Australia losing Indonesian expertise
Updated
Australia and Indonesia have a complex and sometimes difficult relationship, occasionally marred by a lack of understanding on both sides.
That problem was ackowledged during a conference in Sydney last month, on the Australian-Indonesian partnership. Indonesia's Foreign Minister Hassan Wirajuda summed up the issue when he observed that "Australian specialists on Indonesia are not getting any younger".
Presenter: Sen Lam
Speaker: David Hill, Professor of Southeast Asian studies and fellow of the Asia Research Centre at Murdoch University
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HILL: Yes absolutely it's been known for quite some years now that Australia is not actually producing sufficient graduates coming in with post-graduate qualifications into the teaching of Indonesian studies at a university. It's very common now for senior staff when they retire, not to be replaced. So definitely we are losing our international edge in that regard.
LAM: Will that be a problem though, that as Indonesian specialists retire from our universities they're not being replaced?
HILL: Yes I think there is. This is coming at a time when there is a tremendous demand for people with Indonesia related skills both in business as well as in government. There are obviously particular departments in the Australian government that are seeking people who have competence in Indonesian language and broader knowledge of Indonesia. And our universities have to have the trained staff to be able to provide that instruction and those skills for students as they're coming through the universities. So yes, I think it is a major crisis which we have to work very hard in planning to try to reduce.
LAM: Do you think that crisis if it's not addressed, do you think that might impact on bilateral relations between Canberra and Jakarta?
HILL: Well I think the very fact that somebody is prominent as the Indonesian Foreign Minister is making note of this in a very public forum such as the bilateral conference that you mentioned, is an indication that the Indonesian government is taking this very seriously and that it regards the availability of Indonesian studies in Australian universities and the calibre of Australia's Indonesianists as one marker, at least, of the health of the bilateral relationship. So when you have a Foreign Minister pointing to this, it's clearly something that the Australian government should take note of and respond to positively.
LAM: And David Hill, is there much demand for Indonesian speakers in the Australian workforce?
HILL: Yes there's certainly been a noticeable increase in demand or certainly a steady and increasing demand. As I mentioned, particular government departments pay in fact a language bonus for people who have Indonesian language competence and various other languages too of course. Business engaged in Indonesia is increasing. The Australia-Indonesia Business Council has recently conducted a survey which indicates much more optimistic views amongst members of that association for the economic prospects in Indonesia in the future. So yes, there is a demand for Indonesian speakers within the workforce, both in private and in government employ.
LAM: And finally and briefly Professor Hill are language programmes generally on the decline in Australia?
HILL: It varies but I think it would be very safe to say that language programmes generally at universities are declining. A recent conference in Melbourne looking specifically at languages in Australia, expressed grave concern at the fact that European and Asian languages were generally being taken by fewer and fewer students in Australia, although fortunately, there are some positive signs there too.
