Speech to the NAILA Awards Ceremony

Speech
22 November, 2025
Hosted by the National Australia Indonesia Language Awards
University of Queensland, Brisbane

Selamat malam.

Terima kasih kepada Tim NAILA atas sambutannya. 

Good evening.

It is a pleasure to join you here this evening at the National Australia Indonesia Language Awards.

I acknowledge: 

• His Excellency Dr Siswo Pramono, Ambassador of the Republic of Indonesia to Australia

• Charis Mullen MP, Shadow Minister for Multicultural Affairs and Public Works and Member for Jordan

• Professor Heather Zwicker, Pro Vice Chancellor, University of Queensland

• NAILA Co-Directors Jade Lee and Sophie Dawson

• And NAILA sponsors.

I also acknowledge the incredible Setyana Mapasa, who represented Australia at both the 2020 and 2024 Summer Olympics for Badminton.

Thank you for inspiring so many people in Australia, and inspiring everyone here in the room today to learn more about Indonesia and Indonesia’s national sport – badminton.

Congratulations to everyone for studying Bahasa Indonesia.

Speaking and learning Bahasa Indonesia opens doors for your future and enhances our capacity to know one of our closest partners.

Language underpins our ability to understand and to engage with Indonesia.

You all have so many opportunities ahead of you because of your study of Indonesian, no matter if you’re still at school or further into your career.

You are on an exciting journey, and I thank you for your commitment and dedication to learning this important language.

The National Australia Indonesia Language Awards, started by the Australia Indonesia Youth Association, is a significant part of the Australia-Indonesia relationship.

The passion from the NAILA team, from the cultural organisations, and from the Embassy of Indonesia is infectious.

NAILA encourages deeper communication, respect and understanding between our two nations – while also making the journey of learning Indonesian interesting and fun.

So I thank the team at NAILA and the Australia Indonesia Youth Association for all your work to support and celebrate Australians on their Indonesian language journey.

This year’s theme combines two important parts of any international relationship – language and sport.

I recently had the pleasure of hosting an Indonesian intern, Petra, in my office in Melbourne.

With Petra, I had the opportunity to kick a footy with the best-name footy club in the world – Tim Krakatoa!

The Jakarta Bintangs are a close second.

They are two teams deepening Australia and Indonesia’s sporting and cultural connections.

It was a pleasure watching the four videos shortlisted in the People’s Choice Category, and your creative takes on the theme of sport.

It’s impressive watching you put the Indonesian you have learned into practice, and I congratulate you all for your entries.

Just this week I saw where your study of Bahasa Indonesia might be able to take you in the future.

I travelled to Yogyakarta and met Australian university students having a fully immersive experience in-country.

I met students having an incredible time, learning Indonesian, learning more about the culture of our largest neighbour, and eating lots of delicious food.

I met Cassandra, an Australian student studying law in Yogya. She has set out to try one dish from each of the 38 provinces in Indonesia.

I met Annnalise, who will do a two-month internship with a consulting company in Jakarta as a part of her New Colombo Plan scholarship.

In Jakarta, I met with Clarice, the former AIYA President, whose family hosted an exchange student, Nadaa, from a Jakarta school back in 2012.

Nadaa and Clarice have been friends now for 13 years. Clarice has lived in Jakarta for eight years and is now a fluent Bahasa speaker working on economic cooperation between Australia and Indonesia.

And I also met Australian diplomats in Jakarta, using their Indonesian every day to advance Australia’s national interest.

These are just some of the opportunities which will be available to you if you continue your Indonesian studies.

I hope everyone today has enjoyed participating in the cultural workshops and learning more about our important neighbour.

I hope that because of this experience, you can envisage yourselves on a pathway where you continue to engage with Indonesia.

I hope you continue to seek out opportunities to deepen your knowledge and language skills.

Thank you to the incredible dedication and advocacy from those in the NAILA team, teachers, university lecturers and of course representatives from the Indonesian Government.

An additional thank you to the parents here today accompanying your children and supporting their interest in Indonesia and Bahasa Indonesia. 

We can look forward to a future of cooperation and long-lasting friendship underpinned by mutual trust.

Trust that can only be built by truly understanding each other through the sharing of language and culture. 

Thank you.

Saya sampaikan semangat dan selamat bekerja!