Farmer looks to business ties

Incoming Ambassador to Indo-nesia, Bill Farmer, says the Federal Government is keen to access the experience of businesses that deal with Indonesia to further strengthen Australia’s diplomatic relationships in the region.

Acknowledging Australia’s diplomatic role in Indonesia, Mr Farmer said he anticipated working closely with the WA business community operating in Indonesia.

He said he looked forward to listening to the various issues faced by local businesses operating in the region as he undertook the role at Australia’s largest embassy.

Having left his role as head of the Federal Immigration Department earlier this year, amid ongoing controversy concerning the detention of asylum seekers, Mr Farmer will replace David Ritchie, who took up duty in Jakarta in November 2002.

“The Government’s and certainly the embassy’s agenda in Jakarta includes the business agenda. It’s not a tack on, it’s a core part of what we are doing in the country,” he told a recent WA Business News Meet the Ambassadors breakfast.

Mr Farmer is expected to play a role in discussions over a tri-lateral free trade agreement between Australia, New Zealand and ASEAN, in which Indonesia exerts significant influence. Currently, Australia is a net importer from ASEAN countries, importing just under $25.2 billion worth of merchan-dise trade in 2004-05, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

“The Government will obviously be looking to advocate Australian business interests in the discussions on the ASEAN-ANZ free trade agreement,” Mr Farmer said.

“We’ll look to improve the business and investment climate in the regime for mining and support Australia’s position as the leading provider of education services to Indonesia.”

Australia’s closest South-East Asian neighbour has been widely recognised as needing substantial investment in its infrastructure, and WA-based construction and energy firms are poised to take advantage of opportunities in the country.

“We want to assist in taking advantage of Indonesia’s infrastructure plans that, on one hand the Australian government is playing a very large part in promoting through its development assistance,” Mr Farmer said.

He said Austrade was expecting a good outcome from the visit of an Indonesian building and construction delegation to Australia early next year.

A career diplomat, Mr Farmer was previously high commissioner in Malaysia and served as deputy secretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

He was appointed Australian ambassador to Indonesia in July amid controversy surrounding the case of Cornelia Rau, the Australian citizen mistakenly deported after being held in detention for 10 months.

Australia is a net exporter to Indonesia and in 2004-05 exported $3.4 billion worth of merchandise trade to the country, according to the ABS.