Tim Watts (Gellibrand, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

With apologies to the Jakarta Bintangs, but the Krakatoas Football Club is the best named Aussie Rules team in the world. I was delighted to join them on a training run on the weekend with delegates from the Australia Indonesia Youth Exchange Program. AIYEP is more than 40 years old and connects Australian and Indonesian youth for social, professional and cultural exchange. Each year, 42 delegates from Australia and Indonesia become immersed in each other's countries. They grow their intercultural skills, international networks and professional capabilities, and we're very pleased to host it in Melbourne this year.

All 21 delegates from Indonesia come from a different province, coming from as far west as Aceh to as far east as the Papuan provinces, reflecting the vast diversity of that country. Given that the median age in Indonesia is just 30, this program is an important way to connect Australian and Indonesian leaders of the future. The 21 delegates from Indonesia are currently spending five weeks in Australia. This year's Indonesian delegates are hosted by generous host families and workplaces in Melbourne, and I'm delighted to be hosting one myself, in my electorate office in Melbourne, the lovely Petra. We've already learned so much from each other, and she has brought fantastic energy and enthusiasm to the office.

Petra would like me to tell our parliament:

I've really enjoyed living in Australia so far and the thing I love the most is living with my host family, sharing my Indonesian culture, and doing the internship at Tim Watts' Office in Melbourne.

I've learned so much during my time here already and I will always be grateful for these experiences.

Thank you to the Australian and Indonesia government for providing this life-changing opportunity.

There are plenty of people to thank for keeping a program like this operating for 40 years. Terima kasih to all the generous host families in both Australia and Indonesia, and a special shout-out to Kristy and Ryan Newham for hosting Petra in my community. Terima kasih to DFAT's Australia-Indonesia Institute and the Indonesian Ministry of Youth and Sports for their collaboration on funding and organising this program. Terima kasih to Value Learning for their expertise and dedication in delivering this program across Australia and Indonesia. Terima kasih to Angus Baranikow and the Australia-Indonesia Youth Association, Victoria chapter, for supporting the program and putting on a barbie during the training run on the weekend. And finally, a shout-out to the founder and president of the Krakatoas, Iain Shearer, and the whole Krakatoas Football Club—or as they would say in Indonesia, 'Tim Krakatoa'—and thanks for the training run. And to all of the delegates, let me say this: selamat datang di Melbourne. Nikmati kesempatan luar biasa ini. Dan semoga sukses selalu! Terima kasih to everyone involved; congratulations to them.