“As part of its ongoing global program to assist Australians seeking to return to Australia, the Australian government is considering options to assist registered Australians in Indonesia to return,” a Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade spokesman told The Australian Financial Review.
Sunday, July 18, 2021
Australia has access to at least 5 airports in Malaysia & Singapore that can be used as extraction points for repatriation of citizens & PRs stranded in the region, plus state and civilian aircraft including A380s-Inability to do so raises serious questions about Australia's resources to defend its citizens in time of war, and be an effective FPDA, US ally in this region
by Ganesh Sahathevan
Australia is a member of the Five Power Defence Agreement (FPDA) which includes New Zealand, Singapore, Malaysia and the UK. That agreement, is borne of long standing historical ties between Australia and the nations, and it is one aspect of a spacial relationship that Australia has with other Commonwealth nations in this region.
Malaysia and Singapore are home to at least seven civilian and military airports that can be used as extraction points for the repatriation of citizens and permanent residents stranded in the region as a result of Australia's COVID restrictions.. While access to military airbases is usually restricted, the special relationship can be relied on for emergencies such as this. The military bases are in some instances close to large international airports like Subang in Malaysia and Changi in Singapore, all of which have, as one would expect given COVID restrictions, excess capacity with regards their runways and airport facilities. This is certainly the case with the Kuala Lumpur International Airport.
In addition, Australia can readily charter more than six Airbus 380s, which belong to Malaysian Airlines and Singapore Airlines and which are sitting idle, for the purpose. These would be in addition to Qantas A380s and Australian Government aircraft. The RAAF Special Purpose Aircraft are government aircraft used for the purpose of transporting government officials. The fleet includes a converted KC-30A Multi Role Tanker Transport modified to support long-range government VIP transport needs (see photo above).
The above assets combined can also be used to provide a bridge for the repatriation of Australian's stranded in other parts of the world.The total number is likely to be in excess of 50,000.
That the Australian Government is unable to readily organise the assets described above to repatriate its own citizens, stranded as a result of the government's own decisions, during peace time, raises serious questions about Australia's capacity to defend the country and its citizens in times of real crisis, including war, when air and sea routes are likely to be compromised.
Consequently questions arise with regards Australia's capacity to be a useful FPDA partner, and an ally in this region to the USA.
Canberra scrambles to get Aussies out of Indonesia
Emma ConnorsSouth-east Asia correspondent
Updated Jul 26, 2021 – 6.43pm,first published at 6.07pm
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Singapore/Jakarta |The Morrison government has indicated help is on the way for hundreds of Australians who no longer feel safe in Indonesia but cannot book a trip home because there are no flights.
“As part of its ongoing global program to assist Australians seeking to return to Australia, the Australian government is considering options to assist registered Australians in Indonesia to return,” a Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade spokesman told The Australian Financial Review.
Booked on wait lists until December: Josh Sanders, his wife Cat and their son Zac in Jakarta.
The Indonesian government has extended emergency restrictions for another week as it continues to record more new cases of COVID-19 and related deaths than any other country. In the worst-hit areas, hospitals are buckling under the pressure and cancelling procedures – including a caesarean section to deliver twins – for fear of running out of oxygen.
Josh Sanders, his wife Cat and their nine-year-old son Zac are among Australians who have registered for help in recent weeks after their plans to leave Indonesia were up-ended by events beyond their control.
After months of lockdown, the family decided to up stumps and head back to Australia in May, just as cases started to surge. They were booked on a Singapore Airlines flight from Jakarta to Sydney via Singapore on August 3.
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That option fell through when Singapore’s government blocked all transit passengers arriving from Indonesia. The only carrier still flying direct from Indonesia to Australia is the financially troubled Garuda, which is down to just one flight a week from Jakarta to Sydney and limited to 20 passengers because of the international arrival cap.
The Sanders family is on a wait list for that weekly flight, along with many others. There are no seats available until December.
Mr Sanders said there were various ways Canberra could help. It could negotiate with Singapore for a transit arrangement for vaccinated passengers, subsidise another international carrier to fly Jakarta to Sydney, or organise a repatriation flight.
All we want is to be somewhere safe. Whether that’s Howard Springs, Christmas Island, Nauru ... it doesn’t matter. We just need to get out of Jakarta.
— Josh Sanders, stranded Australian
“We don’t have to get out tomorrow, we just need some communication and a timeline. We’re in a very, very long tunnel, and we need to know there is some light at the end of it,” Mr Sanders said.
“I said to my wife that maybe we should fly to West Papua, head across the jungle, do a reverse Kokoda Track to Port Moresby, hire some local fishermen to take us into Australian waters and then, when we get picked up by the coast guard, wave our passports and go into quarantine. Unless you want to swim, that’s really one of the only ways to get there.”
Like other Australians living and working overseas, Mr Sanders is aware of the logistical difficulties involved in organising quarantine for returning nationals. But his son, who has autism, has not been to school for more than a year.
The virus that causes COVID-19 has spread into every nook and cranny of Indonesian life, meaning health services for any issue are virtually impossible to obtain, and it is extremely difficult for many foreigners to get vaccinated.
“I don’t expect to be holed up at the Intercontinental in Sydney. All we want is to be somewhere safe. Whether that’s Howard Springs, Christmas Island, Nauru ... it doesn’t matter. We just need to get out Jakarta,” Mr Sanders said.
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More than 640,000 Australians have returned since March last year and the government has facilitated 153 flights on which more than 22,900 Australians have returned.
“We have provided various types of assistance to many more Australians, including to return via commercial means,” the DFAT spokesman said.
There are no plans to do what France has done and make vaccines available to nationals overseas.
“The Australian government’s position remains that Australia’s COVID-19 vaccinations will be rolled out domestically to people in Australia. It does not include rollout for Australian citizens overseas,” DFAT said.
“We encourage Australians overseas to consult their local health professional for advice on vaccine options, including assistance that may be available locally.”
Additional reporting by Natalia Santi
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