Australian Alumni Gala Dinner
Speech, E&EO
November 20, 2025
Gala for Indonesian alumni of Australian universities
Jakarta, Indonesia
Selamat malam, yang terhormat Bapak-Ibu sekalian, para alumni dan tamu undangan yang telah hadir malam ini.
Yang saya hormati:
Bapak Bima Arya, Wakil Menteri Dalam Negeri.
Saya sangat senang dapat kembali lagi ke Indonesia.
It is my honour to speak to you today, one week after the leaders of our two countries announced an historic treaty on our common security.
I saw firsthand the genuine warmth of the friendship between our two countries when I joined Governor General Sam Mostyn and President Prabowo at Admiralty House last week.
Australia and Indonesia are neighbours by geography and partners by choice.
The Albanese Labor Government has always known that Australia’s future is in our region.
We share a region and we share a future.
As President Prabowo has said, Australia is not just a neighbour, but a strategic partner.
We share a vision for a region which is peaceful, stable and prosperous.
Where no country dominates and no country is dominated.
A region where disagreements are addressed through dialogue and rules.
As Prime Minister Albanese said in Sydney: “Australia’s relationship with Indonesia is based on friendship, trust, mutual respect and a shared commitment to peace and stability in our region.”
Australia has stood with Indonesia since the start.
President Prabowo has emphasised the shared history of our countries, including Australia’s role supporting Indonesia’s struggle for independence.
As everyone here knows well, this year is the 80th anniversary of Indonesian independence.
In August 1945, Indonesia’s nationalist leaders Sukarno and Mohammad Hatta proclaimed independence here in Jakarta.
And it is an honour to have Mohammad Hatta’s daughter, Ibu Gemala Hatta, here tonight.
A Colombo Plan scholar, Ibu Gemala earnt her Master of Health Administration in Sydney, and then devised the ‘Hatta method’ for improving health administration records.
Ibu Gemala is just one example of the many renowned Australian alumni here tonight.
After the proclamation of independence, Australians rallied in support for Indonesians.
The ‘Black Armada’ boycott started in September 1945.
Australian workers expressed solidarity with their Indonesian colleagues by boycotting Dutch ships headed for Indonesia with personnel and military arms.
A flier from the NSW Trades and Labour Council called for the boycotting of all things Dutch, writing:
”Dutch soldiers and officers should not get transport. No Dutch munitions should be touched. Repairs on Dutch planes, ships etc must not be done. Dutch ships must not get coal. Tugs must not be made available to the Dutch ships.”
Other Australians supported Indonesia directly.
Wing Commander Noel Constantine was killed while transporting medical supplies to Indonesian republican fighters when his plane was shot down outside Yogyakarta.
On 20 July 1947, the Netherlands launched a military offensive against the Republic in Java and Sumatra, after they abandoned negotiations with the Indonesian nationalist leaders.
10 days later, the Chifley government referred the conflict to the United Nations Security Council.
It was President Sukarno who asked Australia to represent Indonesia on the United Nations Good Offices Committee which eventually led to Indonesia’s independence.
And Australia immediately recognised the new state of Indonesia in 1949, the same day that the Netherlands transferred sovereignty.
We are proud of the deep bond our countries have built over time.
Today, we are deepening our ties in order to secure shared peace and stability.
And it is the connections between people – such as all of you here this evening – that are the heart of our relationship and key to our future.
More than 20,000 students from Indonesia choose to study in Australia every year - dan tahun ini a record 24,000 Indonesians belajar di Australia.
I am always so proud to meet alumni of Australian universities, who have taken their Australian education back home to become leaders in their fields.
As everyone here tonight understands, education can have a transformative impact on individuals and their communities.
Education has been, and continues to be, the cornerstone of many of our strongest relationships across the Indo-Pacific.
I am very proud of the significant contribution an Australian education has made to our region.
This contribution is apparent in the room here today.
It is our alumni community who lay the foundations on which Australia and Indonesia work together, as close neighbours and partners.
Alumni like Vice Minister for Home Affairs Bima Arya, who is here this evening.
Vice Minister Bima received a Master of Arts in Development Studies from Monash University, and a PHD in Politics from ANU.
I know Pak Bima has been putting what he learned in Australia into practice here in Indonesia, by encouraging young Indonesians to learn from an Australian model of local governance to accelerate regional progress.
Pak Bima is one of the 16 members of Prabowo’s cabinet who are alumni of Australian universities. Everyone here is using your Australian education in some way to tackle the most pressing challenges facing our region and the world.
Challenges that transcend borders, like climate change, natural disasters, food and water security and the sustainable governance of oceans.
The leadership skills developed through your Australian education will help shape a more peaceful, stable, prosperous and resilient region.
Kami sangat bangga of the role Australia has played in this journey.
Thank you for everything you have done and will continue to do with your careers.
Terima kasih atas kehadiran Bapak-Ibu semua, yang mencerminkan semangat kebersamaan dan komitmen untuk terus memperkuat hubungan antara Indonesia dan Australia.
Selamat menikmati malam yang istimewa ini!