Indonesian and Australian news editors have been gathering together periodically for much of the last twenty years and should – in theory – be able to report truthfully what is happening on the other side. These meetings, funded by the Canberra-based Australia–Indonesia Institute, seek to improve understanding among opinion leaders who could help to encourage the nations to work closely together, as two good neighbours should.

During the introductory round at one such meeting several years ago in Jakarta, some from the Indonesian side revealed that they owned apartments in Sydney, Melbourne, Perth or Brisbane; their Australian counterparts were impressed. A few also said their children were studying in Australia.