25 March 1997
Media coverage of meetings in Sydney with newly elected Prime Minister The Hon John Howard and in the same week meeting with President Soeharto in Jakarta. Howard reaffirmed his support for Statehood contrasting sharply with Hawke and Keating. Howard also indicated discussions on the railway would follow, they did and we the CLP built the railway. Both meetings were very successful however DFAT not to be overshadowed by Territorians at work in Indonesia was quick to debunk the alleged overreach by Chief Minister Shane Stone in announcing an intended visit by John Howard within 6 months. The Prime Minister made his first visit to Indonesia on 19 September 1996 - 6 months. The access of CLP Chief Ministers in Indonesia was legendary largely facilitated by the NT Representative Drs. Franz Seda (the only Indonesian to have served in the Sukarno and Soeharto Ministries) was subsequently dismissed by Territory Labor. Whatever reservations we in the NT had about DFAT in Canberra did not extend to the various Heads of Mission including Alan Taylor featured in the footage and DFAT Director in Darwin Brendan Doran. Also, we relied on the unfailing support of former Ambassador and Secretary of DFAT Dick Woolcott AC. Leveraging the importance of the Menzies School of Health Research greatly assisted our bilateral trade efforts.