Phil Turtle
National President

President's Column

Dear Members and Friends,

The AIBC is delighted to have formally launched its 2018 Conference, titled “Partnering for Prosperity in a World of Change”, that will be held 11-13 November on the Gold Coast, Queensland. A number of our VIP guests and speakers are confirmed, and we look forward to sharing further details of our program as it evolves. We hope many of you will join us on the Gold Coast, as this event will be a wonderful opportunity to hear from key people in a range of sectors and will offer unique and valuable networking opportunities. Details and early-bird registration for the Conference can be found here, and once again we thank our principal partners Telstra and telkomtelstra, as well as Austrade for their key support.

With our Conference looming eyes are upon our Trade Ministers, who met again this month at the RCEP Ministerial Meeting in Tokyo, and Negotiators as IA-CEPA seemingly remains on track for finalisation this year. Having this concluded by November would be a wonderful bonus and would see our Conference as an important forum for discussing and socialising the benefits and opportunities springing from this Agreement.
 

Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment, Steven Ciobo with Indonesian Trade Minister, Mr Enggartiasto Lukita during a Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) Ministerial Meeting. Tokyo, 1 July 2018. Credit: DFAT/Ken Katsurayama

Whilst of course we look forward to IA-CEPA being concluded, work continues on a number of fronts on closely linked initiatives. One such initiative of note is the collaboration between our respective standards organisations, Standards Australia and the National Standardization Agency of Indonesia (BSN), looking at how Standards harmonisation, technical alignment and regulatory coherence can help deliver outcomes under IA-CEPA. The resulting Study and related Media Release can be found here.

In the past month, new regulations covering business licensing in Indonesia have been released following implementation of a new Online Single Submission (OSS) system, operated by the Coordinating Ministry of Economic Affairs. Most licensing applications have now been transferred to the new OSS system, whilst some remain under the BKPM and its One Stop Shop. Guidelines for business licensing through Online Single Submission (OSS) can be seen here.

Next month AIBC is delighted to be hosting a joint “A Taste of Indonesia” function, with the Australia Indonesia Parliamentary Friendship Group (AIPFG) of the Australian Parliament to be held in Canberra at Parliament House. This is a very special opportunity for our Members with many VIP guests attending, and we look forward to welcoming many of you there (see below for further details).

Phil Turtle
National President

AIBC Biennial Conference 2018

"Partnering for Prosperity in a World of Change"

With evolving relationships between world powers, a challenging international economic system and new business models and technologies, what are the opportunities as Australia and Indonesia seek to strengthen a partnership for mutual prosperity?

Last week AIBC launched its flagship event for 2018, the AIBC National Conference to be held Nov 11-13 at the Surfers Paradise Marriott Resort & Spa, on Queensland’s world famous Gold Coast.

The program will feature:

• H.E. Gary Quinlan AO, Australia's Ambassador to Indonesia;
• H.E. Kristiarto S. Legowo, Indonesia's Ambassador to Australia;
• Prominent business, government and academic leaders from both countries;
• The Hon. Andrew Robb AO, Chairman of Asialink and Asialink Business, and Australia's former Minister for Trade and Investment, will deliver the Keynote Address at the Conference Gala Dinner.

Other invited Dignitaries include:

• The Hon. Annastacia Palaszczuk MP, Premier of Queensland and Minister for Trade;
• The Hon. Steven Ciobo MP, Australia's Federal Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment;
• H.E. Tom Lembong, Chairman, Indonesia Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM);

Pricing and additional participant information can be found here.

To Register as a participant, please click here for more details, then click the “Register" button above and enter your details.

Register before 31st August 2018 to receive the discounted Early Bird Rate!

To take advantage of this unique event as a Sponsor Partner, please click here for more details.

As preparations continue for AIBC’s Biennial Conference in November on the Gold Coast, please continue to look out for further announcements here in AIBCnews, via our AIBC National Twitter account and by following #aibc18.  We hope to see you there.

As you can see from the collected feedback from our last Conference in Perth, the event was a major success, and one we are looking to surpass.

Any enquiries can be directed to president@aibc.com.au.

2018-2019 Membership Renewals

AIBC Membership Renewal Notices and accompanying Invoices for the 2018-2019 Financial Year have been sent and we are pleased to advise there will not be an increase in Membership Fees.

Membership rates for 2018-2019 will be as follows (inc GST):

• National Corporate - $2,600.00;
• Corporate - $1,250.00;
• SME/Individual - $360.00;
• Young Professionals - $100.00;
• Student - $70.00

Should you wish to renew your Membership prior to 30 June, please click here. Should you experience any difficulty with your Membership renewal or have forgotten your password, please contact us on 1300 902 878.

AIBC would like to take this opportunity of thanking you for your continued support.

ACT Update

"A Taste of Indonesia"

Members of the Australia Indonesia Business Council are invited to a joint function with the Australia Indonesia Parliamentary Friendship Group (AIPFG) of the Australian Parliament to be held in Canberra at Parliament House on 20 August 2018.

The Indonesian Ambassador Kristiarto Legowo and a number of the senior staff of the Indonesian Embassy will also attend the function.  The Australian Foreign Minister, Hon. Julie Bishop MP, and a number of other senior Australian Government Ministers have also been invited to attend.

The joint function with the AIPFG provides an excellent opportunity for AIBC members to meet with members of Parliament and Senators that have an interest in Indonesia and to also brief them on their businesses, the challenges they face, and opportunities for building on what is often described as an underdone Trade and Investment relationship.

The function will also provide an excellent opportunity to update the Members and Senators of the Australian Parliament and their senior staffers with more up to date views on Indonesia, its economy, bilateral trade, culture and tourism.  The Indonesian Embassy will also host a cultural display.  

This event is open to AIBC Members only.  Please click here to register for this event, or click here to become an AIBC Member.

AIBC would like to thank the NSW Government and Bintang Beer for their Sponsorship, together with the Indonesian Embassy for their support of this event. 

Tony Mitchener
AIBC ACT Chair

NSW Update

ASEAN Business Council Networking Evening

With the support of NSW Trade & Investment, the NSW Chapter of the Australia-Indonesia Business Council (AIBC) joined its counterparts in the Australia-Malaysia Business Council (AMBC), the Australia-Thailand Business Council (ATBC), and the Australia-Philippines Business Council (APBC) to host an ASEAN Networking Event in Martin Place on the evening of 25 July 2018.

NSW AIBC Vice Chair Nick Alexander spoke on behalf of AIBC at the event, alongside the leadership from the other three participating business councils. Guest speakers Guy Boekenstein from NSW Trade & Investment and Dr Sandra Alday from the University of Sydney also made remarks. The event attracted maximum attendance, and organisers hope to make it a recurring event on an annual or biannual basis.

AIBC NSW:  Special Event

AIBC has partnered with the Concord Consulting, Daylight Agency and Risk Management Institution of Australasia who will present on Risks and Rewards associated with doing business in Indonesia (similar events to be held in Perth, Melbourne and Brisbane).  Please click here to register for this luncheon event to be held on 8th August.

Michael Fay
NSW Chairman

QLD Update

AIBC QLD:  Special Event

AIBC has partnered with the Concord Consulting, Daylight Agency and Risk Management Institution of Australasia who will present on Risks and Rewards associated with doing business in Indonesia (similar events to be held in Perth, Sydney and Melbourne).  Please click here to register for this luncheon event to be held on 9th August.

Hugh Ritchie
QLD Chairman

VIC Update

AIBC VIC: Special Event

AIBC has partnered with the Concord Consulting, Daylight Agency and Risk Management Institution of Australasia who will present on Risks and Rewards associated with doing business in Indonesia (similar events to be held in Perth, Sydney and, Brisbane).  Please click here to register for this luncheon event to be held on 7th August.  Please click here to register for this event.

Jared Heath
VIC Chairman

WA Update

AIBC WA:  Special Event

AIBC has partnered with the Concord Consulting, Daylight Agency and Risk Management Institution of Australasia who will present on Risks and Rewards associated with doing business in Indonesia (similar events to be held in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane).  Please click here to register for this luncheon event to be held on 6th August.

Julia Scott
WA Chairperson

IndoView

Indonesian Consumer Confidence

Roy Morgan Indonesian Consumer Confidence rose 1pt to 158.0 in June 2018. Consumer Confidence is now 7.5pts higher than in June 2017 (150.5) and 22.8pts above the long-run average (2005-2018) of 135.2. Now 42% (up 1ppt) of Indonesians say their families are "better off" financially than this time a year ago, while just 9% (up 1ppt) say their families are "worse off" financially. Meanwhile, 89% (unchanged) of Indonesians expect Indonesia to have "good times" financially during the next 12 months, and only 11% (also (unchanged) expect the nation to have "bad times" financially over the next 12 months. [full text]

KIAT Infrastructure Project

Invitation to submit a tender to KIAT for the Road Network Planning and Programming activity. The Kemitraan Indonesia Australia untuk Infrastruktur (KIAT) is a 10-year facility supported by the Australian Government, and implemented by Cardno. KIAT’s overarching goal is to support ‘Sustainable and inclusive economic growth through improved access to infrastructure for all people’. To support this goal, KIAT will work with the Government of Indonesia, Government of Australia, the private sector, Multilateral Development Banks and other development partners, as well as civil society to help achieve the following ‘End-of-facility Outcomes’ (EOFOs):

1. Improved GOI policy and regulatory framework for infrastructure development;
2. High quality projects prepared and financed by GOI, the private sector and / or MDBs;
3. High quality infrastructure delivery, management and maintenance by GOI.

KIAT seeks to identify and engage the services of a suitable firm to undertake the Road Network Planning and Programming activity, as described in the Request for Tender (RFT) and Description of Services (Annex 1).

This activity aims to provide the Directorate of Road Network Development of Directorate General of Highways (DGH) with advice, technical assistance and capacity building in medium-term network development planning, medium-term strategic planning and preparing annual programs and budgets. It addresses DGH’s efforts to develop and maintain a road network that can support sustained economic growth.  This is an 18 month activity anticipated to commence in October 2018.

The full Request for Tender can be download here.

This is an electronic proposal submission with a deadline for submitting the proposal by Wednesday, 29 August 2018, 11:59 p.m (Jakarta time).

Any questions about the requirements of the activity or tender should be sent by email before Wednesday, 15 August 2018, 11.59 pm (Jakarta time) to Procurement.Officer@KIAT.or.id.

Strengthening Indonesian Australian Economic Partnership

The significant trade relationship between Indonesia and Australia is the subject of a standards trade study released today, ahead of finalising negotiations between the two countries as part of the Indonesia-Australia Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (IA-CEPA).

“With bilateral trade between Indonesia and Australia valued at $16.4 billion in 2016-17, and 80% of world trade affected by standards, it is critical for standards to play a central role as economic negotiations progress,” said CEO of Standards Australia, Dr Bronwyn Evans.  To read the complete article, please click here.

Proposed Mining Law Changes

In his recent article, Bill Sullivan of Christian Teo & Partners, looks at proposed changes to the 2009 Mining Law. 

To read this article in full, click here.

New OSS System for Business Licensing

In another recent article, Bill Sullivan of Christian Teo & Partners, looks at the new OSS System for Business Licensing, and BKPM’s 29 June Press Release.

To read this article in full, click here.