W

est Australia (WA) already has the most multicultural population of the Australian states but the WA Barnett government has failed to take advantage of our relationship with Indonesia and its huge potential.

While Queensland has strategically and consistently built on its relationship as the closest state to Japan with significant economic, tourist and language benefits, WA has not taken its relationship with Indonesia to similar levels.

With a population of about 240 million, Indonesia is the fourth most populous nation, the world’s third biggest democracy and home to a rapidly expanding middle-class. The International Monetary Fund projects Indonesia will achieve one of the fastest growth rates of the world’s 18 largest economies between 2009-2015, outstripping even the powerhouse economies of Brazil, Russia, India and China.

In 2004, the Federal Parliament’s Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs Defense and Trade recommended that Indonesian Studies be designated a strategic national priority “and be given prioritized funding” for both research and teaching.

The Australian government has committed funding of A$62.4 million (US$61.44 million) over four years (2008–09 to 2011–12) for the National Asian Languages and Studies in Schools Program (NALSSP). The aim of the program is to increase opportunities for school students to become familiar with the languages and cultures of Australia’s key regional neighbors, namely China, Indonesia, Japan and Korea.

While a number of advocates for the Indonesian language teaching in WA advocated strongly in WA, the WA government did not partner into this funding opportunity to a substantial degree.

Sharing the same time zone as Jakarta with multiple airline direct flights to both Jakarta and Bali, Perth is also the most convenient capital city for Indonesians to visit, study, conduct business and undertake world-class medical care.

The children of Indonesian presidents and their families have studied at WA’s universities and visited for confidential medical procedures.

There is much expertise and goodwill within West Australia to progress stronger links with Indonesia through the promotion of language development in Perth.

Balai Bahasa Indonesia Perth Inc. was formally launched as a cultural, non-profit organization on April 22, 2008 at the Indonesian Consulate in Perth. It promotes the teaching of Indonesian language and fostering of cultural links between Australia and Indonesia at all levels of society.

The Indonesian Institute in Perth also provides strong leadership on cultural, social and development links between WA and Indonesia. The Australia-Indonesia Business Council in WA has a strong track record of fostering business links between the two economies.

The Consulate General of the Republic of Indonesia has the largest consular presence in WA, after China. The consulate-general has been active in promoting and developing sister-school relationships between WA and Indonesian schools, trade links and exchange visits of government workers and MPs.

With support from the Australian Learning and Teaching Council, AIBC WA member and Murdoch University’s Professor David T. Hill has reviewed Australia’s Indonesian programs, and is proposing a national strategy to strengthen Indonesian language learning in Australian universities..

With the Commonwealth government investing some A$558.1m in Indonesian development assistance in 2011-2012, including $492.8 million over four years to support the Indonesian government’s priorities and expand the current Australia-Indonesia Partnership bilateral program, there is much need and potential for West Australia to take a stronger role in the relationship with our closest neighbor.

The education component of the initiative, under the Australia-Indonesia Education Partnership, will build or expand around 2,000 junior secondary schools, creating around 300,000 new junior secondary school places in disadvantaged districts. It will also strengthen the management and capacity of school principals, school supervisors and district government officials as well as assist around 1,500 Islamic schools to achieve accreditation and operate to higher educational standards.

What is clearly missing today in WA is strong leadership from the WA government affirming that it will make the learning of Indonesian a priority in WA.

The WA government should commit to promoting Bahasa Indonesia as a major secondary language in WA.

Just as West Australia has on a small scale shown its expertise in sport and agriculture development can have real economic and health benefits in Indonesia, greater Indonesian language skills in WA can open up more opportunities and on a much bigger scale.

International education is already Australia’s third-biggest import, but WA trails other states badly in attracting overseas students. International students are also big drivers in attracting family-and-friends tourists, another area WA lags badly in.

Leadership from the WA government in promoting Indonesian language in WA will send a very strong signal to Indonesia’s growing middle-class that WA as the closest quality education port in the same time zone welcomes Indonesian tourists and international students.

The Indonesian government has set a target for Indonesia to become an advanced country by 2025. Indonesia has abundant natural resources, relatively young population, a burgeoning middle class, and is located on WA’s doorstep. The WA government must acknowledge and engage with Indonesia.

Small cosmetic signals such as dual-naming of some street signs in tourist zones (as happens in multicultural Broome) and train station names in Bahasa Indonesia do mean much to visiting tourists. It’s also a subtle reminder that in the global village, we respect our neighbors.

With a strong WA government commitment to building Indonesian as a major second language in Western Australian schools and universities, the state is well positioned to be Australia’s center of expertise in Indonesian. We have the academic capacity with well known academics in Indonesian studies at Murdoch University, University of WA and Curtin University, and strong links with Indonesia in the fields of trade, agriculture, education, culture, sport, health, tourism and business.

A formal commitment to building greater Indonesian language literacy among West Australians enables this state to have a bigger and more qualitative input into aid, trade, education and cultural development at a state and national level.

Just as Queensland is well known in Australia for its relationship with Japan, with Japanese language taught in the majority of schools in Queensland and Japan market strategies featuring as an important aspect of the Queensland government’s tourism development plan, Western Australia has even better opportunities to build itself as the center of Indonesian expertise and interaction in Australia.

The writer is Shadow Minister for Multicultural Interests.