E&OE
Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Stephen Smith
- 8 November 2008
- Press Conference, Perth
- Reissue of the travel advice for Indonesia
STEPHEN SMITH: This afternoon the Australian Government updated and reissued its travel advice for Indonesia, including Bali. The advice remains at the level of "reconsider your need to travel", where it has been for some considerable time. It is at that level, "reconsider your need to travel", because of the high threat of terrorist attack or activity in Indonesia. The travel advisory, as I've said in the past, and indeed as I've said earlier today, is continually assessed and updated on the basis of professional advice to the Government.
The reissuing and updating of the advice today, the travel advice today, draws to attention events unfolding as a result of the Indonesian Government advising that the three Bali bombers would be executed in early November.
Now can I draw your attention to the substance of the advice. Firstly, the advice draws attention that the execution of the three Bali bombers, the timing of which is entirely a matter for the Indonesian authorities, that that execution or those executions may well prompt acts of demonstration, acts of violence or reprisals.
Secondly, we continue to receive, and I choose my words carefully, we continue to receive credible evidence of the threat of terrorist attacks in Indonesia and in Bali. Those people who do decide to go to Indonesia and to Bali should bear in mind that in the past terrorist attacks have occurred at venues or areas of low security. Bars, beaches, shopping malls and the like.
The Government is particularly aware that in mid to late November and early December a large number of Australian school graduates may well travel to Indonesia, particularly Bali, for what has become known as "Schoolies Week". We asks those young graduates and their parents to very carefully bear in mind the travel advice which we have issued. We continue to receive credible information that terrorist threats may be planned for Indonesia. We continue to receive credible information that Bali continues to be an attrractive place for terrorist attack.
Can I also make this point. I've seen reference publicly to potential difficulty, that changed travel arrangements may cause difficulty to some students who have planned to go to Bali. The Australian Government does not issue its travel advisory on the basis of commercial or travel arrangements that people have entered into. We issue our travel advice on the most up to date, recent, professional assessments that we receive which go to safety and security matters.
Those people, who as a consequence of considering the travel advisory decide to change their plans, I urge the travel industry to proceed on the basis of maximum flexibility so far as any proposed changes to travel arrangements are concerned.
But so as to underline the seriousness with which the Australian Government wishes those young students and parents, and Australians generally, to bear in mind our travel advisory, let me just quote to you some of the extracts of the updated and reissued version today:
"We advise you to reconsider your need to travel to Indonesia, including Bali, at this time due to the very high threat of terrorist attack. The executions could prompt a strong reaction from supporters such as demonstrations at the violence and reprisal attacks. We continue to receive credible information that terrorists could be planning attacks in Indonesia. You should exercise great care, particularly around locations that have a low level of protective security, such as beaches, bars, malls and other venues associated with foreign interests."
"We continue to receive credible information that Bali remains an attractive target for terrorists. We are aware that many young Australian school graduates may be travelling to Bali in mid to late November and early December. We urge these young Australians and their parents, like other Australians, to exercise heightened caution at this time. Australians should register their travel if they are proposing to travel".
I'm happy to take your questions on these or other matters.
JOURNALIST: Minister, what exactly has changed in the summary on the guidance from, say, this time yesterday?
STEPHEN SMITH: Well, as I say, the level has not changed. The level of advice to Australians proposing to travel to Indonesia, including Bali, has for some considerable period effectively been "reconsider your need to travel". That's been the designation since 2005. From November 2002 it had the same effect, but was a different description. So effectively since the first Bali bombing in October 2002 our advice, because of the high level of threat of terrorist attack in Bali and Indonesia, has been to reconsider your need to travel.
As I've made clear in the past, we continually assess and update our travel advisory, and we have updated the information so far as the travel advisory is concerned to reflect the imminent execution of the Bali bombers. Following the advice of the Indonesian Government on the 24th of October that these would occur in early November.
JOURNALIST: So have you had advice that the executions are closer than they were this time yesterday?
STEPHEN SMITH: We're proceeding on the basis of the advice of the Indonesian Government which was made public and made available to us, as well privately, that they're proposing to proceed with the executions in early November. The timing of the executions it entirely a matter for the Indonesian authorities.
JOURNALIST: They haven't given you a specific date?
STEPHEN SMITH: Sorry?
JOURNALIST: They haven't given you a specific date?
STEPHEN SMITH: The timing is entirely a matter for the Indonesian authorities. We proceed on the basis of the public advice of the Indonesian Attorney-General of the 24th of October that the executions would take place in early November.
JOURNALIST: Is it going to be a matter of days, weeks or months before the risk or the threat of reprisals abates?
STEPHEN SMITH: Well, as I say, Australians who are thinking of travelling to Indonesia and to Bali should very carefully consider our travel advisory. That is updated on a regular basis on the basis of the most recent, professional advice we have about safety and security of Australians travelling abroad.
And as I say, the level of advice, which is the second highest level, has been at that level effectively since November 2002. The only higher level of advice, which is "do not travel", applies to countries, a very small number of countries, like Iraq, Afghanistan and Somalia.
JOURNALIST: So the only change to the summary has been the warning to school grads, is it? That...
STEPHEN SMITH: No, the change to the summary is effectively drawing attention to the possible adverse reaction from the supporters of the Bali bombers upon their execution, which may be acts of demonstration, acts of reprisal or acts of violence. And because of the imminent arrival of school leavers to Indonesia and Bali in mid to late November we are drawing that expressly to the attention of those school graduates and their parents.
JOURNALIST: Mr Smith, are you receiving any advice that the executions could take place tonight?
STEPHEN SMITH: The advice I've received is the advice that I rely upon, publicly given by the Indonesian Attorney-General, which is that the executions will take place in November, in early November. The timing of the executions is entirely a matter for the Indonesian authorities. And as I've made clear since the 24th or the 25th of October, I'm not proposing to enter into a running commentary on a day by day basis, because I believe the running commentary serves only to remind the families of the victims of both Bali bombings of a terrible, horrible event.
When the executions have taken place I'm very happy to discuss with the media my views about all these matters. The timing of the executions is entirely a matter for the Indonesian authorities. My purpose today is to publicly draw attention to the travel advice which we have updated and reissued today in light of the imminent executions.
JOURNALIST: Once these executions do take place, how long is it going to be though? What's the advice that you...
STEPHEN SMITH: My advice is that people...
JOURNALIST: How long is it going to be before it's going to be safe to go back to Bali and Indonesia?
STEPHEN SMITH: My advice is that people should continue, if they are thinking about travelling to Indonesia or Bali, to continue to read our travel advice.
[Ends]
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