The Hon Stephen Smith MP, Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade
Australian Commonwealth Coat of Arms

The Hon Stephen Smith mp

Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade

Media doorstop, Madrasah Balaraja, Kampung Iwul, Tangerang, Banten Province, Indonesia

Topics: education, asylum seekers, interfaith dialogue

Transcript, E&OE

15 July 2010

STEPHEN SMITH: Thank you very much for attending. I've been very pleased today, together with Foreign Minister Natalegawa to officially open the 2000th school built under the Australia Indonesia Basic Education Partnership.

Australia and Indonesia are neighbours, strategic partners and firm friends. And of all the things we do helping to provide a good education for young children is one of the best things we do.

Two years ago, I opened with then Foreign Minister Hassan Wirajuda the 1000th school that Australia had helped build in South Sulawesi.

So I'm very pleased today with Foreign Minister Natalegawa to open the 2000th school. And, as I said in my speech, we will continue this program so I very much look forward to the opening of the 3000th school built under this program.

In addition to our Basic Education Program we also provide a scholarship program to encourage Indonesian students to study in Australian Universities. We provide more scholarships to Indonesian students than any one other single country. So this is a very important part of the work that we do together.

Later today the Foreign Minister Natalegawa and I will talk about the work we do in the health area and the work we do together in disaster relief and disaster management.

So I'm very much looking forward to my formal talks with Minister Natalegawa, also my formal talks with Trade Minister Mari Pangestu.

But I have very much enjoyed coming here to see the school to see the good work that Australia and Indonesia do together helping young Indonesian students get a chance for a decent education.

JOURNALIST: Will there be talks with Minister Natalegawa about a post for the asylum seekers?

STEPHEN SMITH: Mr Natalegawa and I have spoken briefly by telephone last week about Australia's proposal for a regional processing centre and we'll have, as part of our formal talks today, a further discussion about that. Our Australian officials were in discussions with Indonesian officials yesterday so that will be part of our talks today.

JOURNALIST: [inaudible] is only 16 kilometres away would you be willing to travel further away?

STEPHEN SMITH: God willing, I will very happily, with Foreign Minister Natalegawa, open the 3000th school, wherever it is in Indonesia.

One of the great strengths of the program is that it does look at schools throughout Indonesia, including in remote areas. So if I'm Foreign Minister at the time, I'll very happily open the 3000th school wherever we find it.

JOURNALIST: What is the role of Madrasah schools in terms of creating a peace dialogue?

STEPHEN SMITH: Well, it's very important that we all preach that we are tolerant societies and tolerant nations. And Indonesia works very closely with Australia throughout the region on interfaith dialogue. So tolerance and understanding — these are very important features. We all need to respect each other's views and each other's beliefs. That's the very important part of what Indonesia does in our region and Australia works very closely with it.

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