Phil Turtle
National President

President's Column

Dear Members and Friends,

The AIBC is delighted to officially announce that AIBC’s Biennial Conference will be held this year between November 11-13 at the Surfers Paradise Marriott Resort & Spa, on Queensland’s world famous Gold Coast. Against this fantastic backdrop, we are looking forward to a memorable Conference, building on the success of our 2016 Conference in Perth. More details will be made available over coming weeks and months, so keep an eye out for further announcements here in AIBCnews, via our AIBC National Twitter account and by following #aibc18.
 

Surfers Paradise on Queensland’s World famous Gold Coast. Venue for AIBC’s 2018 Biennial Conference
 

As February draws to a close, we are all eager to see IA-CEPA advance further, with negotiators continuing discussions around Market Access provisions, and now due to meet again in the next fortnight. The opportunity for the Agreement to be concluded in time for President Jokowi’s visit to Sydney for the Australia-ASEAN Special Summit in mid-March, seems to have unfortunately slipped by, but we hope for a conclusion in the first half of 2018.

Notwithstanding the delay with IA-CEPA, this Special Summit is a wonderful opportunity to bring all the ASEAN Leaders together to Australia, to further strengthen our ties with this critically important group of countries, which hosts its ASEAN Secretariat in the Indonesian capital of Jakarta. Recently the Australian Strategic Policy Institute called for Australia to strive for “a form of ASEAN membership/partnership by 2024, the 50th anniversary of Australia becoming the first ASEAN dialogue nation”. More can be read about this here.

Around the Special Summit, AIBC is pleased to be collaborating with Asialink Business on a series of “State of the Nation: ASEAN” events. We encourage those of you in Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne and Perth to support these events, and be a part of this important conversation.

In recent days, activity has been escalating in the lead-up to the 2019 Indonesian Presidential election, with President Joko Widodo securing the backing of Indonesia’s largest political party for a second term in office.

Led by former president Megawati Soekarnoputri, The Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) endorsed the President as its candidate in the elections scheduled for April next year. This adds to more than four other endorsements that the President has received from other political parties forming part of his government.

Nominations for President are required by August 10th ahead of the official campaigning period that commences in September.
 

Phil Turtle
National President

ACT Update

IA-CEPA 2018 Networking Forum with Rainer Heufers

Rainer Heufers, Founder and Executive Director of the Center for Indonesian Policy Studies in Jakarta

The ACT Branch of the Australia Indonesian Business Council has pleasure in inviting you to a networking reception and briefing by Rainer Heufers on the evolving political situation in pre-election Indonesia, the rise of economic nationalism and the implications for IA-CEPA.

Members and guests would be aware that the IA-CEPA has not yet been concluded and there are signs that the agreement will not be as fulsome and comprehensive as expected. Indonesia’s lead negotiator Deddy Saleh, has urged Australia to reduce expectations from a 'high quality' agreement to one that was 'good quality'. All of this is playing out as political elites start their posturing for the next national election and as economic nationalism continues to rise.

Rainer Heufers’ briefing will provide an up to date analysis of the issues and challenges that are at play in Indonesia and the implications for the conclusion of the IA-CEPA.

Rainer Heufers is the Founder and Executive Director of the Center for Indonesian Policy Studies in Jakarta, Indonesia. As a non-partisan and not-for-profit think tank, CIPS research and policy development is based on the belief that only civil, political, and economic freedom will allow Indonesia to prosper. CIPS policy proposals are being formulated to support current decision making processes in the legislative and executive branches of the Indonesian Government.

Please click here to register for this event by 5th March.

Tony Mitchener,
ACT Chairman

NT Update

AIBC NT:  International Women's Day Breakfast and Networking Forum

AIBC NT wish to welcome our Members and Friends to celebrate International Women's Day 2018 with a Business Breakfast and Networking Forum to be held at the Hilton Hotel.

This year's theme is:  'Women's Empowerment and Gender Equality'

A panel discussion will allow guests to learn about our panellists and how they have reached senior roles in vastly different organisations.  Panellists will also share their advice regarding the promotion of diversity and how this stands to bring about broader benefits.

Join us to celebrate the achievements of women in the business world this International Women's Day 2018.  Please click here to register for this event.

Keynote Speaker:

• Pak Dicky D. Soerjanatamihardja, Indonesia's newly appointed Consul General for the Northern Territory.

Guest Panellists include:

• Robyn Lambley, former Deputy Chief Minister for NT and current member of NT Parliament;
   
• Matilda Morgan, CEO AND.M Designs AND.M is a socially-responsible fashion label creating designs with artisan colour in Java.  Matilda will share her experiences of conducting business both in Indonesia and Australia.

We would like to thank Hilton Hotels and the indonesian Consulate, NT for their support of this event:

Linda Reeves,
NT Chairwoman

SA Update

AIBC SA: Contemporary Legal Issues in the Australia-Indonesia Relationship Networking Event

AIBC SA invite our Members and Guests to an upcoming event featuring Professor Tim Lindsey, Ms Nicola Colbran and AIBC's SA Chair - Jim McMillan.

Panellists include:

• Professor Tim Lindsey is Malcolm Smith Professor of Asian Law, Redmond Barry Distinguished Professor and Director of the Centre for Indonesian Law, Islam and Society at the Melbourne Law School. 
  
  Tim's presentation will focus on "Why the bilateral relationship between Indonesia and Australia is so conflict-prone, with a focus on legal issues in the relationship."
   
• Ms Nicola Colbran is the District Registrar for South Australia and the Northern Territory at the Federal Court of Australia.  
  
  Nicola's presentation will centre on “Public Private Partnerships: Just too Conflict Prone?”
  
   
• Jim McMillan is a barrister practising primarily in tax law and is currently AIBC's SA Chairman. Jim is a PhD candidate at the University of South Australia, and his research interests relate to Indonesian tax audit law and practice.
  
  Jim's presentation will provide a brief Overview of the Indonesian legal system in practice.

Please note:  Attendance at this seminar may entitle legal practitioners to recognition for 1.0 MCPD units.  Please click here to register for this event.

AIBC SA look forward to welcoming you to this event and would like to thank UniSA for their support:

Jim McMillan
SA Chairman

VIC Update

International Women's Day 2018

The business chambers and business councils of International Chamber House warmly invite you to attend our annual International Women's Day Forum and High Tea, with a complimentary glass of champagne on arrival.

This year's theme is:  'Entrepreneurial spirit in international businesses'.

An in-depth, moderated panel discussion will allow guests to learn about our three outstanding panellists and how they have reached senior roles in vastly different organisations.  Panellists will also share their advice regarding the promotion of diversity and how this stands to bring about broader benefits.

Join us to celebrate the achievements of women in the business world this International Women's Day 2018.  

Guest Panellists include:

• Holly Ransom, CEO Emergent;
• Lydia Khalil, Director Arcana Partners and Research Fellow, Lowy Institute;
• Sarah Chibnall, Group Director - Communicaitons, Health & Happiness Group, Swisse Wellness

Moderator:

• Frank Ribuot, CEO Ranstad Australia/NZ & India

Please click here for further details and registration.

Hosted in collaboration with the following business chambers and business councils:

Jared Heath
VIC Chairman

WA Update

AIBC WA and Indonesia Institute (Inc) Networking Sundowner

Goodby Indonesia, I will miss you

AIBC WA, together with the Indonesia Institute (Inc) warmly invite you to attend our first event for 2018.  We will be hosting a Networking Forum at K&L Gates on Wednesday, 28th March where guests will be served with canapes and wines.

Jewel Topsfield, an award winning journalist who has recently returned to Australia after a 3 year assignment in Indonesia with Fairfax Media will be our guest speaker.  During this time, Jewel has criss-crossed the country in search of stories about Indonesia and Indonesians including meetings with President Jokowi.  Jewel will bring us her unique insights into her time in Indonesia.  Jewel's recent article on her experience whilst residing in Indonesia can be viewed here.

At this event we will also be pleased to introduce to you the new Indonesian Consul General to WA, Ibu Dewi Tobing who shall be in attendance as our guest.

This event will be hosted in collaboration with K&L Gates and the Indonesia Institute (Inc).  Please click here to register for this event.

Holiday and Cruise Expo WA

Holiday and Cruise Expo WA have kindly offered AIBC Members free tickets to attend the up upcoming 2018 Holiday & Cruise Expo which will be held on Saturday 17th and Sunday 18th March in the Grand Ballroom at Crown Perth.

On offer are some terrific travel prizes and special discounted offers.

We have set up a ticketing link for the 2018 Holiday & Cruise Expo (value $10 each)

Head to the Holiday Expo web site  and select buy tickets then choose your preferred day and proceed to enter the promotional code AIBC to claim your free ticket.

Visit Indonesia have a stand at the expo to promote the best of Indonesia.

Todd Peate,
WA Chairman

ASEAN - Australia Special Summit

In March 2018, Leaders from all 10 ASEAN nations will be welcomed to Sydney for an unprecedented ASEAN-Australia Special Summit. Prime Minister Turnbull initiated the Summit at the first ASEAN-Australia dialogue, where he observed, “A special summit in Australia would deepen our economic partnerships through closer links between ASEAN businesses and the private sector and bolster our strategic partnership.”

AIBC is working together with various groups involved in the Summit, as Indonesia of course is central to ASEAN, with Jakarta being home of the ASEAN Secretariat. Furthermore, a key focus of AIBC has been to encourage the establishment or regional supply-chains taking advantage of the strengths of various countries, notably Australia and Indonesia, to help meet the goods and services needs of a large part of the global economy. Indonesia’s President Joko Widodo is also expected to play a key role at this forum.

Detailed Summit information can be viewed by clicking here.

Registrations for the SME Conference component are now open here.

Asialink Business Australia-ASEAN State of the Nation Tour

AIBC NSW, VIC, QLD and WA are delighted to partner with Asialink Business in promoting this special event series.

ASEAN embodies opportunity for agile Australian businesses. In the lead up to the Australia-ASEAN Special Summit, Asialink Business is curating a series of national business forums to share the latest thinking on business and investment opportunities, contemporary market insights, and practical expertise.

The forums will bring together leading ASEAN business experts for an interactive discussion and first-hand perspectives on the pressing considerations for Australian businesses looking to understand, enter or grow in ASEAN's diverse markets. Providing a deep-dive and fresh insights into some of the key opportunities for growth, the forums will explore themes including:

• Leveraging ASEAN's common market
• Innovation and the Digital Economy
• Understanding ASEAN's changing consumers
• International education: providing quality experiences to gain a competitive edge

Key event details:

Events in the series will take place in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth, with live streaming and networking in select locations around regional Australia. All Australian businesses are invited to attend the forums in their location of choice.  Please click here for further information and registration.

Eastern Indonesia Renewable Energy Field Study and Seminar

Registrations are now open for the Renewable Energy Field Study and Seminar (REFSS) taking place from 26-28 March in Makassar. 

We are very pleased to announce that our keynote speaker for the Renewable Energy Seminar on Monday 26 March 2018 will be the Hon Bill Johnston, West Australian Minister for Mines and Petroleum; Commerce and Industrial Relations; Electoral Matters and Asian Engagement.  Minister Johnston spent time as a student in Bandung and has considerable knowledge of the Indonesian market.

You will also hear from a number of high level speakers from Indonesia’s Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM); Indonesia’s state owned energy provider (PLN); the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce (KADIN); IBEKA, a social enterprise supporting off-grid renewable energy projects throughout Indonesia; and leading academics from the Australia-Indonesia Centre’s energy cluster. 

Local business and community leaders from a cross-section of key regencies (kabupaten) throughout Eastern Indonesia will also be invited to the seminar, providing an opportunity for Australian delegates to network and build local industry knowledge.  Small exhibition tables will be available for Australian companies wishing to showcase their products and services. The Seminar on Monday 26 March will be held at the Four Points by Sheraton hotel in Makassar and translation/interpreting services will be provided.

For further information and registrations, please click here.

IndoView

New Commodity Export & Import Restrictions

In his latest article, Bill Sullivan of Christian Teo & Partners, looks at new commodity export & import restrictions, that favour national shipping & insurance companies.

"As of April 2018, certain Indonesian exporters and importers will be obliged to have their cargoes transported on vessels controlled by national maritime transportation companies and insured by national insurance companies except in very limited circumstances.

The new Minister of Trade regulation shows that the Government remains committed to advancing its nationalist agenda without regard to the associated costs and inefficiencies.

To read this article in full, click here. 

Indonesia Market Update

In their January 2018 edition of “Indonesia Market Update”, Morelink Asia Pacific provide news updates across many key sectors including the Indonesian economy, investment, trade, retail, agrifood, manufacturing, automotive, ICT and infrastructure sectors.

To read this update, click here.