Queensland celebrates Sister-State relationship with Central Java

• Queensland and Central Java partnership celebrates nearly one-third of a century.
• Agreement champions continued collaboration on health and education.
• Nurse and teacher exchanges two key initiatives.

Queensland has recommitted to its long running Sister-State Agreement with Central Java during a meeting between the Treasurer and Minister for Trade and Investment Cameron Dick and the Governor of Central Java, the Honourable H Ganjar Pranowo SH.

The agreement was first signed in September 1991, with education and health the ongoing  priorities.

The Queensland Department of Education and the Central Java Education and Culture Office have had an Education Action Plan under the agreement since 2014.

The plan focuses on teacher exchanges, school-to-school partnerships and official visits to Queensland and Central Java.

Exchanges of nurses between the Mater Hospital and Dr Kariadi Hospital in Semarang have also occurred under the agreement to transfer knowledge and skills between staff.

The Queensland University of Technology and Central Java Department of Health have also worked together since 1997 on nursing education under the agreement.

Queensland was proud to provide a $2 million support package for Central Java to provide valuable social, health and economic assistance to those affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The funding also enabled local micro businesses to ramp up as the Central Javan economy emerged from COVID.

That funding enabled those businesses to ramp up as their economy emerged from COVID.

Quotes attributed to Treasurer and Minister for Trade and Investment, Cameron Dick:

“Queensland’s relationship with Central Java is one of our longest sister state relationships”

“Geography has made us neighbours, but our bonds of culture and commerce make us more like friends and family.

“The agreement extends across universities and vocational centres, exchanges of teachers, lecturers and students, the health sector and economic and trade development.

“It has benefited Queensland and Central Java for many years and this will continue across even more sectors into the future.”

“I was also pleased to discuss with Governor Pronowo the shared ambition of Queensland and Central Java to develop clean, renewable energy on our pathways to net zero emissions.

Further information:

• Queensland and Central Java have had a long and close relationship with the Sister-State Agreement in place since 1991.
• In March 2022 the Queensland Government donated $2 million to the Government of Central Java Province to assist with COVID-19 recovery.  Examples of projects include start-up funding for microbusinesses, a mobile vaccine van, ambulance boat and medical freezers.
• The Indonesian Government provided a generous contribution of USD1 million to the Queensland Premier’s Flood Relief Appeal to support Queenslanders affected by the flood disaster of 2011.
• Trade and Investment Queensland has an office in Indonesia as part of its network of 18 offices in 14 key markets.

Media contact – Geoff Breusch 0417 272 875