Visit to SMP Labschool Kebayoran
Remarks, check against delivery
November 20, 2025
Hosted by SMP Labschool Kebayoran
Jakarta, Indonesia
Selamat pagi, apa kabar teman-teman?
Thank you for the warm welcome. It’s a great pleasure to be here.
What an amazing dance performance – I heard you guys are officially the best in DKI Jakarta - Kalian hebat banget!
I was delighted to meet Ibu Yulinda, teachers and 20 students last month in Melbourne.
When I found out I was coming to Jakarta, I told the team that I absolutely had to visit your school.
I am a great believer in the importance of Australian kids and young people learning Asian languages. Especially the language of our closest neighbour and friend – Indonesia.
Whenever students from SMP Labschool come to Australia and spend time studying at the Williamstown High School, staying with Australian families and making friends – you are building a bridge between our two countries.
You teach Australian students about yourselves, the Indonesian culture, the Indonesian language, and also learn about Australia’s culture.
So a big shout out to past and future exchange students, including two who are here today, Nadaa and Clarice.
You are the next generation of our Indonesia-Australia relationship.
Now, I have some exciting news — students from Williamstown High School will be coming to visit you in December next year!
They can’t wait to meet you all, study with you, practice their Indonesian – maybe even learn some JakSel slang – and make life-long friends.
The sister school partnership between Williamstown High School and SMP Labschool has been running for over 17 years.
And I’m very happy to share with Ibu Yulinda a renewed Memorandum of Understanding that will see this close friendship continue to grow.
I always feel inspired when I meet young Indonesians like you all – you’ve got such exciting lives ahead of you.
Good luck with your studies – semangat ya!
And I hope you’ll keep Australia close to your hearts, just like Indonesia is close to mine.
Saya sangat cinta Indonesia.
