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). He is now writing for the English language media in Indonesia from within Indonesia. Duncan Graham has an MPhil degree, a Walkley Award, two Human Rights Commission awards and other prizes for his radio, TV and print journalism in Australia. He lives in East Java.

Duncan's recent articles

Diplomacy's pointy end. Chinese vaccines in Indonesia.

The choreography was about reassurance. A well-masked Indonesian President Joko Widodo sitting before a large red sign saying AMAN dan HALAL meaning safe and approved for Muslims. Alongside stood Palace doctor Professor Abdul Muthalib ready to show 270 million citizens that the Chinese Covid-19 vaccine Sinovac was OK.

Children in Prison: shame, Australia, shame

In February 2012 X Riyan and X Hadi were led into the Perth District Courtroom 7.1 by uniformed security guards.

Sinophobia as a political weapon

Morality racketeering is Australian academic Dr Ian Wilsons shorthand for Indonesian white-clad mobsters who dress in religious righteousness to terrorise their animus-du-jour. Last century it was vice. More recently its been blasphemers.Now its the government of President Joko Widodo.

Small nail, big hammer

Indonesian President Joko Widodo, a leader prone to blunders (he initially took the Trump no-worries approach to Covid-19 now ravaging the Republic), may have made another serious error. Hes banned a Muslim organisation thats become the loudest and most militant critic of his government.

The elephant, the canary, the wolf and other beasties to dispatch by journalists.

The tweeters are using the media as spittoons. Along with the contrived malice of Donald Trump and the spinmeisters of government theyre doing their damnedest to discredit our profession. We dont need help: This is a job weve been doing ourselves.

Sinophobia as a political weapon

Morality racketeering is Australian academic Dr Ian Wilsons shorthand for Indonesian white-clad mobsters who dress themselves in religious righteousness to terrorise their animus-du-jour. Last century it was vice. More recently its been blasphemers. Now its the government of President Joko Widodo.

We pay lip service to our relationship with Indonesia

If a relationship just concentrates on STDs itll never mature. That goes for countries as well as couples.

Corruption in Indonesia: Ants after sugar

Corruption is heavy stuff so lets lighten with an old Indonesian joke:A farmers goat is stolen so he reports to the police.Theyll investigate if he pays.The fee is a cow.The theft is neither solved nor the bovines returned.

Let them all speak English

Did university administrators know of federal government policies to boost learning about Indonesia before they rushed to slash and burn? Or maybe they knew but are too blinkered to care.

An early test of strength in Indonesia

Just a year into its second five-year term, Indonesian President Joko Widodos government is under threat. Opposition is being powered by a hate group led by an incendiary preacher demanding the nation abandons democracy for a sharia state. How serious is the menace? Well know next week.

A grog ban in Indonesia!

Hard hit by the pandemic, Indonesia is in recession. The government is desperate to revive the economy and draw overseas investors, particularly into the tourist industry which earned almost AUD 20 billion a year before Covid-19. So not the ideal time to tell potential travellers that prohibition is proposed.

Australian charity in Indonesia can be a problem.

Until recently Indonesia presented itself to the West not as a Muslim country but through Bali, a land of smiling faces, exotic dancers, paradisiacal landscapes.

Return of the dangerman preacher

It was a full-on snub to history and a challenge to the social and business reforms of President Joko Jokowi Widodo. More worrying is the likelihood of a return to faith-based hate politics in the worlds most populous Muslim country.

Off the Ground: A new generation of foreign correspondents

Mazoe Ford is billed as the ABCs Southeast Asia Correspondent. Shes been reporting on the civil strife in Bangkok from Sydney.

While the US flounders, China plants ideas and friendship in Indonesia

Of all the corroded clichs used in reporting the US election, the rustiest claimed the whole world was watching.

Where to send granny? Bringing the last generation back into total society

There used to be five. Two have died in the past year, so with just three using wheelchairs and walking frames the street looks less like an archipelagic version of what Australia used to call nursing homes. That was before Covid-19 and realising the term was a lie.

Pompeo came to Indonesia, he saw, he scurried

Does anyone in Washington know anything about Indonesia? Clearly not, or White House staff would have urged State Secretary Mike Pompeo to enjoy fall in Washington. So there must be another reason for a 32,000 km round trip other than to escape Trumps tirades.

Threats or inducements in dealing with China?

The day afterUS State Secretary Mike Pompeo announced hell be visitingIndia, Sri Lanka, the Maldives and Indonesia this month to try and keep the Indian Ocean nations on side, his rival for the regions attention ,China, was making its pitch courtesy of an Indonesian think tank. The approaches were remarkably unalike one a clenched fist, the other an apparently open hand.

Protests against Indonesian economic reform: stability and a minimum wage have gone

Indonesian President Joko Widodo wants to snare foreign investors. Theyre a wary lot. Though excited by big markets and the chance of bigger returns, theyre fearful of losing fortunes, and with good reason: Risk.

Forgotten East Timor: Island, principles, people

Did Gough Whitlam greenlight Indonesias violent seizure of East Timor in 1975? The invasion and 24-year occupation took the lives of up to 300,000 people in a population of 650,000 living on a wretchedly poor leftover from European colonisation.

The comeback kid heads to Washington

Champions of Donald Trumps style of politics will warm to Prabowo Subianto. Theyll understand why Washington is forgetting Indonesias Defence Minister was once banned from the US and Australia for alleged human rights abuses, and get onside with another tough.

Indonesia: keeping the communist myths flying

Its that time of the year again when Indonesians look sideways at the neighbours, whisper about family histories, question loyalties.

Oh dear, what will the neighbours say?

Widodos lacklustre leadership compounded by going soft on corruption and nuzzling up to the army - is opening space to big business, the military and faith fanatics with no interest in reform. This is worrying indeed and should be flashing alerts, particularly to Australia.

Chinese workers the worry, not spies

Indonesias foreign policy seems divorced from reality. Its called bebas-aktif (free and active) and supposed to mean no siding with world powers.

Six Ways Sacked Hacks Can Keep Keyboarding

If airline pilots grounded by Covid-19 can retrain as header drivers to reap this years harvest, sacked political journalists can keep supplying readers needs through a little retraining.

Local lad's strife pips looming crisis

It's one of journalism's nastier cynicisms: When judging news values 100 distant deaths equals ten closer to home and one in the suburb where the paper circulates.If public contempt for the media is to be cured then The West Australian is in much need of reform.

Coughing up a smokescreen

It isnt accidental irony but a deliberate insult from Big Baccy two fingers to the government, medicos and public health pros. Just above the small government warning on the ad banners bottom corner showing a tracheotomy is the latest buy-line: I choose, I live.

So much potential, so much let go

PM Scott Morrison wants the right to cancel agreements (there are reported to be 130) between foreign governments and authorities outside Canberra if deemed contrary to Australias national interests.The prime target is said to be Victoria jogging down Chinas One Belt, One Road, but beware elbowing state initiatives aside.

Making the paranormal the new normal

Last Monday was going to be the most spectacular splash of all, a grand semi sesquicentennial commemoration of Indonesias independence. Then came Covid19. While the Jakarta government promised a vaccine, others were relying on ritual.

Is Indonesia's 'dreamy idealist' losing the plot?

Akhirnya! At last! Just in time for the 75th anniversary of the declaration of Indonesias independence next week (17 August) were starting to examine our big neighbour with some honesty.

Killing slowly to show love

WARNING: This article contains observations which some may find disturbing.

The dragon in the room next door

Hes one of Chinas most high-ranking and experienced diplomats yet he was caught on TV squirming when confronted by video showing manacled men shunted onto trains. The prisoners were alleged to be Chinese Uyghur, a Muslim ethnic group.

How academics are killing freelancers

Thou woldest han oure labour al for noght. The hye god, that al this world hath wrough Seith that the workman worthy is his hyre. Geoffrey Chaucer: The Summoners Tale.

Let the flag follow the trade

Its a curious cluster Jamaica, Luxemburg, Costa Rica and Jordan. Squashed in the middle at 73 is Indonesia. Its a lousy rank on the World Banks Ease of Doing Business Register because it shouts at potential investors: Beware! Yet Australians are being urged by their government to take risks.

Scared of the same bogeyman? Lets cooperate.

Was Indonesia alerted ahead of the PMs 2020 Defence Strategic Update and Force Structure Plan announcement? The presumption is that key people were tipped off, largely because theres been no blow-back.

Indonesia's President Widodo finally takes a firm stand, but will it matter?

Indonesias founding president Soekarno was a dazzling demagogue, feared and loathed by the West and admired by the East. Apart from Abdurrahman Wahid (Gus Dur), his successors performances at the podium have been pedestrian, but suddenly Joko Widodo, the epitome of a mild-mannered Javanese, has let loose.

The ABC-Out of sight, out of care

This continues yesterdays feature on ABC Australia, our underfunded and neglected TV presentation to the Asia Pacific. Look on, ye neighbours, and despair.

ABC sending a strange message to the region.

The slashing and burning of ABC workers, their goodies and services seems to have missed the overseas TV service ABC Australia. Thats no reason to whoop. Further cuts will kill.

Chinese ties put Indonesia in a bind.

Beijing has warned citizens against travel to Australia claiming a significant increase in racial discrimination and violence against Chinese and Asians blamed for the Covid-19 pandemic.

Back to the good ol ways in Jakarta

Cities can snap-back from the Corona-19 crisis though not necessarily to a New Normal. Jakarta shows how.

DUNCAN GRAHAM. More Jakarta, Less Geneva!

Its become a ritual for every Australian leader for the past half-century.

DUNCAN GRAHAM If Bali lets you in will Oz let you back?

When is a pandemic suppression order not a lockdown? When its in Indonesia.

DUNCAN GRAHAM. Blame dont shame

Its warming to see Australians helping jobless Balinese felled by Covid-19 with tuckerbags as hotels shut and tourists flee. One donor called it her moral obligation, a commendable motive.

DUNCAN GRAHAM. When in doubt, think up a number

Indonesias second president General Soeharto had a fix-all to calm restless citizens demanding improvements. Hed pronounce a numbered plan.

DUNCAN GRAHAM The year of living disastrously

Most days the ABC website publishes graphs showing the trajectory of Covid-19 cases. The charts feature nine countries including Taiwan, Japan and Australia. Though not Indonesia.

DUNCAN GRAHAM. Not the Freshest Meat in The Australian.

The Australianhas become very liberal with their use of the word 'EXCLUSIVE'.

DUNCAN GRAHAM. A breakup's unthinkable so let's give it another go

Australia and Indonesia are not the neighbours we ought to be. Many button lips for fear of arousing wrath, but heres the truth: The neighbours arent part of the Anglosphere. They dont understand or trust us, nor we them.

DUNCAN GRAHAM Dont cry for us,, Indonesia

Some foreign correspondents in Jakarta have done a bunk, leaving their Indonesian fixers and colleagues to confront the catastrophes they fear to face.

DUNCAN GRAHAM. Normal service will be rezoomed forever

Witless vandals defacing the odd Zoom chat room have given repressive states (think Singapore) another excuse to stomp on a development they dread: Technology thats letting a hundred schools of thought contend.

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