Insights from Australia: Indonesian Officials Acquire Expertise from Governance and Public Policy Course

Indonesian officials from the Eastern Indonesia region, North Kalimantan, and Aceh, as well as representatives from the Ministry of Home Affairs and Bappenas, recently participated in the in-Australia course as part of the Australia Awards Short Course on Governance and Public Policy Making for Basic Service Delivery in Eastern Indonesia and Aceh Province.

During the course, participants learned about policymaking and governance processes at the Australian federal level and the state level in Queensland and New South Wales. They met with Queensland’s Minister for Employment and Small Business and Minister for Training and Skills Development, Hon. Lance McCallum; Hope Peisley, Assistant Secretary of Commonwealth-State Relations at the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet; as well as academics and experts in public administration.

For many, a highlight of the short course was the lessons they learned during a visit to the Aboriginal Health Services—Kambu Health Clinic and Ipswich Hospital, Queensland. The visit showcased Kambu Health's role in providing Indigenous healthcare and community services to local Indigenous communities.

The short course was delivered by the University of Queensland and managed by the Australia Awards in Indonesia in collaboration with the Australia-Indonesia Partnership Program for Basic Service Delivery Acceleration (SKALA) program, aimed at enhancing skills and strengthening public policy relevant to delivering Minimum Service Standards in Indonesia.