MEDIA RELEASE
Released By:
Downer
I am pleased to announce that Australia will provide an initial A$10 million (and up to A$15 million if needed) of assistance to help Indonesia prepare and conduct its general elections on 7 June 1999.
The organisation and holding of democratic elections is a major challenge for Indonesia and the success of this process is crucial to the recovery and stability of our near neighbour and friend. I discussed these issues with my Indonesian counterparts at the annual Australia Indonesia Ministerial Forum currently underway in Bali
For its part Australia can only benefit from the emergence of a stable and democratic Indonesia.
Therefore the Australian Government believes that we should provide substantial support to Indonesia as it engages the complexities involved in implementing its first democratic elections in over four decades.
Through the Australian Electoral Commission, Australia has already commenced provision of technical assistance to Indonesia in electoral administration. This assistance includes support for:
- the identification of sites for registration and polling;
- the layout and configuration of polling stations;
- the production and distribution of ballots;
- the compilation of results;
- strengthening the capacity of the Indonesian electoral administration authority; and
development and adoption of a common monitoring methodology amongst domestic Indonesian non-government election monitoring groups.
Australia will also provide further support more directly to the main domestic election monitoring groups in Indonesia.
Options for the provision of further Australian electoral assistance, beyond that which can be provided through the Australian Electoral Commission, are also being explored.
In particular, Australia is consulting with the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), the agency responsible for coordinating the international donor community's support for the Indonesian elections.
In consultation with the Indonesian Government, the UNDP has developed a program of election support activities for donor consideration. These include production and distribution of civic and voter education materials, electoral operations management, independent national electoral monitoring, and electoral coordination, quality control and accountability.
Media contacts:
Innes Willox (Minister's Office Bali) 0811 832 905
Liz O'Neill (Minister's Office Canberra) 62777 500 / 0419 206 890
Michelle Hardy (AusAID) 6206 4960