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This paper asks why it took ten years after a major famine in Indonesia in 1957 for Australia's food aid to increase in greater amounts, and why food aid was so significant in Australia's foreign aid to Indonesia during the late 1960s and 1970s. Indonesia's reluctance to apply for food aid under the Colombo Plan is the reason for the delay. A combination of humanitarian, commercial and international relations interests converged to shape Australia's rapidly growing food aid to Indonesia after 1966. Food aid contributed to alleviating food shortages and famines in Indonesia. It also supported Australian firms in regaining their share in the growing market for wheat‐based products in Indonesia, and in building market share for Australian rice exports, in competition with United States (US) producers and the US PL480 food aid program. Food aid also allowed Australia to expand its foreign aid program to Indonesia rapidly after 1966, in support of the government of new President Soeharto and improved bilateral relations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is perilous to look to history to provide guidance for the present. Nonetheless the political controversy surrounding the granting of temporary protection to forty-two asylum-seekers from West Papua in March 2006 needs to be understood in its wider, historical context. Papua has been a pebble in the region's political shoe since 1949. And national considerations are not new in shaping Australian policy toward asylum-seekers. Certainly in the 1960s and 1970s Australia played a tactical, often tough game with Papuan asylum-seekers in order to contain tensions with Indonesia. This article analyses the history of Australia's foreign and immigration policies towards Papuan asylum-seekers and describes the delicate balancing act that successive Australian governments have needed to perform in handling this issue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Discusses Australian-Indonesian relations from July to December 1999 in line with the conflict in East Timor, Indonesia. Message of the letter sent by Australian Prime Minister John Howard to Indonesian President B.J. Habibie concerning the autonomy of East Timor; Purpose of establishing the United Nations Transitional Authority in East Timor; Opinion of the Indonesian public on Australia.