Chapter 14
Conclusions and Recommendations
We will often talk about Africa, we will talk about the
Middle East and we will talk about South Asia or South-East Asia, but we will
not talk about the Indian Ocean as a transnational partnership—a region that engages
with each other.[1]
Considering the Indian Ocean rim as a cohesive region
14.1
The committee has heard evidence on the lack of cohesive definition of
the Indian Ocean rim as a region, as compared with the Asia-Pacific region.
While some submitters saw the lack of regional definition as hampering attempts
to structure Australia's approach to the region, others noted that the region
can be divided into sub-region groups along geographic or interest lines.
Australia may engage more effectively with these groups than creating policy
for the wider region.
14.2
Several submitters described the difficulties in creating a cohesive definition
of the Indian Ocean rim region. Dr Dennis Rumley noted in his submission that
the number of countries counted as being part of the Indian Ocean region vary
according to methodology used to consider the region.[2]
DFAT too highlighted the difference between the terms 'region' and 'rim' in its
submission, and this was noted in Chapter 2 of this report.[3]
14.3
Dr Howes argued that the Indian Ocean rim is in fact not a natural
region—its countries share only 'modest levels of genuine economic interconnectivity.'
He maintained that while Australia has trade and aid priorities in various
disparate parts of the region, it cannot work effectively with the region as a
whole. [4]
14.4
Dr Rumley[5]
and the Asia Research Centre,[6]
argued that regions are 'constructions and are definite or delimited by
governments, geographers, strategic analysts, historians, economists and others
based on a particular common formal or functional criterion or set of
criteria'.[7]
14.5
Dr Andrew Phillips commented that the Asia-Pacific is a normalised
concept in our world view. This concept however gained traction only from the
late 1960s onward.[8]
He was persuaded that Australia needs to consider how useful it may be to
Australia's short to medium term objectives to encourage development of a
concept of Indian Ocean rim region.[9]
14.6
In speculating why individuals companies and businesses had not
responded to invitations to make submissions to the inquiry, Mr Clark, ACCI,
noted that members he had spoken to had a strong interest in the inquiry. Mr
Clark felt that business did not see the Indian Ocean rim as a region—he
thought perhaps that the government had not promoted it in that light. As
quoted in chapter 4:
'The Asia-Pacific' is a commonly spoken of term. We have APEC,
the East Asia Summit and a lot of institutional arrangements which give a media
profile to our general relationships in Asia, but the same sort of dialogue
does not go on with the Indian Ocean.[10]
14.7
Dr Howes contended that Australia should use sub-regional groups as 'the
Indian Ocean rim, as such, is not an appropriate target for sustained policy
initiatives'.[11]
The diversity of the countries in the Indian Ocean means that it is easier to
categorise sub-regional groups based on single issues[12]
than it is to define the region as a whole in the same way as the Asia-Pacific
region.
14.8
As discussion in Part Two and Three shows, Australia engages
sub-regional groups in relation to areas covered by fisheries management
agreements; maritime security initiatives; mining and oceanography—with great
success in building people-to-people links and facilitating the sharing of
knowledge and expertise. The Tsunami Warning System is an excellent example of
this coordination.
14.9
However there is reason to have the broader public discussion about the
Indian Ocean rim as a region. For example, the committee noted in Chapter 10 of
this report the conceptualisation in the Defence White Paper 2013 of the
'Indo-Pacific' as a 'single strategic arc'[13]—a
recognition of the importance of considering the Indian Ocean and its
significance to Australia and to the stability and security of the region
overall.
14.10
Mr Clark suggested that, following the example of the discussion
generated by the development of the Asian Century White Paper, public and
business attention may be directed to the Indian Ocean rim through government
encouraging wider discussion. He felt that the current emphasis was around
single countries rather than starting to look at the region as a united whole.[14]
Committee view
14.11
The committee's report has highlighted the diversity of the countries of
the Indian Ocean rim and the multiple ways it which these states can be
categorised. This diversity and the lack of a single agreed definition of the
'Indian Ocean rim' have created a significant challenge for the development of policy,
both from an Australian and a regional perspective. Australia's approach to
trade in the Indian Ocean rim is largely bilateral; defence and strategic
relations are based on single issue groupings; and aid to the region is
predominately provided through individual country programs or multilateral
partnerships through the auspices of the UN. Evidence gathered in relation to
IOR-ARC demonstrates clearly that diversity in the region—both economic and
political—has created inertia in the region's main organisation.
14.12
The Australian Government departments and agencies that provided
evidence to the inquiry, on the whole, approach the Indian Ocean rim countries
separately or through single issue sub-regional groups. In its submission, DFAT
stated that the diversity of the countries included in the Indian Ocean rim
poses challenges—notable in the discussion of multilateral trade cooperation in
the region.[15]
It noted:
The nations of the Indian Ocean Rim, home to 2.3 billion
people, are a ... vast array of cultural, political, religious and economic
diversity...Some nations are modern, developed states while many are still in
the process of development.[16]
14.13
Despite the challenges posed by the diversity of the Indian Ocean rim
countries, the committee sees significant benefit in Australia working at a
strategic policy level to promote the concept of an Indian Ocean rim. The
committee feels that promoting the conceptualisation of the Indian Ocean rim as
a distinct region will assist with the development of Australian policy and
allow Australia to better coordinate efforts and connections already being made
with sub-regional and issue specific groups.
14.14
The committee has articulated in its report that much of the interaction
between Australia and other countries in the Indian Ocean rim occurs through
specific activities—research, trade, mining, fisheries or military. However, at
a higher level, there is no clear strategic policy providing a clear direction
for Australian engagement with the region. The committee suspects that, as Drs
Bateman, Bergin and Trood argue, this lack of broader policy is due to the fact
that Australia as a nation only recognises the significance of the Indian Ocean
rim intermittently.[17]
14.15
The committee heard from people in the North West region, particularly
during its visit to the Pilbara, about concerns that Defence, and more broadly
the Australian Government, was not paying sufficient attention to the security
issues surrounding the resource sector and its critical infrastructure.
Representatives from the Department of State Development, Western Australian
Government, expressed some frustration with regard to inquiries and reports
conducted into infrastructure security in the North West of the state. They
noted that while the Western Australian Government had provided much input
about security and infrastructure issues, it had received no response to its
concerns.[18]
14.16
In the committee's view, the rise of Asia over the coming decades and
the growth and development of the nations of the Indian Ocean rim will
profoundly influence Australia's future. Australia needs to do more to engage
with the Indian Ocean rim and in this context promote the nation's
interests—security, economic and research.
14.17
Australia's upcoming role as chair of IOR-ARC will provide a valuable
opportunity to focus domestic and international attention on the Indian Ocean rim.
The Australian Government should maximise the potential benefits of this
occasion to:
- invest in developing Australian understanding and awareness of
the Indian Ocean rim;
- strengthen our security, trade, research and cultural links with
our Indian Ocean rim neighbours; and
- establish and support institutional structures and mechanisms to
support the common interests of Australian and Indian Ocean rim countries.
14.18
With the aim of encouraging public and government dialogue concerning
the Indian Ocean rim, and placing Australia in a position to capitalise on the
opportunities in the region, the committee has made the following
recommendations.
Recommendation 1 (Chapter 5)
The committee recommends that:
- the Australia Government lead by example and ensure that its
representation at IOR-ARC Council of Ministers' Meetings' is always at
ministerial level;
- the Australian Government commit additional resources to the
IOR-ARC Secretariat and encourage other member states to be more generous in
the resources they make available;
- the Australian Government promote the profile of IOR-ARC by
making reference to the activities of the organisation whenever appropriate;
- the Prime Minister of Australia open the 2013 IOR-ARC Council
of Ministers' Meeting in Perth;
- the Australian Government advocate that the heads of
government of the Indian Ocean rim countries hold periodic meetings to discuss
matters affecting IOR-ARC; and
- the Australian Government should encourage countries with
observer status at IOR-ARC to send high-ranking representatives to the meeting.
Recommendation 2 (Chapter 5)
The committee recommends that the Australian Government as
chair of
IOR-ARC:
- encourage IOR-ARC to strengthen its links with the business
community in the Indian Ocean by considering establishing an Eminent Persons
Group made up of leading business people throughout the region;
- use its influence to involve Trade Ministers as mainstream
participants in IOR-ARC meetings;
- ensure that the contribution of the smaller countries to the
work of
IOR-ARC, such as Mauritius which houses the Secretariat, is given prominence;
and
- pursue the notion mentioned in previous meetings of
establishing 'nodes of excellence' (later recommendations expand on this
recommendation).
Recommendation 3 (Chapter 5)
The committee recommends that, respecting IOR-ARC's charter
and the views of other member countries, the Australia Government work with
member states to look at broadening the membership to include other key Indian
Ocean countries, such as Pakistan and Saudi Arabia.
Recommendation 4 (Chapter 7)
The committee recommends that the Australian Government:
- increase its support for the smaller developing countries in
the Indian Ocean rim to assist them develop the capacity to monitor, control
and regulate fishing activities in their waters;
- provide greater assistance and increase efforts to help the
smaller developing countries represent their interests in international fora
such as the IOTC; and
- through the Troika—India, Australia and Indonesia—encourage
the larger and more developed countries to collaborate and collectively
spearhead active engagement in promoting the health of marine life in the
Ocean; to assist the smaller developing countries to protect their fish stocks
from over exploitation; and to grow their fishing industry in a sustainable
way.
Recommendation 5 (Chapter 9)
The committee recommends that the Australian Government
consider establishing an Institute for Indian Ocean Research in a Western
Australian University.
Recommendation 6 (Chapter 9)
The committee recommends that DFAT work with other agencies
to make an audit of research projects which already have country to country
links. Further, the committee recommends that DFAT engage with Australian
universities and the research community to find ways in which to link
Australian institutions to Indian Ocean rim institutions.
Recommendation 7 (Chapter 10)
The committee recommends that the AFP consider greater
community engagement in the North West region to increase the understanding of
its role and reassure the community that the security of the region is a
priority.
Recommendation 8 (Chapter 10)
The committee recommends that Defence make it an urgent
priority to focus on the defence of the North West. The committee encourages
Defence to increase its cooperation with industry in order to find creative
solutions to the challenges which currently prevent larger exercises and affect
reserve recruitment.
Recommendation 9 (Chapter 10)
The committee recommends that Defence examine the
possibility of making the 2014 planned Defence exercise in the North West a
larger, more visible exercise in the region—as a means of providing reassurance
to industry and actively engaging the community. In particular, the committee
encourages the Royal Australian Navy to examine ways in which it can increase
visibility in the area and raise community and business awareness of its
activities in the North West of Australia.
Recommendation 10 (Chapter 10)
The committee recommends that in its work on the government
response to the OITS Report, the Department of Infrastructure and Transport
consider including strategies for community engagement. The committee strongly
believes that local government and relevant state agencies have a role to play
in educating community and industry about the role of various security agencies
and can help to provide reassurance to the community that security of the North
West is a priority for government.
Recommendation 11 (Chapter 11)
The committee recommends that DFAT work with other
departments, including DRET and DAFF, to prioritise progress on effective and
consistent port state control measures in the Indian Ocean rim as part of Australia's
plan for its upcoming chair of IOR-ARC.
Recommendation 12 (Chapter 12)
The committee recommends that ministers attending the
Council of Ministers' Meeting in Perth or their representative be invited to
visit the Pilbara as part of a delegation to see the work being done at Dampier
Port and Port Hedland to improve the ports' productivity.
Recommendation 13 (Chapter 12)
The committee recommends that DFAT work with other federal
government departments, as well as state and territory governments, on
strengthening government consultation with groups such as AAMIG, the Australian
Coal Association, and the Australia-Africa Business Council. The committee
notes that while Africa Down Under has been successful in generating
discussion, more concrete measures are needed to ensure that the input of
groups working with industry and African countries is captured in policy
making.
Recommendation 14 (Chapter 13)
The committee recommends that DFAT establish a formal and
regular consultation panel in relation to IOR-ARC for Australian businesses and
industry, with a broad representation from all sectors. This consultation panel
should focus initially on:
- increasing Australian business and industry awareness of
IOR-ARC and its activities; and
- incorporating input from business and industry into
Australia's planning for taking on chair of IOR-ARC.
In due time, the focus of the panel can be extended to
broader discussion of issues in the Indian Ocean rim.
Recommendation 15 (Chapter 13)
The committee notes the role played by the foundations,
institutes and councils in promoting business-to-business and people-to-people
links with countries in the Indian Ocean rim. The committee recommends that
DFAT coordinate a roundtable of Indian Ocean rim country foundations,
institutes and councils. The roundtable should focus on:
- ways to increase Australian community and business awareness
of
IOR-ARC and its activities; and
- any other relevant matters.
Recommendation 16 (Chapter 13)
The committee notes that currently there is no
foundation, institute or council which covers the countries of Africa. The
committee recommends that DFAT work with existing business and community groups
to establish an appropriate organisation to enhance awareness and understanding
between the peoples and institutions of Australia and the African countries.
Recommendation 17 (Chapter 13)
The committee sees significant benefit in improved coordination
between the state and federal governments on the promotion of Australian
business and trade in the Indian Ocean rim. The committee recommends that the
Australian government create a Council of Australian Governments (COAG) Select
Council to facilitate consultation and cooperation on trade and investment
initiatives for the Indian Ocean rim.
The Indian Ocean Rim COAG Select Council would continue for
the duration of Australia's role as chair of IOR-ARC, with the potential to be
made a Standing Council.
The committee believes that the Select Council would
ensure that coordination of efforts promoting Australia business in this
growing region is a priority for both state and federal government.
Senator Alan Eggleston
Chair
Senate Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade References
Committee
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