A very difficult relationship: living with Indonesia

To succeed in our essential thrust into East Asia, Australia must develop a much deeper public understanding of our largest and closest Asian neighbour. In this context, we must work to promote a major change in public attitudes towards Indonesia that will reject both a negative and biased approach towards it, and an over-eager enthusiasm.

This is a challenge and a national interest which all intelligent Australians, especially religious figures and academic and media commentators, should work to assist rather than retard, as some have done in recent years.

This is not “appeasement” but practical common sense - and recognition of the realities stemming from our place on the globe.

In the interest of future generations of Australians, the Government of the day and the Opposition, supported by the wider community, must pursue a constructive, balanced, more educated, more objective, more understanding, and less self-righteous approach to Indonesia, without undertones of racism or religious intolerance.

Indonesia is a very large and influential nation beside which we shall live for the rest of time.