EDITORIAL: Regional ties key to fending off Russian influence

Australia has long slept on the sleeping giant at our doorstep.

Our leaders may have paid lip service to Indonesia’s potential, but often didn’t follow through, taking for granted the relationship with the nation to our north.

Anthony Albanese says he is determined not to fall into that trap.

He has started his second term as Prime Minister as he did his first, with a trip to Jakarta to visit the Indonesian President.

The personnel has changed, following the election last year of Suharto-era general Prabowo Subianto, who has scrubbed away the stain of his past as a democracy activist-torturing human rights abuser through a Tik-Tok rebrand.

But Mr Albanese’s mission remains the same: to stay on the right side of our giant — and growing — neighbour.

Indonesia is no longer spoken of in terms of its “potential”. Its economy is already of equivalent size to Australia’s. By 2045, it is projected to be the world’s fourth largest. The opportunities for Australian businesses to take advantage of our proximity to an increasingly ravenous market for everything from medical supplies, food and critical minerals, is enormous.

But the need for a strong relationship with Indonesia goes far beyond the economic.

Indonesia sits in the middle of our path to Asia. Australian cargo ships pass through its territorial waters every day to reach markets further afield.

It is in the interest of both nations to maintain political stability.

That mission has become more important as the security environment deteriorates globally.

Both Russia and China have made no secret of their ambitions to increase their influence within our region.

Russia’s request to operate an air base on the island of Papua has been rebuffed by Indonesia. But that the nation felt emboldened to make the request is worthy of some concern.

In that context, Mr Albanese’s move to shore up relations with Indonesia is very welcome.

His meeting with Prabowo saw Australia agree to back Indonesia’s push to join the OECD and the 12-country trade pact known as the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership.

Australia and Indonesia have also agreed to build on the defence agreement signed between the two nations prior to Prabowo’s inauguration. That agreement, which Mr Albanese said was the most significant between the two countries in three decades, will allow for new co-operation between the two countries in maritime security, counter-terrorism and humanitarian and disaster relief.

Mr Albanese said this was only an initial step in enhancing relations with Indonesia and would lead to a safer and more stable Indo-Pacific.

“Security is built on sovereignty of every nation,” he said.

“All of us who have benefited from this framework share a responsibility to maintain and strengthen it, so that the future of our region is shaped by shared opportunity and secured through collective responsibility.”