Visa-free entry into Bali should be just the beginning.
By Ross B. Taylor AM After a number of false starts and an even greater amount of flip-flopping, Indonesia has finally granted Australians visa-free entry into Bali. For the almost one million Aussies who flock to our favourite island paradise each year, the removal of the Visa-on-Arrival (VoA) requirement will not only mean faster and easier processing times at Bali’s International Airport, but also save a family of four A$45.00 each in Visa fees. Overall, Australians will save $45 million per year a as a result of this deci…
Australia Day 2016 - A time to reflect, and to ask some vital questions
Australia Day..time to reflect . Let's all celebrate what a great country we are today. But it does not hurt to quietly and respectfully talk about some key issues facing us a nation: 1. Australia Day The real Australia Day should be the 1st of each year to mark the formation of the Federation of Australia on this day in 1901. Our fist-ever federal parliament openned on 9th May 1901, so maybe this date could be our offical 'Australia Day' because we are all too hung-over on the 1st day of the New Year to celebrate the r…
These ‘people smugglers’ need an apology from all of us
By Ross B. Taylor AM It hardly made any news. An Indonesian ‘people smuggler’ last week successfully appealed to the full bench of the Federal Court to have his conviction eventually quashed. This particular people smuggler served two years in a maximum security prison in Perth (Hakea Prison) and Albany for smuggling asylum seekers from Indonesia to Christmas Island in 2010. He has told stories of how he was denied the services of an interpreter, how he was stripped nak…
More Jakarta and less Geneva: Great idea, just bad timing.
By Ross B. Taylor AM When Tony Abbott made his, ‘More Jakarta and less Geneva’ speech in 2013, it was seen as heralding a new era in Australia-Indonesia relations; a reflection of views held by Paul Keating in 1994 when the then Prime Minister said, ‘No country is more important to Australia than Indonesia.’ With Indonesia’s economy poised to pass that of Australia within ten years, a 245 million population including over 90 million young people and an annual growth ra…
By hook or by crook, we need to rebuild trust between Indonesia and Australia
By Ross B. Taylor AM Prime Minister Tony Abbott has calculated that despite the anger and complaints from Indonesia, his ‘no comment’ line on the allegations that Australia paid-off people smugglers will not cost him any votes, and may actually increase the popular perception that Australia will continue to be tough on issues surrounding our borders and sovereignty under his leadership. He is probably right. Many Australians simply want the boats to remain ‘stopped’, and that our government should do whatever it takes to ensure our b…
As Aussies call for Bali boycott, China quietly steals our crown
News release Psst...want to know a secret? Last February, for the first time ever, more Chinese visited Bali than Australians. And as Australian social media goes into 'overdrive' calling for a widespread 'Bali Boycott' in protest at the executions of Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran, China is sending a 'tsunami of tourists' around the world; and Bali is next. "China is currently redefining travel all over the World", said Ross Taylor, President of the Perth-based Indonesia Institute (Inc). As…
Bali Nine duo execution will produce a terrible outcome for their families, Australia, Indonesia, and the region.
The execution of Myuran Sukumaran and Andrew Chan is now confirmed for the early hours of tomorrow - Wednesday 29th April 2015 - and with this execution will come the greatest test for Indonesia-Australia relations since the East Timor crisis in 1999. The execution of the Bali Nine duo will come at a time when a relatively new government in Indonesia is facing an enormous backlash from around-the-world, including Australia , over its decision to proceed with the execution those who traffic drugs. Following the executions, ther…
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