The recent visit by Indonesian President Joko Widodo to Australia was considered a success, with evidence of a good rapport between Widodo and Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull. However, the visit came in the wake of yet another tense period in the bilateral relationship, this time because of the discovery of apparently offensive materials related to Pancasila and Papua at an Australian military training centre and the unveiling of the Papuan Morning Star flag by trespassers at the Indonesian Consulate in Melbourne.

Why does this issue remain so sensitive and what is its history in the bilateral relationship? What is the situation in Papua today and what are the challenges facing Jokowi’s government? In this week’s podcast I explore these issues with Dr Richard Chauvel, an Honorary Fellow in the Asia Institute at the University of Melbourne.

Talking Indonesia, co-hosted in 2017 by Dr Dave McRae, Dr Jemma Purdey, Dr Charlotte Setijadi and Dr Dirk Tomsa, presents extended interviews each fortnight with experts on Indonesian politics, foreign policy, culture, language and more. Find all the Talking Indonesia episodes and more at the Indonesia At Melbourne blog.

Photo: Michael Masters for the Australian Embassy Jakarta