http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/world/indonesia-gearing-up-for-growth/story-e6frg6ux-1226019981580
Indonesia gearing up for growth Paul Kelly, Editor-at-large From: The Australian March 12, 2011 12:00AM INDONESIA'S Vice-President Boediono has come to Australia with a message of optimism in Indonesia's economic performance but seeking new levels of Australian assistance for his nation's development. "Indonesia will be able to reach economic growth of between 7 and 8 per cent," he tells Focus. "This is a realistic target over the next decade or so. We cannot match either China or India in terms of the economic path because we have different economic and social conditions." While cautious in his confidence, Boediono, running mate to President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono at the 2009 election, sketches a picture of Indonesia moving to a higher plateau in Asian economic performance. He nominates four factors that underpin Indonesia's stronger outlook - a "demographic dividend" from a large domestic market of 240 million people, a new fiscal culture that spurns deficits and debt, strong natural resources and a deepening of Indonesia as a democratic polity. The prospect of Indonesia moving towards higher, sustainable economic growth has the potential to recast Australian attitudes towards its northern neighbour. "I think we will have to find our own way," says Boediono when asked about where Indonesia fits into the Asian growth model. He says that in technical terms Indonesia's growth should be higher, but it has to manage its constraints on growth, notably an infrastructure deficit and the need to improve skills, education and training of the workforce. He says "the most obvious way" Australia can partner Indonesia is assisting on the skills front. "Australia can be a partner, perhaps a big partner for us," he says. "I don't know if just sending Indonesian students to Australia will be enough." An economic technocrat, Boediono is visiting Perth, Canberra and Sydney with a message not just about Indonesia but the wider region. "Asia has to move towards a single market," he says. It is a long-range yet compelling vision. Hopes for deeper bilateral relations hinge around the negotiation for a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement launched by Julia Gillard and Yudhoyono last November. But the current backdrop to relations is the near collapse of Indonesian language studies at Australian universities. "Direct contact is the only way," Boediono says of the strategy for people-to-people relations. "You have to see the body language. It's not enough to communicate through the electronic media." But he warns the language issue cannot be forced. [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------------------ Post message: prole...@egroups.com Subscribe : proletar-subscr...@egroups.com Unsubscribe : proletar-unsubscr...@egroups.com List owner : proletar-ow...@egroups.com Homepage : http://proletar.8m.com/Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/proletar/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/proletar/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: proletar-dig...@yahoogroups.com proletar-fullfeatu...@yahoogroups.com <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: proletar-unsubscr...@yahoogroups.com <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
