About six months ago, Australia expressed its new foreign policy that would be less Geneva more Jakarta, emphasising a greater focus on the growing Asia Pacific region, especially Indonesia.
Owing to that statement, you could be forgiven for thinking that Australia and Indonesia must have entered a new ‘honeymoon’ phase, with closer ties in cooperation. But the revelations that Australia's spy agencies phone-tapped President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and his inner circle have put an end to that assumption. Bilateral diplomatic ties are at an all-time low, with the President downgrading the relationship, recalling Indonesia's ambassador from Canberra and suspending cooperation on joint efforts to combat people smuggling.
The big question mark that hangs over this affair - where to from here?
Tension escalated exponentially
It all begin in early November, when former US National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden, revealed that that in mid-2009, the Indonesian President's mobile phone was monitored for around 15 days by Australian intelligence agencies. Tensions escalated when it was revealed that other senior government figures, including the Inonesian First Lady, were also the subject of phone-tapping operations.
Things are clear-cut for Indonesian - the illicit sourcing of confidential information by Australia signals a level of distrust from its nearest neighbour. Yudhoyono has suspended cooperation and warned Australia that diplomatic relations will remain in limbo until Prime Minister Tony Abbott offers a public explanation and apology. But Mr Abbott has refused to do so, arguing that if phone interception did take place, it was done for the safety of the nation. Tensions between the two countries have been heightened by a failure to adhere to the “good cop bad cop” routine: while both Yudhoyono and Abbott have their own foreign affair ministers and ambassadors, both seem to emotionally dominate all measures of communication. This leaves no room for their subordinates to adopt an agressive, demanding approach while allowing the leaders to take a sympathetic stance protective to the relationship.
Australia and Indonesia: destined to be more than just neighbours
History witnessed events that has put Australia Indonesia relationship on a bumpy road: the East Timor referendum, the Bali Bombing tragedy, the Schapelle Corby and Bali 9 verdicts, the temporary live export ban to Indonesia and many more. In each instance diplomatic difficulties have been overcome. Now, Indonesia and Australia must decide carefully how they will proceed because of what is at stake. In my opinion, Australia and Indonesia are destined to be more than just neighbours.
Indonesia will be the key for Australia to access ASEAN. All actions taken now will shape and inform Australia's relationship between with other ASEAN countries, especially where diplomatic negotion is required. Moreover, Indonesia is a prime market for Australian cattle and mineral products which at the same time sending 17,000 fee-paying students to Australia. For Indonesia, Australia donates hundreds of millions dollars annually through AUSAID. This figure does not include the benefit that Indonesia gained from foreign direct investment by Australian based companies.
In theory, Australia and Indonesia can find other partners in the region. For example, Australian could forge closer ties with Papua New Guinea while Indonesia embraces Singapore. Personally, however, I do not see how less Geneva and more Port Moresby and Singapor could be realised - and fit into the dynamic Asia Pacific context.
Alexander Senaputra is a PhD candidate in Applied Chemistry at Curtin University and one of the Indonesian delegates to the Conference of Australian and Indonesian Youth.
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