Prime Minister Tony Abbott has vowed to rebuild confidence between Australia and Indonesian businesses, lamenting that a "mature" economic relationship has not yet been reached.
In an overture to business and government leaders in Jakarta, Mr Abbott on Tuesday promised a new era of trust and respect between the neighbours and a "no-surprises approach" to bilateral relations.
Shock decisions such as the temporary ban of live cattle exports to Indonesia by the former Labor government are a thing of the past, even if it will take time to repair from the damage, he said.
"The new Australian government is determined to put this episode behind us," he told a business breakfast in Jakarta.
The cattle ban in 2011 strained business and diplomatic ties between the nations, and Mr Abbott went to some length to show his government is keen on charting a new course.
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He dismissed suggestions that standards were less in Indonesian abattoirs, and personally thanked Elders boss and cattle heavyweight Malcolm Jackman for joining him in Indonesia to boost ties.
Mr Abbott also welcomed investment in Australia, including in agriculture, perhaps alluding to a controversial plan by Indonesia to buy one million hectares of Australian land for cattle grazing.
While beef and agriculture was a focus, Mr Abbott also expressed a desire to expand bilateral trade at large, noting Australia's two-way trade with New Zealand outstripped that with its northern neighbour.
Our trade history stretched back centuries, and our relationship had been strengthened through tourism, but there was still plenty of room to improve, he said.
"Despite these connections... a fully mature economic relationship is yet to be achieved," Mr Abbott said.
He rehashed his government's new Colombo Plan, which aims to boost the amount of Australian students studying in Indonesia, and said he wanted the focus of language education in schools to be on Asia.
But the bottom line was there is a new government in town and it is open for business.
"The new government's approach is very straightforward: we will take a respectful, consultative, no-surprises approach to relations with Indonesia," Mr Abbott said.
"Our aim is to rebuild confidence so that both sides respect each other and trust each other to keep commitment."
