Luke Gosling (Solomon, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

'Balanda' is another term for, essentially, white people, or non-Aboriginal people, and of course, that comes from the Dutch. After the Macassans first arrived in north-east Arnhem Land and in the north of Australia, that relationship developed over centuries. Then, when Europeans arrived, exploring and coming ashore, the question from the Yolngu people to the Macassans was, 'Who are these white people?' The Macassans answered with the word 'balanda', because their experience was of the Dutch on their trading routes through the Dutch East India Company, if I'm not mistaken. There are about 20 words that are still spoken commonly in north-east Arnhem Land and in the north of country which are from those centuries old trading relationship. I've never eaten a sea cucumber, the trepang, but they are still fished for in waters in the north. We always seek to strengthen those relationships that go back centuries.

In the past, Charles Darwin University has held a symposium in Makassar to explore this relationship that goes back so many centuries. They've been very successful. But, as members from both sides have reflected, now that we have this treaty-level agreement, the Australia-Indonesia Treaty on Common Security, with the Republic of Indonesia, it not only behoves us to develop the economic opportunity that'll come for Australia and Indonesia; we also need to continue to strengthen those academic and people-to-people—or orang ke orang—links.

I know the power of being able to speak the Indonesian language, having studied it in the Australian Defence Force and then used it practically on the ground both in Indonesia and in Australia, conversing with members of our Indonesian community. There is nothing like language to break down those barriers and to show deep and genuine respect. Learning a language not only allows a level of cultural competency; it allows a level of communication and deep connection that is clearly evident. Anyone who speaks a language will tell you the well-known phrase 'when you speak to someone in a language that they understand, you speak to their head' because they're processing what you're saying; they understand that language because it might be their language. But when you speak to someone in their language you speak to their heart, because it is an example of respect. That respect is the basis of good communications and good dialogue between nations. That is the type of respect, good communications and partnership that we seek through this treaty with the people and the government of Indonesia.

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