Australian Water and Irrigation Expertise Showcased in Yogyakarta

A high-level delegation from Australia will visit Indonesia this week to participate in the International Commission on Irrigation and Drainage (ICID) 2010 meetings in Yogyakarta from 10-16 October.

Australian Embassy Chargé d’Affaires Paul Robilliard said he welcomed the opportunities for Australia and Indonesia to collaborate on the water sector. “The irrigation sector is critical to both water security and food supply, and Australia and Indonesia have a lot to gain by working together in this sector,” said Mr Robilliard.

Australia is a recognised authority in the water and irrigation industry because it remains one of the fastest growing developed economies in the world despite being amongst the world’s most water-constrained countries.

The delegation will include a group of leading Australian institutions, companies and prominent individuals including representatives from Ballard Consulting, Irrigation Australia Limited, the Murray-Darling Basin Authority, Goulburn Murray Water, and academics from the University of Melbourne and Charles Sturt University.

Chris Bennett, Chief Executive Officer of Irrigation Australia Limited, said that he was pleased to be in Indonesia and sharing Australia’s expertise with Indonesian water sector specialists. “Irrigation Australia is Australia’s leading organisation representing the breadth of the Australian irrigation industry. Our experience in Australia linking key irrigation supply chain elements such as statutory bodies, tertiary institutions, water utilities, designers and consultants, among others, has been very successful and is directly applicable to Indonesia, particularly for training and certification,” Bennet said.

Australia’s excellence in water reticulation, efficiency and re-use fit well with its burgeoning trade relationship with Indonesia. “Indonesia is Australia’s fourth-largest market within ASEAN and 13th-largest trading partner. Australia is committed to supporting Indonesia’s ‘10 million additional water connections’ target,” said Julianne Merriman, Australia’s Trade Commissioner to Indonesia.

“Australia’s large-scale contribution in hosting this event demonstrates the strength of Australia’s bilateral relationship with Indonesia in terms of sharing knowledge and supporting business opportunities in the region,” she said.

The 2012 Conference will be held at the Adelaide Convention Centre from 24-29 June 2012 and will be the single largest irrigation event ever staged in Australia as it will be combined with the ICID 63rd International Executive Council Meeting and 7th Asian Regional Conference.

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