250 mil v 24 mil pop , I think we're the minority here.
Yeah, correct. 252 million in 2014. My figures were way off the mark. At that time, 3.49% of the world population.
Being supported (to a small extent, at least) by 23 million, less than 1/10th the Indonesian figure or around 0.3%
So how much longer is that going to continue and why?
Some of the assistance dates back to the mid to late 60's, around the time Soekarno was president and not particularly friendly towards Australia at all. Since then, relations have thawed and under SBY, they were generally pretty reasonable, apart from the odd phone tap or cancelled meat exports.....oh yeah, and East Timor.
Our assistance has been via actual financial and medical assistance for a number of factors as well as Aceh, military training and co-operative operations and to assist them patrol their multitude of islands, we donated a number of our obsolete naval patrol boats a few years back. Still had plenty of life left in them but our navy required more capable and up to date vessels. There would also be mutual co-operation on business and education fronts and of course, without Aussie tourists, Bali's economy would probably be a basket case.
It will be interesting to see if the relationship between the two countries is affected once the executions take place. Australians who strongly oppose the death penalty will feel resentment that their feelings and desires were ignored and Abbott will probably continue to be pilloried for his failure. If Indonesia feels so strongly about Abbott's approaches, you have to wonder just how he could have dealt with the matter without offending them - I suspect it would have been Mission Impossible. I could imagine a strong government that wasn't self destructing could stand up to the Indonesians and tell them that foreign aid was going to be downgraded gradually and that eventually, it would cease. Unfortunately, we don't have that sort of government at present and if Labor wins, we certainly won't see a strong political spine then, either. I have yet to see any strength of character or resolve from Shorten and I'm not about to hold my breath waiting, either.