Media Release

17 April 2007

Ambassador Welcomes Australia’s Financial Intelligence Chief to Jakarta

The Australian Ambassador to Indonesia, Bill Farmer, welcomed to Jakarta today the Chief Executive Officer of the Australian Transaction Reports and Analysis Centre (AUSTRAC), Neil Jensen.

Mr Jensen is visiting Jakarta to address a national seminar entitled Building an Effective Anti-Money Laundering Regime to Support Law Enforcement, marking the fifth anniversary of the establishment of Indonesia’s Financial Intelligence Unit, PPATK.

Mr Farmer said the Australian Government – through AUSTRAC and AusAID – has been working with the Government of Indonesia as it creates an effective anti-money laundering regime.

“The Australian Government and Indonesia’s highly regarded Financial Intelligence Unit are working towards the objective of strengthening the integrity and quality of Indonesia's financial system and, in turn, its overall economic governance,” Mr Farmer said.

“Australian support has included technical assistance to the Government of Indonesia to draft legal documents and in the preparation of financial regulations and guidelines, which has aided the establishment of new anti-money laundering legislation in Indonesia.

“Other joint efforts include raising awareness of anti-money laundering regulations designed to increase reporting from regional banks, commercial banks and non-bank financial institutions of suspicious financial transactions.”

“The work Australia and other international donors have done with the Government of Indonesia has been instrumental in the removal of Indonesia from the Financial Action Task Forces’ Non-cooperative countries list – a major achievement given there was no anti-money laundering legislation just six years ago,” Mr Farmer said.

“To its enormous credit, Indonesia has now established a stronger legal, regulatory and institutional basis with which to combat the crime of money laundering.”

Australia is co-sponsoring the seminar entitled Building an Effective Anti-Money Laundering Regime to Support Law Enforcement which will take place in the Presidential Palace today. The President of the Republic of Indonesia will deliver a Presidential Lecture at the seminar.

Further information:
Liz Atkins, General Manager – Regulatory Policy (Mobile: + 61 419 404 581)