Herald Sun [Melbourne], 26 Nov, 2003
Indonesian Islam 'a threat'
INDONESIAN Islamists could represent a threat to Australia's future, NSW Premier
Bob Carr said last night.
Launching a conference at the State Library on international affairs, Mr Carr said
Australians should not be complacent about the changing world around them.
"We must think about the question of threats," he said.
"We must think about the possibility of Islamists in Indonesia and I know there are
different gradations of Islamist ideology and practice. But it was only 10 years ago we
were being assured that aggressive Islamism would be inconceivable in Indonesia.
"Now schools across Java - islamic schools - are full of Arab language material,
focused on the Middle East and well disposed to Osama bin Laden." Mr Carr also
sounded warnings about the "potential disintegration" of Papua New Guinea, North
Korea's nuclear aspirations and separatist movements in Taiwan.
Mr Carr was speaking at the launch of the Lowy Institute For International Policy, a
think tank established to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Frank Lowy's arrival in
Australia as a migrant.
"The Lowy Institute will make a significant contribution ... as to how we secure
Australia's future," he said.
"Australia is a European settler society, a small population stretched across a large
land mass that is indefensible, a small, cultural diverse coastal population.
"The prospect of us being locked out of world markets and being impoverished -
because of our vulnerability and distance - is one in the longer term we've got to think
about.
"In other words, entertain the prospect of an Argentine decline set over 50-70 years of
Australia. An impoverishment due to world economic forces moving beyond our
control." Mr Carr speaking to about 30 Sydney business leaders, said Australia could
not rely on the US always to provide armed support when Australia's borders were
under threat.
"It could well be that after a period of ambition, even adventurism, America could enter
a period of retreat ... (where it is) less inclined to take risks, less inclined to enter
remote areas of the globe in defence of an ally," he said.
© Herald and Weekly Times
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