Louise Williams, Bali – A retired Indonesian naval officer stunned a diplomatic and business audience today by announcing that the geopolitical balance of power in the region meant Indonesia did not need Australia.
Retired naval commodore Laksma Mutaryono confronted the Foreign Minister, Mr. Alexander Downer, and the Australian ambassador to Indonesia, Mr. John McCarthy, when he stood up at a major business conference and said: "It is Australia that neds Indonesia."
His views were rejected by Mr. Downer, but the ensuing debate reopened old tensions in the bilateral relationship.
"Frankly, in terms of geopolitics Indonesia does not need Australia and when we say it does that is only for diplomatic,stylistic purposes", Mr. Mutaryono said during a discussion on diplomacy and trade at an Indonesian-Australian business conference.
"Because of that Australia has to be more pro-active and in that context Ms Pauline Hanson is a very dangerous phenomenon."
Mr. Mutaryone retired from a position as foreign relations adviser to Indonesi's military intelligence branch three years ago and now operates a food trading company.
He warned that harping on "imperfections" in Indonesia's human rights record could endanger the bilateral relationship.
His stance was immediately rejected by Mr. Downer and the Indonesian ambasador to Australia, Mr. Wiryono Sastrohandoyo, who also attended the conference.
Mr. Wiryono said the relationship between the Indonesian and Australian governments and the two-way business links remained sound but many Indonesians were unhappy about Australian media coverage of Indonesia.
"I have to be frank, the media coverage is not helpful. I don't mind the media telling the truth but there seems to be an enthusiasm for highlighting our problems", he said.
Mr. Downer however, rejected the criticism, saying: "We can't change our media for the convenience of everybody in our region. It is just a function of Australian life.
"There are some people in Indonesia who find the Australian media style a bit too in-your-face, but that's the way it has always been.
"I think the Australian media has become increasingly sophisticated re Indonesia and on balance it doesn't do a bad job."
Mr. Downer flatly rejected the view that Indonesia does not need Australia, saying: "It is very obvious that Australia is important to Indonesia, just as Indonesia is important to Australia."
Mr. Downer acknowledged that Indonesia the imbalance in trade, currently some $2 billion in Australia's favor, from a total of almost $5 billion. He said this would improve as tariffs fell.