H

ands up if you know of a relationship between Indonesia and Australia that is 100 percent positive? That’s right, zero.

Every bilateral relationship has its love-hate moments. Indonesians know a lot about Malaysia but this doesn’t necessarily mean that the bond is rock solid. Australians have a lot in common with New Zealanders but the two nations are super-competitive and love to make up jokes about each other. Let’s not mention England and Scotland.

The reality is that progressive, outwardly focused nations like to maximize the opportunities for closer relationships with important neighbors and trading partners, while reducing the impact of points of difference.

This issue of celebrating the common ground has come up strongly in the findings of fresh research on Indonesia-Australia perceptions conducted by market-research company EY Sweeney on behalf of the Australia-Indonesia Centre. The research involved 4,000 interviews plus 24 focus groups across both nations.

In Indonesia, discussions were held in Jakarta, Surabaya, Denpasar, Makassar and Medan. Face-to-face interviews were conducted in Jakarta, Bandung, Surabaya, Makassar, Denpasar, Medan, Semarang, Palembang, Padang and Batam. In Australia, discussions were held in Perth, Townsville, Sydney, Adelaide and Melbourne prior to a national survey.

 For those who focus on opportunities rather than threats, the findings should be welcomed. Indonesia and Australia, while culturally and economically different, have a great deal in common. According to the research, Australians and Indonesians both have a desire to protect family values and cultural identity while improving outcomes in education, health, employment, security, infrastructure and the environment. There appears to be a real appetite to learn more and engage in new ways.

Despite a lack of knowledge in Australia about Indonesia (only 19 percent said they had a good understanding), 39 percent of Australians said they want to learn more about Indonesia, and 43 percent believed basic education about Indonesia could be improved in Australian schools.
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A clear majority of Australians (72 percent) said they would like to learn more about Indonesian culture

A clear majority of Australians (72 percent) said they would like to learn more about Indonesian culture — a strong finding for champions of cultural diplomacy.

When the discussions turned to education, the alignment was unmistakable: 57 percent of Indonesians said they would like to learn more about Australia and a similar number (59 percent) agreed basic education about Australia should be improved in Indonesian schools.

On trade and business, there is strong interest in deepening ties across the Timor Sea, with 65 percent of Indonesians and 51 percent of Australians saying the trading relationship is important.

Business partnerships were rated highly. Of those surveyed, 49 percent of Indonesians and 38 percent of Australians said travel and tourism would make a difference in improving the relationship.

One stark difference relates to Australian and Indonesian levels of confidence about the future. Both countries are at critical junctures, with future prosperity underpinned by how each nation responds to global challenges.

The research found that Australians are anxious about the future, with only around one in three (34 percent) seeing economic prosperity improving in the next 10 years. Only 25 percent believe the standard of living will improve.

In comparison, Indonesians seem relatively upbeat how their lives are likely to improve over the next decade. Eight in 10 (82 percent) see economic prosperity improving and a similar number (81 percent) foresee improvement in the standard of living. Jobs (63 percent) was the most frequently mentioned factor influencing prosperity.

The Australia-Indonesia Centre, based at Monash University, commissioned the research to provide an evidence-based approach to better understand the drivers and key influencers of Australia-Indonesia attitudes and perceptions. It is hoped that this body of work kick-starts a new bi-national public discussion about ways to strengthen this vitally important relationship.

The relationship is already showing some positive trends:

The latest trade talks have established substantial momentum towards a comprehensive partnership agreement.

A record number of Australians are choosing Indonesia as their No. 1 overseas destination (116,000 in June) and more Indonesians are travelling to Australia (16,200 in June).

Hundreds of young Australians are studying in Indonesia under the New Colombo Plan and other student-exchange programs.

For Indonesians and Australians — those who care about their shared futures in a more complex and rapidly evolving Asia — the research on perceptions is valuable. It is clear that there are substantial ways, both economic and empathetic, for the two nations to be closer.

Australians and Indonesians are more alike than some would have us think. They share concerns and aspirations. Let’s embrace the opportunity to help our children learn together.

Let’s get to know each other better, for that is the most important step in this exciting journey.

The best way forward is to work together. Mari kerja sama (let’s cooperate)!
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The writer is director of the Australia-Indonesia Centre. The key findings of the Australia Indonesia Perceptions Report 2016 can be accessed at aicperceptionsreport.com.