The Wire

The diplomatic stalemate between Australia and Indonesia today appears to be worsening, despite some concerted efforts on the part of Canberra to patch things up. Indonesia’s President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has rejected planned changes to Australia’s processing of boat arrivals, which were aimed at appeasing Indonesian concerns over our move to grant asylum to 42 West Papuans. Some observers are concerned that Australia has already gone too far down the path of appeasing Indonesia. Dr Damien Kingsbury is the head of International and Community development at Deakin University. He explained to The Wire the kind of welcome any future West Papuan asylum seekers are likely to receive now that the government has changed the rules.