Making the case for languages

Given the importance of our relationship, the proximity of our shores, and the shared set of challenges and opportunities that confront us, Australia should aspire to lead the world in understanding the issues that drive Indonesian society and its government.

This situation applies not only to Indonesia but to other Asian languages.

There have been a number of calls for greater Asian language literacy such as from Tim Lindsey, the director of the Asian Law centre at the University of Melbourne. He has noted that in NSW only 9% of HSC students were enrolled in a second language. This is a theme common to a wide range of groups from the Association for Learning Mandarin in Australia Inc to Universities Australia.

The Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry has argued in its education and training blueprint Skills for a Nation that "to effectively participate in a globalised world there should be the compulsory learning of a foreign language".

This stance has garnered strong support from groups such as the Asia Education Foundation and the Australian Federation of Modern Language Teachers Associations.

If elected to government, the Coalition will work with the States and Territories with the aim of making it compulsory to learn a foreign language from 7 years of age or earlier.

A Coalition Government will also work with the States and Territories to re-examine and reinforce incentives to encourage high school students to study foreign languages which will also assist in increasing the pool of language teachers.

These policy initiatives will be essential for the prospects and opportunities for our young people who will be working in a world where linguistic skills are valued.