Keynote address at the University of Gadjah Mada

Selemat siang. [Good day.]

It’s a pleasure to join you here today.

Introduction

‘There is no country more important to Australia than Indonesia.’

Those words are not mine. They were spoken in 1995 by Australia’s 24th Prime Minister, Paul Keating – and, thirty years on, those words still ring true.

That sentiment echoed long-term commitment to Indonesia, beginning with Australia’s support of the independence for Indonesia in 1947 to the UN.

Indonesia is our largest neighbour.

Our two countries share a vision for an open, stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific.

We work well together in ASEAN-led forums.

We share a free-trade agreement.

And, just two weeks ago, our two nations signed a landmark security treaty.

President Prabowo Subianto spoke in Sydney after the signing of that bilateral defence pact – and made an interesting remark.

President Prabowo said:

‘Good neighbours are essential. Good neighbours will help each other. …

‘In Indonesian culture we have a saying: “When we face an emergency, it is our neighbour that will help us. Maybe our relatives will remain far away, but our neighbours are the closest to us and only good neighbours will help us.”’

Australia can and has been a good neighbour to Indonesia.

And Victoria – which is home to more than 9,000 Indonesian students today – wants to be the best of neighbours.

That is why – since 1996 – Indonesia is the first country every newly-elected Australian PM visits.

And that is why I am pleased to be in Yogyakarta today.

I am also delighted that University of Gadjah Mada has forged another partnership with a Victorian university – announcing plans to develop a Human Flourishing Hub initiative with the Australian Catholic University.

This is an exciting initiative because the greatest renewable resource of any society is its people.

This is all about maximising the potential of every citizen through cross-disciplinary research areas such as interfaith relations, public health, community development, and economic growth.

This is the kind of smart, generational investment that Australia and Indonesia both need to strengthen social cohesion and drive productivity.

And, speaking as a former educator, I believe our universities are vital for improved community wellbeing, giving young people opportunities to make the most of their lives and abilities.

‘Up the ante’

That brings me back to President Prabowo’s good neighbour policy.

I note that Gita Wirjawan – Indonesia’s former Minister of Trade – is about to launch a new book, What It Takes.

Mr Wirjawan’s book will focus on the unrealised potential of South East Asia in general and Indonesia in particular.

The premise of the book is that – although this region has more than 700 million people and a $4 trillion economy – it does not receive the attention it deserves on the global stage.

He has also spoken about the need for regions and nations – in this increasingly multilateral era – to ‘up the ante’ and boost productivity through, in his words, a ‘massive over-investment’ in education and infrastructure.

Of those two key areas – education and infrastructure – I believe education must be the priority.

Human capital comes before hard capital.

Education comes first because productivity can only be sustained if we maximise the talents of our citizens.

And this is where I believe Victoria – as a good neighbour – can work with Indonesia in general and the University of Gadjah Mada in particular.

Victoria has a long-standing commitment to pursuing the opportunities offered by international education.

We are an outward-looking state, supported by our network of 24 Trade and Investment Offices around the world – including Jakarta – more than double the trade and investment network of any other Australian state.

We are also proud of our global reputation as ‘The Education State’ – thanks in no small part to the large numbers of international students we host as well as the quality and range of our institutions and their international outlook and engagement.

I mentioned earlier that, currently, more than 9,000 Indonesian students are studying in Victoria.

That number is growing steadily.

In fact, the number of Indonesians studying in Victoria has increased by 80 per cent over the past decade.

That growth is not surprising.

After all, Victoria is ranked as Australia’s best student city – and the fifth best student city in the world.

In addition, our countries’ university sectors have longstanding connections.

Take UGM for example.

Your university has a new partnership with the Australian Catholic University, but it has also worked with numerous other Victorian tertiary institutions – such as RMIT, and the universities of Deakin, Melbourne, Monash and Victoria.

These mutually beneficial partnerships cover health, medicine, economics, accounting, environmental conservation, politics, and – now – human flourishing.

But should we do more?

I believe the answer to that question is: yes.

Given the size and scope of changes our nations face – in trade, politics, technology and the environment – we must, as good neighbours, do more, to help each other flourish.

We cannot afford to stand still.

I mentioned that, since 2015, the number of Indonesian students has increased by 80 per cent.

Consider what else has occurred since 2015 – from Covid to Brexit to wars Ukraine to Gaza to accelerating climate change to the rise of political populism.

Globally, we have entered the improbable realm of the Romantic poet William Blake, where ‘what is now proved was once only imagined’ – if contemplated at all.

What was once thought improbable is now reality.

And, in these improbable times, nations and institutions – especially universities – need to invest in the skills and creativity of people because that is our best defence against the improbabilities of the age.

We share the same challenge. Therefore, as good neighbours, we should look for new ways to help each other prosper.

Victoria has the second-largest population in Australia, with more than 7 million residents – larger than many nations, such as Denmark.

And we produce 30 per cent of Australia’s STEM graduates.

In addition, Victoria is a magnet for highly skilled migrants.

As a result, we are one of the most diverse communities in the world – with almost one-in-three Victorians born overseas.

Our citizens come from 300 different cultural backgrounds, speak more than 290 languages and dialects, and follow almost 200 faiths.

That means Victorians don’t just speak the world’s languages, we also understand the many and varied cultures and practices of the world.

This diversity also makes Victoria a place where everyone is welcome, everyone belongs, and – thanks to our commitment to liveability and equity – anyone can succeed.

Due to the diversity of our geography, people and industry – Victoria is well placed to adapt to change, navigate challenges and grasp opportunities during these improbable times.

And – speaking as the representative of an open, multicultural people – we are disposed to reach out to our friends.

Conclusion

In conclusion, let me come back to the words of another former Australian Prime Minister, Sir Robert Menzies.

In 1959, Sir Robert visited the University of Gadjah Mada and addressed an assembly of 5,000 students.

During that address, Sir Robert compared the challenges of Australia and Indonesia – and concluded that both nations needed their universities to produce people with skills in science, medicine and technology.

He also said:

‘The greatest point about a University, is the quality of the mind and spirits that it produces.

That is what counts in a university, that is why you have faculties of arts, that is why you study literature, or study history …

because these studies broaden the mind, extend the horizons of the mind, and give a new freedom to the spirit of the student.’

The challenges our nations face may change, but not the need for our universities to prepare our people to face those challenges.

That is why Sir Robert was correct when, towards the end of his speech, he remarked that our two peoples have ‘ten times as much in common as we have in difference.

With that in mind, we should keep looking for new ways to help each other achieve common goals.

After all, as I said, good neighbours make good partners.

Terima kasih. [Thank you.]