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September: The Canberra Retreat

The annual Asialink Leaders retreat was held at ANU, Canberra from the 13th – 17th September 2009. Over the five days, we heard from many exciting speakers who had a wide range of perspectives on the key issues facing our engagement with the region.

Just what issues does Australia face right now in our Asian engagement?

The annual Canberra Retreat examined this question, and the progress of Australia's relations with the Asian region from a national capital perspective, drawing on the expertise of senior political leaders, diplomats, public servants, the media and academia. A cross-section of Australian professionals - coming from business, medicine, law, NGOs, the arts, the public service and education - joined with Canberra experts to mull over the various challenges Australia faces in the region.

This year’s leaders group focused on three key areas of Australia’s engagement in Asia, including defence, economic engagement, and regional architecture. Each day consisted of having 5 key experts discussing these issues, and teasing out points of contention in our engagement with Asia. After hearing these points of view, each afternoon the leaders’ were placed in syndicate groups and asked to look at where we face real problems in our engagement with Asia, with an eye on the possible historical and cultural influences and implications. This resulted in some very interesting debates, and a variety of views unfolded over the week.

Indeed some of the highlights of this year's retreat were the dinners with the Japanese ambassador, the Indian High Commissioner, and the Malaysian High Commissioner. They were very generous with their time and were open to frank discussions on a variety of issues facing our country relations, and our position within Asia.

Read remarks from this year’s speakers

August: A focus on Indonesia

In August the leaders program turned its focus to our closest neighbour, Indonesia. Recent events, such as the bombings on Western hotels in Jakarta, and the peaceful presidential elections, have generated renewed interest in Indonesia and provided the context for two very timely Asialink Leadership Program dinners focusing on what these events mean for Indonesia and for Indonesia-Australia Relations.

Braving the stormy weather in Melbourne, Professor Tim Lindsey, Federation Fellow and Director, Asian Law Centre, and Director, Centre for Islamic Law and Society at the University of Melbourne provided his views on a number of key issues. Professor Lindsey provided useful insights into what he saw as a gross underestimation by the foreign media of the importance of the recent peaceful elections across Indonesia. He noted that for the first time there appears to be a move away from the entrenched voting patterns that dominated the Suharto years. The running combination of Susilo Bambang Yudiyono (SBY) and Budiono dominated the polls, crushing the other parties including the current vice-president Jusuf Kalla and former President Megawati. Interestingly, the parties who had a more hardline Muslim stance did not garner much support at all. For a country of such diversity, democracy is alive and well, and most importantly for Australia, peaceful.

Professor Lindsey also highlighted other key issues impacting on our bilateral relationship, including the difficulty of navigating the minefield of business regulation in Indonesia, and especially for the resource sector. The inconsistent regulatory environment creates a higher risk for business wanting to work in Indonesia. On the other hand, an internal market of 240 million people makes the idea of potential business links impressive and tempting.

Finally Professor Lindsay spoke about the real lack of understanding of Indonesia in Australia, and vice versa. Indeed, many Australians don’t think they’ve been to Indonesia when they visit Bali. Professor Lindsey saw this as a direct result of funding deprivation in Australian schools to support Asian studies and languages, and in particular Indonesian studies.

In Sydney, the very distinguished and much published Indonesia scholar Professor Adrian Vickers from the University of Sydney, and Mr. Chris Barnes, current president of the Australia Indonesia Business Council and General Manager, Business Development, International Financial Services (IFS) at the Commonwealth Bank of Australia addressed the group.

Professor Vickers talked about key historical events that have affected Australia's bi-lateral relations with Indonesia. In particular he noted the long and difficult road back to normalised relations after the East Timor situation in 1999. He noted that one of the surprisingly successful relationships between the two countries has been the partnership between the Indonesian police and the Australian Federal Police, who have worked together to decrease the threat of terrorism. Professor Vickers also touched briefly on the issues of secessionist movements throughout Indonesia, and that if these were to destabilize the country it would have far reaching ramifications for Australia also.

Mr Barnes was able to deliver some great insights into the business environment in Indonesia at the moment. He stated that despite the recent bombings and direct attacks on Western business, there is strong resolve within the business community to advance the growing ties between the countries. Mr Barnes also believes that while there is enormous opportunity for doing business in Indonesia, it is also quite a subtle and complex environment to work, which requires a very measured approach and a lot of flexibility.

July: A focus on China and its next generation of leadership

JULY: With a rapid economic downturn, the Chinese Communist Party looked suddenly vulnerable. With a legitimacy built around maintaining its breakneck pace of growth, the Party now faces potential social unrest and massive public dissatisfaction as jobs are lost and economic growth plunges. What challenges does the current leadership face? And what shoes will the next generation of leaders have to fill? In July, we were lucky enough to have these issues addressed by Professor Cheng Li, Brookings Institute, and Dr Pradeep Taneja, The University of Melbourne.

Professor Li is Director of Research at the John L. Thornton China Center, an initiative of the Brookings Institution. He is also a director of the National Committee on U.S.-China Relations, and focuses on the transformation of political leaders, generational change and technological development in China. Dr Pradeep Taneja’s current research interests focus on the relationship between politics and business in China, the political implications of China’s energy security policy and the rise of China as a regional and global power.

In conjunction with PricewaterhouseCoopers, a public forum was held in both Melbourne and Sydney, followed by a private dinner for the leaders. In Melbourne, we were fortunate enough to have former Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser drop by for dinner. His incredible insights into history and how those events impact on our world today were a wonderful addition to the evening.

June: A focus on Cultural Intelligence

Why is it that when we act in a certain way or do something in a particular manner in an Australian office environment, that we get good results; But when we travel to Asia for meetings and act in the same way as we did in the Australian setting, we often get contrasting results and outcomes? The following questions creep into your head: Is this person being rude? Don’t they understand what I mean? Why aren’t they saying anything?

Perhaps the answer is in Cultural Intelligence.

In June, the Asialink leaders undertook a two-day cultural intelligence workshop with Dr. Margaret Byrne to help build the necessary skills and knowledge to successfully work across cultures and to answer the questions posed above. Dr. Margaret Byrne is a world-renowned expert in this area and provided an entertaining, evidenced-based two days of cultural intelligence training.

May: A focus on India

In May the leaders turned their focus to understanding India and its relationship with Australia. This proved to be a timely discussion in light of the recent student attacks in Melbourne. At the Melbourne dinner, the Consul-general Anita Nayar spoke passionately about the successes and enormous potential of India, but also noted the significant challenges the country faces. Marika Vicziany, Director of the Monash Asia Institute, spoke about the important themes in India’s history and culture that define and help us understand the India that exists today. Associate Professor Ramaswami Harindranath, from The University of Melbourne guided the evening fantastically and touched on the rich diversity of India.

In Sydney, Consul General Amit Dasgupta brilliantly examined the Australia-India relationship, and discussed the key questions of whether India matters to Australia, and vice versa. Dr. Jim Masselos from the University of Sydney talked in depth about the history of democracy in India, and how it is built on strong foundations. This dinner update was wonderfully moderated by Hamish McDonald from The Sydney Morning Herald, who also analysed the recent Indian elections.

April: Japan Focus

The first of a series of monthly dinners focussing on different countries from around the Asian region was launched in Melbourne and Sydney. This month, the Asialink leaders program focussed on Japan, with participants exploring and learning about why history matters in our understanding of Japan.

Leaders in Melbourne and Sydney were able to draw on the expertise of Dr. Malcolm Cook, who is the Lowy Institute program director for East Asia and has a deep interest in the political economy of Japan; Mr. Damien Spry from the University of Sydney, who is an expert on Youth Culture and Mobile Media Policy in Japan and Australia; and Dr. Lionel Babicz, who teaches and carries out research in modern Japanese history, particularly the history of Japanese-Korean relations and the intellectual history of the Meiji period (1868-1912).

In Melbourne, the group were fortunate enough to have the Consul-General for Japan attend the evening. Consul-General Hasegawa noted that Japan was facing substantial challenges in the wake of the global financial crisis. He also discussed the continuing importance of the Japan Australia relationship, both politically and economically. His insights into the Japan Australia relationship were a valuable addition to the evening.

Looking ahead in the monthly dinner series, the leaders will focus their thoughts on India in May, China in July, and Indonesia in August.

In 2009, The University of Sydney’s School of Languages and Cultures provides Asia academic expertise for the Sydney Asialink Leaders Program.

Read more information about the Asialink leaders program.

If you would like updates on the 2010 Leaders program, please email your contact details to leadership@asialink.unimelb.edu.au