Teman-teman sekalian,
Terlampir sebagai attachment adalah tulisan dari "Indonesia Institute Inc. dari Perth, Western Australia yang memperjuangkan kepentingan Indonesia di Australia. Mereka adalah volunteers yang kebanyakan pernah kerja di Indonesia ataupun simpatik dengan Indonesia. Malapetaka yang terjadi minggu yang lalu di Selatan Jawa Tengah adalah salah satu contoh. Mereka telah memperjaungkan dengan gigih anak-anak Indonesia yang di penjara di Australia. Anak-anak yang dipenjara tersebut adalah crew kapal yang menyelundupkan refugees dari Afghanistan, Irak, Pakistan, dsb. ke Austrlaia atupun Christmas island. Crew kapal yang sekedar mencari nafkah, termasuk anak-anak (14-18 tahun) dan orang-orang tua (diatas 60 tahun) dianggap sebagai penjahat berat hingga dimasukkan ke penjara dengan maksimum security bersamaan dengan penjahat kaliber berat. Sedangkan refugee sendiri tidak dianggap bersalah. Padahal refugee yang punya uang dan menyewa kapal plus crew. Crew kebanyakan tidak tahu apa-apa dan sekedar mencari nafkah. Sudah ratusan orang dipenjarkan di Australia dalam kurun waktu 3-5 tahun ini. Sekitar 50 adalah anak-anak. Inilah yang sedang diperjuangkan oleh Institut tsb. Sekarang Indonesian Institut ingin memperjuangkan supaya Indoneisia bisa dimasukkan dalam "Seasonal Worker" program sebagai buruh yang sangat kekurangan di Australia untuk bekerja di agriculture (ump. memetik anggur, dsb. ), hospitality, tambang, dsb. yang banyak diperlukan di Australia. Perjanjian dengan Timpor Leste barusan ditandatangani. Alangkah baiknya jika program tsb. bisa diperluas dan memasukkan Indonesia, kususnya Indonesia Timur (termasuk Bali dan Lombok) mengingat kedekatan dengan Australia dan adanya hubungan yang dekat dengan Australia companies atauopun geolkogist Australia. Mungkin teman-teman dari IAGI yang bekerja di perusahaan Australia atuapun yang kenal dengan orang Australia dapat dihubungi dan minta mereka menulis surat ke Institut ataupun kedataan besar Australia di Jkt ataupun kenalan mereka di Australia yang berpengaruh untuk consider Indonesia sebagai salah satu Negara yang diperbgolehkan sebagai seasonal worker. Indonesia Institute Indonesia Institute Inc. (The Indonesia Institute is a Western Australia-based and internationally recognized non-government organization established to represent Australian and Indonesian social, cultural, political and community interests. It acts as an effective and responsible lobby group to government and facilitates networking opportunities for those interested in Indonesia-Australia affairs. MEDIA RELEASE Indonesia Forgotten Again on Expanded Seasonal Worker Program for Australia Australia has dismissed Indonesian workers as part of an expansion to the Seasonal Worker Program specifically designed to support key Australian industry sectors such as horticulture, hospitality and tourism. Prime Minister Julia Gillard announced in September that extending the Seasonal Guest Worker Pilot Scheme to include Nauru, Samoa, the Solomon Islands and Tuvalu would give Pacific nations an important economic boost and also help Australian agricultural producers. Kiribati, Papua New Guinea, Tonga and Vanuatu were already part of the program. Now, the scheme will formally proceed and Tourism Minister, Martin Ferguson has announced that it will be expanded to include tourism and hospitality workers from these countries. Under the scheme, Pacific and East Timor workers come to Australia for four to six months to work for horticultural (and hospitality) enterprises who demonstrate that they cannot find enough local labour to meet their seasonal needs. Mr. Ferguson said this was a 'win-win' outcome. But the WA-based Indonesia Institute claims that Indonesia has been disregarded in the expanded plan. "Australia has enormously close business and cultural relations with Indonesia", said Institute Chairman, Ross Taylor. "In WA, where the shortage of seasonal workers has been exacerbated by the 'migration' of Australian workers to the resources sector, Indonesia should have been a priority in any move to increase the intake of overseas workers for the horticulture and hospitality sectors". Mr. Taylor said that WA, for example, enjoyed a 20-year 'Sister State' relationship with East Java, and seasonal workers could be easily accessed to work in fruit picking, grapes (wine), and general horticulture such as potatoes and vegetables on a short-term basis. "In addition", said Mr. Taylor, "Indonesia could supply a large number of young, well-trained and educated people who speak English to fill some of the 36,000 vacancies within our tourism and hospitality sectors". Mr. Taylor, who was instrumental in initiating the attraction of Bali hospitality workers to WA several years ago, said that the Department of Education, Employment & Workplace Reform (DEEWR) and the Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) had previously introduced the Pacific Islands Program, and he welcomed any plan to expand the program. "But it is very disappointing to see Indonesia disregarded in this manner", said Mr. Taylor. The institute went on to say that given the recent and current challenges in Australia's relationship with Indonesia over asylum seekers, the government forgetting to inform the Indonesian government our intention to suspend live cattle exports, and the ongoing high-level terrorist alerts for Bali, an expanded worker program that included Indonesia would have helped improve goodwill and the bi-lateral relationship. Such a move would be certainly be viewed very favourably by Indonesia. "But both Australia and Indonesia have, yet again, been disadvantaged by our federal governments lack of thought on this matter". For further information and comment please contact: Indonesia Institute Chairman, Ross B. Taylor on 0412 446 512 Indonesia Institute Inc., <http://www.indonesia-institute.org.au> www.indonesia-institute.org.au
