes to Indonesian Islam Terrorism and the Reframing of Islam as a Threat Moderate Friends, Radical Enemies Moderating Aid Conclusion 10. Indonesia, Australia and ASEAN Indonesia, ASEAN and Australia The ASEAN Way The ASEAN Way and Myanmar The ASEAN Way and the South China Sea Conclusion 11. On the Periphery: Human Rights, Australia and Indonesia Setting the Stage: Human Rights in the Early Years of the Bilateral Relationship National Interests and Sovereignty: Human Rights under Indonesia’s New Order A Place for Human Rights? Challenges after East Timor Moving Forward? 12. A Common Enemy: Police Cooperation between Australia and Indonesia Identity Clash The Police Union Terror Hits Home The Golden Era Breach of Trust New Opportunities, New Challenges Bureaucratic Subcultures 13. Successful Justice Sector Collaboration: A Prerequisite for a Healthy Australia-Indonesia Relationship An Overview of the Bilateral Relationship Bilateral Relations in the Yudhoyono Era Justice Sector Collaboration between Indonesia and Australia Justice Sector Cooperation: AIPJ Conclusion 14. Papua as a Multilateral Issue for Indonesia and Australia Papuan International Activism in Australia Papuan Diplomacy in the Pacific Conclusion 15. Indonesia and Australia: Ties that Rarely Bind The Importance of Being Earnest Is Indonesia Punching Below its Weight—Or Above It? The Economic Ties that Should Bind The Agenda Ahead Conclusion 16. Our Man in Indonesia Bombs, Beef, Bali, Boats New Technology, New Techniques Asylum Seekers Bali Chan and Sukumaran Lessons for Journalists 17. Beyond Cultural Diplomacy: The Artistic Nuance in Australia-Indonesia Relations Australian Cultural Engagement in the Asian Century Indonesian Arts in the Post-New Order Era Shifting Perceptions Soft Diplomacy Other Significant Programs Indonesia’s Engagement with Australia: An Australian Cultural Centre? Conclusion 18. Inside Indonesia: Taking on Australia’s Disinterest, Ignorance and Isolationism Origins Observing and Reporting Indonesia from Australia, 1974–1983 Working Outside the Mainstream Media Unlocking the Potential of Australia’s Indonesia Expertise Content and Form People and Processes On Australia-Indonesia Relations: Issues and People Transitions Post-New Order, Independent East Timor and a Changing of the Guard The New Online Order Conclusion 19. Friendship, Partnership, Action: Women and the Bilateral Relationship Phase One, WWII–1950: Initial Contacts Phase Two, 1950–1966: Building Nationhood Phase Three, 1970–1980s: Developing Indonesia: Developing Knowledge Phase Four, 1990–1998: Making Commitments Through Funding and Linkages Phase Five, 1998–2015: Partnership Phase 6, 2016—From Now On 20. Language, Learning, and Living Together: Education as a Bilateral Barometer A Turbulent History Introducing Indonesian Language Indonesian’s Boom and Bust Education’s Place in Bilateral Relations The Politics of Studying Abroad Recent Australian Government Policy ‘Linguistic Diplomacy’? Conclusion 21. Enhancing the Bond: Narratives of Indonesian Academics from Two Continents Narratives from Indonesia: Herb Feith and the UGM Story Alumni Engagement: Multiplying and Rebalancing Educational Ties Narrative from Down Under: The Flinders-UGM Story Personal Roles and Narratives Conclusion 22. The Unexamined Gift: Australia’s Aid Relationship with Indonesia Australia’s Aid to Indonesia in Context Tiger, Terrapin, Terror: Aid Through Australian Eyes Cops, Carbon, Cattle: Aid Through Indonesian Eyes The Extravagant Gesture What goes up must Come Down: The Inevitable Correction Examining the Gift: Where to Next? Conclusion 23. Economic Policy in the Australia-Indonesia Relationship: Unbound Potential, Everlasting Anticlimax Statistical Snapshot Framing the Challenge Opportunities and Challenges of the Indonesian Economy Policy Uncertainty: A Two-way Street? Economic Reform à la Widodo State of Play in the Bilateral Economic Relationship in 2017 But What Can Be Done? Bilateral Economic Ties: Towards a More Informed Discourse Conclusion 24. A Business Perspective 25. Young and Connected: How Youth Programs and Organisations Build Links between Australia and Indonesia Public Diplomacy, Public Perceptions and the Importance of Youth Links between the People of Australia and Indonesia Youth: An Important Group in Building People-to-People Ties Understanding How Youth Organisations and Programs Facilitate People-to-People Links Eight Prominent Youth-led and Youth-focused Organisations and Programs Four Criteria for Assessing People-to-People Initiatives Conclusion Terminology Glossary, Acronyms and Abbreviations Index