Writer
Duncan Graham
Duncan Graham has been a journalist for more than 40 years in print, radio and TV. He is the author of People Next Door (UWA Press) and winner of the Walkley Award and Human Rights awards. He is now writing for the English language media in Indonesia from within Indonesia.
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DUNCAN GRAHAM. Praying is fine – Action is better.
Five guards and an inmate died in a Jakarta prison riot last week, allegedly launched by Islamic State. More than 150 terrorists are held at the overcrowded jail where turmoil erupted six months ago. Then early on Sunday church bombings in Surabaya, Indonesia’s second largest city, killed nine at the start of the Muslim fasting Continue reading »
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DUNCAN GRAHAM. Finding ties that bind with Indonesia
In early April, NSW Governor David Hurley spoke about Indonesian-Australian relationships. Although largely ignored by the mainstream media his speech was not the usual white bread served by those elevated to positions supra-politics. Hurley launched some awkward statistics: * Thirteen percent of Australians see Indonesians as trustworthy. Switch that around and the figure is 53 Continue reading »
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DUNCAN GRAHAM. Australia Plus – unfit for export.
Though this starts like a fairy story it’s really a frightener: Once upon a time, Australian governments believed that broadcasting beyond our shores – and particularly into Southeast Asia – was an important responsibility, sowing ideas, informing and influencing. Radio Australia shortwave started in 1939 to counter Japanese propaganda. After the war, it became a Continue reading »
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DUNCAN GRAHAM Welcome Down Under, Mr President Widodo : An open letter
Later this week Indonesian leader Joko ‘Jokowi’ Widodo is expected in Sydney with other heads of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations for a ‘special summit’. The President recently told his ambassadors that while working overseas they should lift their nation’s status as a ‘great country’. Now Jokowi can do his bit. Continue reading »
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DUNCAN GRAHAM. Where’s Ozzie – down here or up there?
This month Foreign Minister Julie Bishop spoke at the Menzies Research Centre in London on Australia’s Foreign Policy White Paper published three months earlier. Her theme circled around getting ‘rules-based order’ into Asia, just like Europe where she says nationalism has subsided. Dr Euan Graham (no relation), Director of the Lowy Institute’s International Security Program, Continue reading »
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DUNCAN GRAHAM. Visit Down Under and pay up.
Indonesians will not be getting cheap and easy-to-obtain Australian visas available to Malaysians and Singaporeans. Australian campaigners seeking better access for Indonesian tourists have been officially told there will be no changes. This is despite the Republic giving Australians free visas-on-arrival and the Australian Government claiming it wants more Indonesian visitors. Continue reading »
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DUNCAN GRAHAM. Wanted: The real refugee story
There should be no asylum seekers in offshore camps funded by Australia. They’re getting food, healthcare and accommodation – even money. But the prolonged wait is inhumane and damaging. Impractical solutions and unbalanced reporting are compounding the problem. Continue reading »
