Risks worth Indo trade

DESPITE concerns over security and political instability in the troubled nation, Australian business should not disengage with Indonesia, according to a delegation of Jakarta-based Australian business leaders who visited Perth this week.

Representing the Indonesian Australian Business Council, Peter Fanning of Indonesian legal firm Hutabarat, Halim and Rekan, Penny Robertson of the Australian International School in Jakarta and Mike Anderson from oil and gas miner Petrosea took part in the Australia-wide tour organised with Austrade.

“Of course, there are risks, but they need not be overwhelming,” Mr Fanning said.

Austrade’s Jakarta-based senior trade commissioner, Michael Abrahams, said that while recent events had eroded the confidence of some Australian exporters to Indonesia, companies that know Indonesia would not be deterred.

“Long-established companies in the Indonesian market are continuing to do good business,” he said.

Indonesia is Australia’s 10th largest trading partner with Australian exports to Indonesia worth more than $3 billion.

There are an estimated 400 Australian companies doing business in Indonesia.

Indonesia is ranks as Australia’s seventh most important new export market in 2002-2003.

Austrade has an office in Jakarta with 21 staff servicing Australian exporters operating in Indonesia.