In the News:

  • Indonesia, Australia extend anti-drug partnership through 2031 – The Indonesian National Narcotics Agency (BNN) and Australian Federal Police (AFP) have extended their law enforcement partnership through 2031 to combat transnational drug trafficking, including emerging threats such as drug-infused liquid vapes. [Antara News]
  • Indonesia, Australia strengthen counter-terrorism collaboration –  Indonesia and Australia have reaffirmed their commitment to combating terrorism through stronger early detection and mitigation measures agreed at the 11th Indonesia-Australia Bilateral Consultation on Counter-Terrorism. [Antara News]
  • Tingkat pengangguran Australia naik ke level tertinggi sejak 2021 – Biro Statistik Australia (Australian Bureau of Statistics/ABS) menyatakan bahwa tingkat pengangguran naik dari 4,5 persen pada Juli menjadi 4,6 persen pada Agustus, angka tertinggi sejak November 2021. [Antara News]
  • ‘Extreme concern’ over first known AI hack of a government system – The disclosure is the latest example of AI agents going rogue and acting in ways beyond what their human handlers intended, and follows calls from top AI industry figures, including OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, to slow down the pace of AI development. [CNN]
  • Perth lost its major writers’ festival. Can new events fill the gap? – Literature has been a part of the Perth Festival since it was founded by the University of Western Australia in 1953, and in the 1990s the writers’ component became a standalone event within the festival program, with its own manager. [ABC News]
  • Indonesian Urea Export Arrived In Australia, Strengthen The Food Security In Indo-Pacific Region – The achievement was marked by the arrival of the Motor Vessel (MV) Medi Luna, carrying 47,250 tons of urea from Indonesia, at the Port of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, on Monday (June 22, 2026). [Pupuk Indonesia]
  • Kebanyakan Warga Australia Ragu Pada AI, Bagaimana Dengan Asia? –Warga Australia adalah kelompok yang paling skeptis soal kecerdasan buatan (AI) di dunia, bahkan saat teknologi ini mulai menjadi bagian dari kehidupan sehari-hari. Namun, di kawasan Asia-Pasifik, banyak orang tetap menggunakan AI, sementara berbagai negara memiliki pendekatan tersendiri dalam mengantisipasi dampaknya. [JPNN.com]
  • Drug trafficker released from jail after being spared death row – A woman who spent almost 15 years on death row in Indonesia for drug trafficking has walked free from jail after receiving a presidential pardon. Mary Jane Veloso smiled as she left her prison cell in the Philippines on Friday, local time, holding the document signed by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr granting her “absolute pardon”. [ABC News]
  • Indonesia Eyes QRIS Expansion to Australia, Saudi Arabia – Indonesia is exploring QRIS cross-border payments potential with Saudi Arabia, India, Vietnam, and Australia, according to Bank Indonesia’s executive director of the payment system policy department, Fitria Irmi Triswati. [Tempo.co]

Events:

  • Join AIYA ACT with the Indonesian Embassy for a hands-on Tamarind Batik Workshop to celebrate Indonesia’s National Batik Day. 📅 Friday, 2 October 2026 🕙 10.00 am–12.00 pm AEST 📍 UCX. Student Lounge, University of Canberra, 1 Kirinari St, Bruce ACT 2617 👗 Dress code: Smart casual. Limited seat! Register yourself here!
  • You are invited to the 11th ReelOzInd! The Festival Premiere screenings to be held in Melbourne and Makassar! We are proud to be celebrating 10 years of Australian and Indonesian filmmakers and audiences coming together to share their stories. Save the date: Thursday, October 22  •  6:30 PM – 8:30 PM @ACMI Melbourne, VIC. Check this for registration and ticketing!
  • Join AIYA Victoria for Badminton Social! Save the date 3 October @Monash Sport, Monash Caulfield, Victoria. Check AIYA Victoria Instagram for more information and registration!
  • AIYA ACT – Come and try playing Javanese Gamelan with AIYA ACT and ANUISA every Tuesday 6-8pm in Room 521 (behind the Recording Studio), Level 5 of the Llewellyn Hall at the ANU. For more information click here!
  • JOIN AIYA LANGUAGE EXCHANGE (IN-PERSON or ONLINE!) LX is back in multiple locations across Australia. Connect, chill, and converse with like-minded youth, meet new friends and engage in cross-cultural exchange. Make sure to follow your local chapter on Instagram for updates on the next LX event near you! VIC – every Wednesday at 6-7pm, Kathleen Syme Library–Activity Room 2; NSW – every Thursday at 6.30pm, Darling Square.
  • AIYA FLEX! – our online language exchange is open to anyone with any level of Indonesian and English! It is held monthly on Sunday at 3pm WIB/ 7pm AEDT. Join FLEX here.

Tune in:

  • Intan Kieflie adalah seorang produser film, sineas, distributor dan mantan aktris asal Indonesia yang kini berbasis di Melbourne. Dalam wawancaranya dengan SBS Indonesian, Intan yang berperan sebagai distributor dan kurator film-film yang akan ditayangkan itu ( Malam 3 Yasinan – The 3rd Night of The Death; Kuyank; Sukma – The Lost Soul; danThe Raid – Remastered in 4K) mengatakan bahwa ada animo pecinta film internasional terhadap film horor Indonesia. Menurutnya film-film horor Indonesia mempunyai karakter yang berbeda. Pada tanggal 3 Oktober 2026 PERWIRA akan menyelenggarakan Festival Film Horor Indonesia di mana lima film horror Indonesia akan ditayangkan di RMIT Capitol, Melbourne. Nah apa tujuan diselenggarakannya festival ini dan bagaimana kuratornya memilih film-film yang akan ditayangkan? Dengarkan lebih lanjut di SBS Indonesia podcast dalam episode Festival Film Horor Indonesia 2026 – Mengapa Berbeda?
  • Pada tanggal 21 September, dunia memperingati Hari Perdamaian Internasional, yang juga dikenal sebagai Hari Perdamaian Dunia. Peringatan ini ditetapkan oleh Majelis Umum Perserikatan Bangsa-Bangsa (PBB) pada tahun 1981. Tema Hari Perdamaian Internasional (Hari Perdamaian Dunia) PBB tahun 2026 adalah “Berinvestasi demi Perdamaian – Untuk Semua Orang, di Mana Saja, Setiap Hari.” Pertanyaannya adalah, bagaimana kita bisa mewujudkan perdamaian dunia di tengah perang dan konflik yang mengelilingi kita? Dunia sedang terpecah belah dan berbagai perpecahan pun telah muncul. Dengarkan selengkapnya bersama Pendeta Christian Tirtha dari Heathdale Christian College, Melbourne bersama SBS Indonesia dalam episode: Bagaimana Kita Dapat Menjadi Agen Perdamaian?

Opportunities & Offers:

Get Out There: A Meaningful Adventure for School Leavers Looking for an alternative to the typical schoolies week? Get Out There takes Australian school leavers on a two-week adventure through Indonesia, combining travel, purpose, and genuine cultural connection.

AIYA is now in partnership: AIYA x Cinta Bahasa! 🎉🤝
All AIYA members can now enjoy 15% off Cinta Bahasa’s online or in-person Indonesian language classes! To register, simply log in to your AIYA membership dashboard > Resource Center > Cinta Bahasa.

  • AIBC National Conference 2026 | Perth, WA (7–9 October 2026). Join business leaders, government representatives, and industry experts in Perth for the Australia-Indonesia Business Council (AIBC) National Conference 2026. Explore key developments in bilateral trade, ASEAN economic engagement, and market growth. 🎟️ Member Perks: Active AIYA members enjoy exclusive discount rates and access to complimentary tickets! Log in to your member account to claim your registration discount and secure your ticket today.
  • Applications are now open for the NBCUniversal Australia & New Zealand (ANZ) 2027 Internship Program, offering students and emerging talent the opportunity to gain hands-on experience inside one of the world’s leading media and entertainment companies. Find more informations here!
  • Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) is looking for several positions to fill with various closing dates. Click here for more information!
  • The Australian Volunteers Program matches skilled Australians with partner organisations across the Pacific, Asia, and Africa to support them to achieve their own development goals. If you’re interested in volunteering check-out a range of opportunities here!!
  • Indo Beyond Borders (IBB) is an Indonesian tutoring service, where language learning goes beyond the textbook. Join IBB and embark on an immersive learning experience that’s as dynamic and vibrant as Indonesia itself. Here to check more information
  • The Jakarta Bintangs is an Australian Football Club with membership open to anyone, beginners are most welcome. The club organizes games throughout the year, mostly in Jakarta, with occasional games across Indonesia and overseas. Tours are planned to Bali, Batam, Vietnam and Thailand this year. Training is mostly held at Lapangan Bola Aldiron in Jakarta on Saturday/ Sunday afternoons. On occasion, training sessions are also held Thursday nights in the GBK complex. To keep up to date with the training schedule follow them on Instagram @jakartabintangs. For more information click here.
  • The Australian Government is receiving applications for the Working Holiday Maker program that allows young adults to have a 12 month holiday, during which they can undertake short-term work and study. More info here
  • The Australian National University Indonesia Project is offering a number of grants and fellowships. Find out more about the opportunities such as Collaborative Research Grants, and Visiting Fellow Grants.
  • The Australian Trade and Investment Commission (Austrade) helps grow Australia’s prosperity by delivering quality trade and investment services to businesses, accelerates growth in Australia’s tourism sector and promotes Australia’s education to the world. Find a list of available vacancies here.