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Australia and Indonesia are now in 'open conflict', says Tanya Plibersek | Australia and Indonesia are now in 'open conflict', says Tanya Plibersek |
(7 months later) | |
Australia and Indonesia were now in “open conflict” and repairing the “worsening” relationship was imperative, deputy opposition leader Tanya Plibersek said on Saturday. | |
After Australia’s ambassador to Jakarta Greg Moriarty was reportedly called into the country’s foreign affairs ministry for a “dressing down” over the Abbott government’s border protection policies, Plibersek said it was crucial the government acted now to settle the rocky relationship. | |
“It’s absolutely vital that Tony Abbott and Julie Bishop get on with repairing the relationship with Indonesia,” she said. | |
“It’s of enormous concern that a huge nation, a growing democracy, a nation that’s vital to our security but also to our economic prosperity is now in open conflict and calling the Australian ambassador in for a dressing down.” | |
The government had inherited a “warm” relationship with Indonesia, but over five months the coalition had “trashed” it, she said. | |
“Relationships only seem to be worsening,” she said. | |
Indonesian foreign minister Marty Natalegawa said he told Moriarty Australia’s use of lifeboats to return asylum seekers was an “unacceptable” escalation of its border protection policy, Fairfax Media reported. | |
Moriarty was last summoned in November in the wake of the revelations Australian spies targeted the mobile phones of Indonesia’s president and his inner circle. | |
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