Indonesian President Joko Widodo has called on Australia to unite against a rising tide of xenophobia and intolerance in the world.
President Widodo became only the 15th foreign leader to address Australia's Parliament on Monday during his first visit to Canberra.
He opened his historic speech with a casual “G’day mate”, earning laughs from the packed gathering of members and Senators.
The president went on to compare Australia and Indonesia to Marvel superheroes the Avengers when faced with a common enemy - calling for the nations to become anchors for developing partners in the Pacific region.
“When the forces of good unite, the Avengers Assemble and the common enemy can be defeated,” Mr Widodo told Parliament.
“Then intolerance and protectionism and the fear of poverty and the threat of climate change can be overcome.
“We must continue to advocate the values of democracy, human rights, tolerance and diversity.
“Stop intolerance, stop xenophobia, stop radicalism and stop terrorism.”
The Muslim-majority nation of 260 million is home to thousands of different ethnic groups and is regarded as the world's third-largest democracy.
Indonesia President Joko Widodo, left, addresses the Parliament in Canberra. Source: AP
Mr Widodo drew parallels between his nation and Australia’s own diversity and values, urging younger generations to embrace these common ties.
“They live in democratic cities, familiar with Netflix, Instagram and Facebook and actively exchange international perspectives,” he said.
Mr Widodo said the “youth today are the leaders of tomorrow”.
“We must encourage a love for Indonesia amongst Australian youth, and vice versa. A love for Australia among Indonesia's younger generation.”
Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced on Monday that Monash University would set up Indonesia's first foreign campus.
The deal was made possible after the Indonesian government finalised regulations as part of a push to improve the country's higher education performance.
His visit came after Australia and Indonesia signed a free-trade agreement to begin a new era of economic relations between the two nations.
Indonesian President Joko Widodo is welcomed as he enters Parliament in Canberra. Source: AP
Australia’s two-way trade with Indonesia stands at some $18 billion, more than 10 times less than trade with China.
Mr Morrison said there remained “enormous” untapped trade potential with the neighbouring nation.
“By continuing to work together, we can build the region's resilience and make our people safer and our economies stronger,” he said.
Mr Widodo urged free and fair principles of trade and diplomacy must be maintained in the face of increasing protectionism and geopolitical challenges.
He said identity politics were “a trap to democracy” and a “threat to diversity and a threat to tolerance”.
“These threats will become more actual exploitation for short-term political interests, resulting in hatred, fear and even social conflict,” he said.
“As democratic and diverse countries, we must work hard, side by side together, to defend the values of democracy, tolerance and diversity and to look at the clash of civilisation.”
Mr Widodo also put climate change in focus, asking Australia to work together towards lowering carbon emissions and investing in renewable energy.
Indonesian President Joko Widodo, left, and Australia's Prime Minister Scott Morrison. Source: AP
But monitors have warned Indonesia itself has questions to answer over failures of its human rights record.
They urged the Australian government to raise the situation in the Indonesian province of West Papua with President Widodo, where mass protests against racism erupted last year.
Greens leader Adam Bandt, Greens Senator Richard Di Natale and West Papuan Activist Ronny Kareni. Source: SBS News
More than 50 people died as a result of the unrest, and there are at least 22 people who have been locked up in prison and are regarded as prisoners of conscience by Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch.
Greens Leader Adam Bandt said deeper ties with Indonesia shouldn’t come at the expense of human rights.
“If we’re going down the road of deepening our ties with Indonesia then we should also be raising the issue of human rights,” he said.
“It’s one thing to sign a trade deal but it’s another thing to stand up for values of human rights that Australia says it takes seriously.”
West Papuan activist Ronny Kareni said Mr Widodo's speech was hypocritical, knowing the realities on the ground in parts of Indonesia.
"In West Papua it is the classic example of democracy not at work," he said.
The honour of speaking in Parliament was also granted to Mr Widodo's predecessor Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono in 2010.
