Posted July 23, 2014 09:19:27
Prime Minister Tony Abbott has congratulated Joko Widodo on being elected Indonesian president.
Jokowi's victory over Prabowo Subianto was confirmed overnight after a two-week count in which he secured just over 53 per cent of the vote.
Mr Abbott has not spoken to the president-elect yet, but the pair are expected to speak today.
Mr Abbott says the Australian Government is looking forward to working closely with Mr Widodo.
The Australia/Indonesia relationship has been tested in recent times by spying revelations and Australia's border protection policies. However, the Coalition Government says it is committed to restoring full cooperation with Indonesia.
Military and intelligence cooperation between Australia and Indonesia remains suspended.
Opposition Leader Bill Shorten says he hopes the election acts as a 'circuit-breaker' in Australia's relationship with the country.
'They're our nearest neighbour, they're a very large neighbour. We want to see relations improve with Indonesia,' he said.
'We hope the election of a new president will provide a circuit-breaker for a better relationship with Indonesia.'
Mr Abbott says Indonesia is to be congratulated on its remarkable transition to democracy and on the conduct of the election.
He also says outgoing president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono remains a great friend of Australia and should be acknowledged for his achievements and leadership during his two terms and 10 years in the job.
Topics:world-politics, foreign-affairs, federal-government, australia, indonesia
Entities 0 Name: Australia Count: 5 1 Name: Indonesia Count: 5 2 Name: Abbott Count: 3 3 Name: Prabowo Subianto Count: 1 4 Name: Coalition Government Count: 1 5 Name: Joko Widodo Count: 1 6 Name: Bill Shorten Count: 1 7 Name: Indonesian Count: 1 8 Name: Widodo Count: 1 9 Name: Tony Abbott Count: 1 10 Name: Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono Count: 1 Related 0 Url: http://ift.tt/1txRrtO Title: Joko Widodo elected Indonesian president Description: Indonesia's next president, Joko Widodo. Photo: Getty Images A man raised in a squat built on a river bank has been elected to be Indonesia's next president. Joko Widodo, who has enjoyed a dazzling ascendence from his first political role as mayor of regional city Solo in 2005, then to Jakarta governor in 2012, was late on Tuesday night pronounced the winner of the country's presidential election.
