Year: 2014

CAUSINDY Live Blog: Day 4 – Defence and Security

Posted on by Tim Cooke

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12:00 – Thanks for following our final panel session! Coming up this afternoon: delegates will break out into their smaller working groups to finalise their recommendations. Alex Murphy of UTS:INSEARCH is helping in facilitate these sessions. 

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10:10 – Background on this panel:

The notion of the “Asian Century” is not all positive, as rapid economic growth and growing influence leads to growing strategic uncertainty. As Washington and Beijing seem set for a new era of rivalry across the Pacific, Jakarta will be a valuable partner. What impact will China’s growing prosperity have on the Asia-Pacific region? How should ASEAN approach this issue, and what role does Australia play? Is Australia’s alliance with the US to its benefit or detriment? Will Australia need to choose between the US and China or can it be friends with both? Indonesia still lags behind its neighbours in defence spending and military capabilities — will this leave it in a vulnerable position? Which power will Indonesia side with: the US or China?

10:00 (Jakarta time) – Welcome to the final day of CAUSINDY! The defence and security panel is just beginning at the Mandarin Oriental.

The speakers are: Lieutenant General ( Ret ) Agus Widjojo, Gary Hogan, Jim Della-Giacoma. The panel is being moderated by Natalie Sambhi.

Also on the schedule today is the gala dinner, which will wrap up CAUSINDY for 2014.

CAUSINDY Live Blog: Day 3 – Looking Behind Closed Doors

Posted on by Tim Cooke

12:55 –  That’s it for the day’s first panel!

Late to CAUSINDY? Here’s a short recap on the conference so far.

12:50 – Tommy Tjokro moves to wrap up the panel.

So, what’s the most important aspect we can work on?

Chris Barnes: education. It’s vital, and CAUSINDY is helping.

Sinthya Roesly: Participation in private sectors and helping the government work on ‘the greater good’

Fauzi Ichsan: Indonesia is entering a new era – an exciting era where a commoner became president and the Jakarta elite is loosing their grip on running the country. Fauzi hopes Indonesia and Australia can share in this new era’s progress

12:40 –  The elephant in the room is brought up: fuel subsidies.

12:30 –  So, what about free trade?

12:20 – CAUSINDY delegates sharing their thoughts on the discussion

12:05 – After months of scaremongering on ‘foreign interference and money’ by some in Indonesia, the panel says it is a positive and needed thing in the current climate.

12:00 – We just had CAUSINDY’s first mention of ‘Indonesia at a crossroads’ (this makes the communications team very happy)

11:55 – 

11:50 – Interesting thought, especially when you consider the brand ‘power’ of some English Premier League teams in Indonesia.

11:45 – Fauzi says people to people links are much stronger than government to government.

With the incoming Jokowi administration that’s set to me more domestic focussed, this will most likely continue.

11:40 –

11:28 – 

But Chris Barnes also suggests…sport! Cites Indonesian ownership of the Brisbane Roar A-League team.

Barnes details he’d like to see an Indonesian bank to open in Australia. Not to serve the Indonesian diaspora or retail banking, but for syndicated loans with the expertise exported back to Indonesia.

Fauzi Ichsan is sceptical however, says it would be very hard for an Indonesian bank to compete with an Australian bank in Australia (access to market, credit ratings, et al).

Ichsan proposes Australian and Indonesian banks should be working together instead.

11:20 –  We’re off!

Chris Barnes: Business can do a lot more to improve the relationship. The relationship is currently ‘underweight’ and many opportunities are being overlooked.

Fauzi Ichsan: Australian banks operating in Indonesia are in a special (even privileged) position. They’re trusted here, got great ratings and can access local funds easily – they can still be doing a lot more, however.

11:00 – Delegates and guests are arriving for our trade and economic panel – it is set to be a lively discussion! Remember to follow the #causindy hashtag for a blow-by-blow account.

10:05 –  Colin McDonald reflects on the beginnings of ‘real’ engagement with Indonesia, first under PM Bob Hawke and then much strongly under PM Paul Keating. McDonald was an advisor to both Prime Ministers on Indonesian affairs.

9.45am (Jakarta time): We’re beginning a little early this morning, as we prepare for a discussion with Colin McDonald, QC, a leading barrister and founding member of the Australia-Indonesia Institute.

Also on the program today:

  • Trade and economics panel, with Fauzi Ichsan, Sinthya Roesly, Chris Barnes and Tommy Tjokro. They’ll be discussing the future of Indonesia’s economic development, and the next steps for Australia in the wake of the mining boom.
  • Behind closed doors, a candid look at what really happens in the political relationship.
  • John vs. John, a debate between business leaders John Riady and John Denton.

Want to catch up on yesterday’s sessions? Check out the not so live blog.

CAUSINDY Live Blog: Day 2 – Transforming the Relationship

Posted on by Tim Cooke

6:00 It has been a great day two! Check out our Twitter (@CAUSINDY) for a blow-by-blow account of the day, and CAUSINDY’s Facebook for photo highlights.

A huge thanks to all of the day’s speakers! We will be back tomorrow with another busy and exciting day.

Some interesting comments and tweets you might have missed:

5:50 

5:40 – Some themes from this afternoon’s session:

  • Many Indonesians are not aware of Australia’s multiculturalism – and its success.
  • Many still view the nation as white, tanned and blonde.
  • There is a deep respect and acknowledgement of AusAid’s work in the nation. AusAid (under a new name) continues to build a positive relationship between the two nations.
  • Time to look at how Indonesian students in Australia tend to only socialise with other Indonesians in Australia – engagement is a two way street
  • Developing Australia’s north is fertile ground for building the relationship – it’s closer to Jakarta than Canberra.

5:13 – Terry Mills thinks we need to go back to bare metal before we can go forward together: consider if Indonesia needs Australia and does Australia need Indonesia? Are there good reasons for this relationship? and if there is, how do we amplify this?

Are we (AU and RI) just taking this relationship for granted? Is it important? or is it just two neighbours being polite?

Good question.

5:00 – Time to go beyond boats, beef and Bali

4:50 –  Delegate Elena Williams says that spending time in the country creates ‘very real’ friendships and moments of genuine connection. Unfortunately these personal relationships don’t come out of thin air – initiatives like AIYEP, ACICIS and other scholarships are important to make them happen.

But what about the private sector I hear you ask?

Helen Brown asks if the private sector can do more to encourage closer bilateral links. Terry Mills highlights energy, food and security as three powerful drivers obeying the relationship. Prodita laments at the lack of interest by Indonesian students in Australian affairs.

4:35 – The times are a changin’

4:30 –  Prodita Sabarini starts by suggesting that often the discussion of the Australia-Indonesia relationship is framed through an Australian lens – but what do Indonesians think?

Terry Mills recounts his first experience in Indonesia, where he visited Bali as a child – I got something in my blood from visiting Indonesia that hasn’t left since. Mills left the NT Parliament to help build a closer Australian and Indonesian relationship.

A few decades earlier, he moved to Darwin from WA to be closer to Indonesia. As a teacher in Australia, Mills developed a live in program in Kupang for his school (parents thought their kids were going to be living in rice fields!)

Mills reflects on a recent visit to Kupang in his current role, people were excited for the return of Pak Terry! Locals who he visited decades before proudly introduced their children to him – this is why you invest in the Australia and Indonesia relationship.

Although, direct links still weak (cites lack of flights between Jakarta and Darwin).

4:00 –  We’re back! This afternoon’s session is Transforming the Relationship with Prodita Sabarini, editor of The Coversation (Indonesia) and Terry Mills, former Northern Territory Chief Minister and current NT Commissioner to Indonesia and ASEAN.

The panel is being moderated by the ABC’s Australia Network Indonesia Correspondent, Helen Brown.

During the break, the delegates broke into small groups to develop recommendations on improving the relationship.

2:38 – Photos from the first two days of CAUSINDY are now up! Check them out on Facebook:

Post by Conference of Australian and Indonesian Youth.

12:41 –  That’s a wrap of day two’s first panel! Thanks to Douglas Ramage, Yose Rizal, Sati Rasuanto and Devianti Faridz. If you want a blow-by-blow account of the discussion, check out @CAUSINDY.

Delegates are now breaking for lunch, we’ll be back shortly with the afternoon’s panel.

Meanwhile, we want to thank Pak Greg Moriarty again for hosting the delegates at his residence last night.

12:25 –  One of the most remarkable results from the election was Prabowo’s dominance of the middle class vote.

The reason? The black campaign and other smear tactics.

12:20 –  Discussion pivoting from the election to the incoming Jokowi administration.

High expectations of the President-elect is increasingly becoming a large issue – how can the new administration overcome it? A reminder that Australia has lived through this, with the first Rudd Government.

Perhaps the biggest story in Jakarta at the moment is the proposed winding back of universal voting in some jurisdictions, although people shouldn’t be too concerned by a push by Prabowo to highjack the process.

11:55 – But folks, it’s not all good news

11:50 –  Doug Ramage defends Jokowi against allegations that he’ll be a puppet (Selamat siang Mega) or a weak leader.

Ramage cites his past private sector experience (in real business!), and his commitment to change the transactional style of politics in Jakarta, and Indonesia.

Ramage praises the coming of a ‘real’ and reformist leader, finally. Considers SBY a referee who failed to get much of his reform agenda through despite having a mostly friendly DPR.

11:45 –  Doug Ramage: People should be studying how Jokowi almost lost (a great thesis topic!).

In short:

• Poor advertising – Jokowi didn’t feature in ads until the eleventh hour of the campaign

• Money wasn’t released for advertising

• Black campaigns against Jokowi were very successful (questions on his religion, ethnicity, etc)

Ramage, cont: undecided voters were going to Prabowo rather than Jokowi for *months* – that shouldn’t have happened considering the candidate and the alternative. Also, Jokowi’s mental revolution stuff came out of nowhere.

11:35 – Moderator Devianti Faridz: Which candidate used social media better? Rizal: Prabowo’s campaign was much more structured and better financed. Whereas Jokowi’s campaign was more organic and grassroots focused. Jokowi’s online presence was confusing with no one really sure which was the ‘official’ webitesite or what Twitter and Facebook accounts were official.

11:30 –  Yose Rizal up now, he thinks we’ll be seeing a change in the style of governance from the Jokowi administration with ministers getting around in cheaper batik and perhaps a change in hairstyle for their wives.

Rizal, who runs a social media tracking company says that social media is what made the recent election dramatically different to 2009.

Of course, there’s a downside to social media. Rizal concedes the ‘black campaigns’ were well orchestrated and influential.

11:00 – The panel’s moderator Devianti Faridz from Channel NewsAsia begins with an icebreaker, asking the Indonesian delegates who took part in the election – almost every Indonesian in the room sticks up their hand!

Panellist Douglas Ramage highlights the scale of Indonesia’s election process, mentions that there are more election workers in Indonesia then there are people in New Zealand.

The panel agrees we’re seeing Indonesian democracy continue to mature, however this is not without it’s issues.

Moving onto the Jokowi Presidency now, panel is concerned about how Jokowi can live up to high expectations. Sati Rasuanto reflects on Indonesia as a land of ambiguity. The fact that you had two candidates claiming victory on election night could have had disastrous consequences in some places, Indonesians didn’t seem to mind at all.

10:00 (Jakarta time) – Welcome to Tuesday’s live blog! It’s the second day of the conference, and delegates are currently working with facilitators from UTS:INSEARCH to prepare for their presentations, to be delivered later this week. Coming up today:

  • Election debrief panel, with Yose Rizal, Doug Ramage and Devianti Faridz — a look at the outcomes of this year’s election campaign, and the priorities for Joko Widodo as he takes up the presidency next month.
  • Transforming the relationship, a panel discussion discussing what the next generation of leaders can learn from the “old relationship”.

CAUSINDY Live Blog: Day 1 – History, Media and Public Opinion

Posted on by Tim Cooke

11:00 – 

wrap

And that’s a wrap for day one!

Delegates have just finished their dinner at the Australian Ambassador’s residence, and they’re heading back to the Mandarin Oriental for a good rest before a busy day two of CAUSINDY 2014.

Finally, an interesting thought for the evening:

See you on day two, it’s going to be great!

(Thanks to Liam Gammon for the photo)

4:25 –  Questions from the floor! Check out our Twitter (@CAUSINDY) for individual questions and answers, but here’s a taste:

4:15 –

4:10 – Ross Tapsell asked about media ownership in Indonesia and Australia. First point is the axing of the Australia Network and how the loss of the channel leads us into uncertain terrain in terms of cooperation between Australia and Indonesia.

Tapsell outlines recent (and almost final) work of the Australia Network in getting Australian news content in mainstream Indonesian media (television, print and online), says Australia Network/ABC International worked very hard at getting this done. With the demise of Australia Network, Sky News Australia has announced they’re launching an international service – its motives are unclear however.

Bachelard pivots the discussion to an Indonesian context and examines Prabowo’s friendly media organisations in the recent election, and TVONE in particular. Influence was obvious. But just how important is it in social media crazed Indonesia?

The mainstream media’s portrayals of candidates continue to influence elections, but this is changing with large scale adoption of social media (especially in Indonesia).

4:50 – Bachelard on Bali: Rightly or wrongly it dominates Australian media coverage of Indonesia.

Bachelard questions why you hear more about Australians getting into trouble in Bali, than you do in say, parts of Thailand.

“If I get a phone call in the middle of the night, its because Channel Nine wants me to talk about a Bali story on breakfast television. 

Bachelard continues: more Australians die in Thailand, but Phuket (and other places) doesn’t dominate the coverage in the same way as Bali does for Indonesia.

4:40 – The panel is well underway! Fairfax Media’s Michael Bachelard: “My job is to ‘translate’ events in Indonesia which will interest Australians – from sublime to ridiculous”.

A single day can span from an in-depth profile on Jokowi to the latest news on Schapelle Corby’s boyfriend.

Bachelard also takes aim at criticisms from Canberra on the reporting of various Australian-Indonesian affairs. He concludes, it shouldn’t be expected that journalists have to prioritise unproblematic diplomatic relations over good reporting.

4:30 – ANU’s Ross Tapsell is first up, followed by Tempo’s Purwani Diyah Prabandari. 

4:20 – CAUSINDY Co-Founder and Director, Karina Akib launches CAUSINDY 2014 and welcomes delegates and guests to the first session at SCTV HQ.

4pm (Jakarta time) – Delegates and guests are meeting before our first panel this year, on portrayals in the media and public opinion.

Welcome to the first instalment of this year’s CAUSINDY live blog! We’ll be sharing updates and observations from this year’s conference, including commentary, notes and quotes from our speakers and delegates.

To open, some background information on CAUSINDY 2014:

  • This year’s conference is taking place at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Jakarta, with events also hosted at Salt Grill and the residence of the Australian Ambassador to Indonesia.
  • It’s the second Conference of Australian and Indonesian Youth, and the first to be hosted in Indonesia.
  • This year’s theme is “Right time to reset: Learning from the old and bringing in the new” — it recognises the contribution particular young leaders like this year’s delegates can make in charting a new course in the Australia-Indonesia relationship.

We’d also like to acknowledge the generous support of our sponsors — especially UTS:INSEARCH, RMIT University and the Australia Awards.

 

CAUSINDY 2014: Transforming the relationship: towards trade, investment and business ties

Posted on by Karina Akib

As the Australia-Indonesia relationship shifts away from aid and development, and as the Asia-Pacific region continues to prosper, it is inevitable that business ties will take a bigger place in the spotlight. We will see closer collaboration between large Australian and Indonesian businesses, penetration of SMEs, and investors on the hunt for opportunities. However, entrepreneurs in both countries believe it is still difficult to convince individuals to invest across the border, find the right talent and cut through the red tape.

The next generation needs to understand the investment climate, bilateral trade opportunities, and cultural nuances of doing business in both countries. This cannot be taught at universities and can only come from substantive, on-the-ground experience and learning from those that have experience in the field. Simon Collier Dixon, Director of Astra International, one of Indonesia’s largest conglomerates, believes the relationship is not where it needs to be and doing business across borders is difficult. Young professionals need to begin engaging early to create long-lasting friendships which are important in business relationships. Simon will be sharing his experiences as keynote speaker at the CAUSINDY gala dinner.

When Tommy Tjokro of Bloomberg TV Indonesia realised how vibrant the Indonesian economy was becoming, he jumped on the opportunity to immerse himself in the investment opportunities. Tommy will be moderating the Economics and Trade panel, discussing the next growth drivers, how the government and private sectors can collaborate more closely, and how business will be pursuing these new opportunities.

Sinthya Roesly, Chief Executive Officer of the Indonesia Infrastructure Guarantee Fund (IIGF), works at the heart of the partnership between government and business and is responsible for developing an area which is critical to Indonesia’s growth – infrastructure. Sinthya will provide her views on the investment climate and how public-private partnerships can be scaled up by collaborating more closely with technical advisers like Australia.

The big Australian businesses in banking and mining have already made headway in Indonesia, while real estate and agriculture are trending business areas among Indonesia’s elite in Australia. The next step is getting small-medium enterprises to engage in the bilateral relationship by finding new markets and leveraging talent. The first step is creating a positive regulatory environment in which these businesses can grow. This is something that Sati Rasuanto, Managing Director of Endeavor Indonesia, is passionate about. SMEs provide people with jobs and will help transform Indonesia’s economy from low productivity industries like agriculture to higher value-add services like e-commerce and technology. In addition to her current role at Endeavor, Sati will be drawing on her previous experience as Chief of Staff to Gita Wiriyawan. As part of CAUSINDY’s political debrief panel, she will be talking about the policy decisions the incoming government needs to make to foster this growth.

As the bilateral relationship is slowly finding its feet, moving away from aid and development towards commerce and trade, we need to ensure that skills, understanding and experience continue to grow. The next generation should be able to understand how to engage in long-term, sustainable business partnerships and this year CAUSINDY will provide 30 young delegates with that opportunity.

Join us: limited registration for “Portrayals in the Media” panel

Posted on by CAUSINDY

media

We’re excited to open up a limited number of additional places for the general public to join this year’s panel on Portrayals in the Media, featuring Fairfax’s Michael Bachelard, PortalKBR editor Citra Dyah Prastuti, Tempo’s International Editor Purwani Dyah Prabandari,
Dr Ross Tapsell and moderated by news anchor and journalist Beverly Gunawan, SCTV/Liputan6.

Panellists will discuss the role played by mass media and social networks in shaping public opinion, the role of major media outlets in influencing election outcomes, and the growing importance of social media for election campaigns.

Register for this event →

The event will take place at 4pm on Sunday, September 14, at a location in central Jakarta to be confirmed next week. To express your interest in this event, please register using our online form. Places are available for the first 100 attendees to register, so get in early!
We’ll be providing free artisan coffee by One Fifteenth and other snacks for guests to enjoy before the 4pm start.

Speakers

  • dewifortunaanwarMichael Bachelard, Indonesia Correspondent at Fairfax Media

    Michael Bachelard is the Indonesia correspondent for Fairfax media, publisher of the Sydney Morning Herald and the Age. Prior to his posting to Indonesia worked as a political reporter and workplace relations writer for 24 years

    In 2005, Michael was awarded a Jefferson Fellowship. He is also a Walkley and Quill award-winning journalist. The Walkley awards recognises excellence in Australian journalism and the Quill awards, reward excellence in Victorian journalism.

    Michael is the author of two books. His most recent book ‘Behind the Exclusive Brethren’ is a non-fiction book focusing on the sect ‘Exclusive Brethren’ in Australia. Michael is a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) graduate from the Australian National University.

  • dewifortunaanwarCitra Dyah Prastuti, Editor of PortalKBR.com

    Citra Dyah Prastuti has been a journalist with KBR (Radio News Agency) for more than 10 years. Starting out as a reporter, then editor, producer and broadcaster for live talk shows, news bulletins and an magazine show. In 2005, she pursued her Master’s degree in Critical Media and Cultural Studies in SOAS, University of London through the Chevening scholarship. She blogged extensively about her life while studying in London and in 2010 published her online stories in a book titled “Cheers, UK!” (Gagas Media).

    In 2011, she received a fellowship from the ABC’s Radio National to produce a radio documentary, exploring the life of a woman and the reality of family planning in West Java in “Eros, Mother of 25 Children”. Tthe following year, her one-hour radio documentary “Timor’s Lost Generation” was broadcast by Radio National. She also teaches radio investigative journalism at the University of Indonesia and provides training for the Alliance of Independent Journalists (AJI) and Indonesian Association for Media Development (PPMN). She now leads the online platform of KBR, PortalKBR.com.

  • Dr Ross Tapsell, Lecturer at Australian National University

    Dr Ross Tapsell researches the media in Indonesia and Malaysia. He was a recipient of the Australian Government Endeavour Postdoctorate Award, where he conducted research on press freedom and media ownership in Indonesia.

    He has been a Visiting Fellow at The University of Indonesia, Airlangga University (Surabaya) and the Centre for Strategic and International Studies (Jakarta). He has also worked with The Jakarta Post and the Lombok Post.

    Ross began lecturing at the School of Culture, History and Language in 2011. His book, By-Lines, Balibo and the Bali bombings: Australian journalists in Indonesia, will be published in 2014.


  • Purwani Diyah Prabandari, Journalist at Tempo

    Purwani Diyah Prabandari is a journalist of Tempo International Media, a publisher of Tempo magazine (Indonesian and English) and Koran Tempo daily. During her time at Tempo, she has been involved with the politics and international sections. Previously she also spent her 3 years as bureau chief in Bandung dan Yogyakarta in 2007-2010.

  • She is the recipient of several fellowships including Journalism and Democracy Course by Centre for Democratic Institute in Australia (2000) and Medialink Fellowhip, a journalist exchange program by Asialink in Australia, 2004. She also a fellow of International Visitor Program to the USA by USIA in 1997 and Senior Journalist Seminar of East West Center, US, 2009. Prabandari holds a bachelor degree of International Relations from Gadjah Mada University in Yogyakarta.

Colin McDonald to join CAUSINDY

Posted on by Samantha Yap

colin-mcdonaldCAUSINDY is pleased to announce that Colin McDonald QC, retired Australian barrister, will be speaking at this year’s conference.

Colin has engaged with Indonesia for more than 30 years, beginning in 1983 with a tax conference in Bali. Since then he has defended Australian inmate Scott Rush on Indonesia’s death row, been a founding member of the Australia-Indonesia Institute and supported exchange programs for Aboriginal, Javanese and Balinese artists.

With all these experiences, Colin has built many personal relationships outside his professional sphere as a criminal defence lawyer, and changed the lives of many individuals he has met along the way.

Colin will share his perspective on what it takes to build friendships which can endure the “ups and downs” of the bilateral relationship. Colin believes that young leaders have a responsibility to use their influence, follow their passions and create a positive impact in their community.

About Colin McDonald

Colin McDonald QC is a retired Australian barrister, Indonesian art and South East Asian ceramics collector, founder and owner of the Made Budhiana Art Gallery in Ubud, Bali and an aspiring Kintamani organic coffee producer in North Central Bali. Colin practised as a barrister in North Australia for over 30 years with a broad practice in administrative, criminal, constitutional law, workers’ compensation, refugee and human rights law. In recent years he acted in the death penalty cases in South East Asia, including for two members of the Bali Nine, Scott Rush and Renee Lawrence.

Colin has had a long association and engagement with Indonesia. A founding member of the Board of the Australia Indonesia Institute from 1989 – 1994, Colin was also counsel in Australia to the Indonesian Foreign Affairs Department for over 20 years. As Chair of the Northern Territory Museums and Art Galleries Board, he arranged for Indonesian artists to come paint and exhibit in the Top End of the Northern Territory.

As Chair of the Royal Darwin Hospital Board and its Regional Engagement Committee, Colin helped broker the very successful Sister Hospital Relationship and nurse, medical and emergency response training programme between R.S.U.P Sanglah in Denpasar, Bali and Royal Darwin Hospital. In 2010, Colin was awarded the prestigious Law Council of Australia’s President’s Medal and in 2011, the Australian Lawyers’ Alliance Award for his outstanding contributions as a lawyer. In December 2013, Colin was appointed an advisor to the Australian Federal Parliament’s Joint Select Committee on Constitutional Recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples.

Colin is an avid bird watcher, being member number 29 of the Bali Bird Club and is now actively engaged in planting bird feeding trees, organic Kintamani coffee, cloves, avocadoes and native Balinese teak in north central Bali.

Victorian Government supports CAUSINDY

Posted on by Heath Jamieson

vic_LogoThis week, we’re excited to announce the Victorian Government’s support for CAUSINDY in 2014. We’ll be working with them to host one of the conference’s flagship events – the business debate and networking evening.

Conference delegates and guests are invited to a business debate between leading business figures John Denton and John Riady. The two influential individuals will put forward their views on what it takes to be a successful businessman in each country. Afterwards, the delegates and guests will enjoy a taste of some of Victorian best gourmet food and wine.

The Government of Victoria has recently reopened a representative office in Jakarta, led by Mr Brett Stevens, the Commissioner to Indonesia. The purpose of the office is to develop and encourage bilateral commercial activities between Indonesia and Victoria
The office was opened mid-2013 as part of Victoria’s Super Trade Mission to South East Asia, where premier Denis Napthine accompanied 450 delegates representing 300 Victorian businesses.

The Government of Victoria identifies four key focus areas that provide opportunities between Victorian organisations and Indonesia: infrastructure and urban development; education and training; food security and health and aged care.

Given the high potential and importance of Indonesia and Australia’s collaboration in the food industry, it’s only fitting the Victorian Government is supporting CAUSINDY in showcasing some of the best of Victoria’s gourmet products.

We thank the Victorian Government for their support and are looking forward to the business debate and networking event.

Douglas Ramage to join CAUSINDY

Posted on by Samantha Yap

IMG_3665CAUSINDY is excited to announce that Douglas Ramage, the Chief Representative of BowerGroupAsia, a business and investment advisory in Indonesia, will be joining our Election Debrief Panel Session. He is also Governor of the American Chamber of Commerce (AmCham) in Indonesia, as well as its Trade & Investment Committee Chair.

Douglas Ramage has more than 25 years experience in Indonesia. As a leading expert on Indonesian politics, economics and business affairs, Doug provides advice and guidance to Fortune 500 companies in Indonesia. Fluent in Indonesian, Doug is a well-known analyst, frequent public speaker and media commentator on Indonesian affairs. He is adept at presenting complex Indonesia country risk assessments to company boards in a compelling and understandable manner. Doug has written extensively about Indonesia as a Normal Country and the Implications for Australia for the Australian Strategic Policy Institute.

In addition to his AmCham leadership role, Doug serves on the Boards of the American Indonesian Exchange Foundation (AMINEF/Fulbright Commission), the Lontar Foundation, and the United States Cultural Center (@America) in Indonesia. Doug studied at the University of Maryland, the Australian National University, the Institute for Teacher Training in Malang, Indonesia, and received his Ph.D. from the University of South Carolina.

CAUSINDY partners with Australia Awards

Posted on by Heath Jamieson

australia-awardsWe’re please to announce this week that Australia Awards have again partnered with CAUSINDY in 2014.

The Australia Awards is a prestigious international scholarship program funded by the Australian government, offering the next generation of global leaders an opportunity to undertake study, research and professional development in Australia.

The awards program aims to contribute to the long term development needs of Australia’s partner countries, in line with bilateral and regional agreements.

In 2012, the Australian government invested $334.2 million in Australia Awards, enabling 4,900 recipients from more than 145 countries to study at Australian universities.

The government has been supporting international scholarships for 60 years, beginning with the Colombo Plan in the 1950s. Since then, more than 100,000 people have benefited from these scholarships.

In 2012, Indonesia, Vietnam and Papua New Guinea were the three largest recipient countries of Australia Awards, with 55 per cent of incoming recipients from the Asia region.

​The Minster for Foreign Affairs, the Hon Julie Bishop MP, recently launched the 2014 Australia Awards Leadership Conference, welcoming 130 emerging leaders from 47 developing countries, and encouraged Australia Awards Leadership program recipients to make the most of their opportunities in Australia. The conference provided awardees with the opportunity to network with professionals in their areas of thematic expertise, including economics and trade, governance, health, gender, education, and public policy.

CAUSINDY is proud to partner with an organisation that has such a strong involvement in developing person-to-person links between Australia and Asia.