The Department of Government Science held another Guest Lecture with the theme Indonesia–Australia: Relationship in Supporting Good Governance in Indonesia at the UMM Dome Theater (12/03/2012). “The theme of this guest lecture arises from the global demand to realize good governance in government administration,” said Salahudin, S.IP., the event's organizing chair. He further explained that Indonesia and Australia share a strong relationship in promoting democracy in their respective governance systems. “That’s why this guest lecture focuses on Indonesia–Australia in the pursuit of good governance,” he added.
Dr. Tri Sulistyaningsih, M.Si., Head of the Government Science Program, emphasized in her opening remarks, “We know that Australia and Indonesia are two countries with a strong relationship in fostering democracy and good governance. Through this guest lecture, we hope to gain insights into the impact of the relationship between these two countries on creating good governance, particularly in Indonesia. Therefore, students are encouraged to listen carefully to the material presented by the speakers,” she said.
The guest lecture, highly appreciated by students, featured two distinguished speakers in the field of governance: Owen Podger (Partnership and Governance Assistance Team, Vice President's Secretariat) and Dr. Priyambudi Sulistiyanto (Director of Asian Studies and Lecturer at Flinders University, South Australia).
Owen began his presentation by stating, “Good governance is currently a global agenda supported by developed countries like the United States. Developing countries, including Indonesia, are required to adopt good governance practices. With good governance, a nation’s development can proceed effectively,” he said.
Owen highlighted that Indonesia's governance still requires serious attention due to ineffective and inefficient bureaucratic structures. Many state institutions overlap in their roles and functions. “Indonesia’s government structure is inefficient and consumes a significant portion of the national budget,” said Owen in fluent Bahasa Indonesia. He stressed that achieving good governance requires active participation from both the government and society in undertaking bureaucratic reform to streamline governmental structures, making them more effective in performing their duties and functions, ultimately leading to public welfare. “Bureaucratic reform must continue to achieve good governance for the prosperity of society,” added Owen, who is married to a woman from East Nusa Tenggara.
Dr. Priyambudi Sulistiyanto highlighted the strong relationship between Indonesia and Australia, reflected in the large number of Indonesian students studying in Australia. “There are many Indonesian students in Australia. They are well-served, enabling them to excel in their studies. In fact, Indonesian students have established cultural associations as a means of introducing and promoting Indonesian culture to the Australian public,” said the Yogyakarta-born Flinders University lecturer.
Indonesian and Australian students play a crucial role in fostering a climate of good governance in both countries. “The future of these two nations heavily depends on students as the next generation. Therefore, students are encouraged to build a strong academic atmosphere to develop leadership qualities that are competitive,” he concluded, inspiring the students attending the guest lecture.
