Cultural literacy crucial to deepening trade ties THE eve of Tony Abbott's first visit to Indonesia has been embroiled in controversy. News has been swirling about "misunderstandings" in the first meeting between our new foreign ministers, and differences over asylum-seeker policy continue to dominate the newspapers. This is a shame, because both sides of politics have publicly noted that a strong relationship with Indonesia is the key to successfully entering the Asian Century. While the new government definitely has the skills to restore strong diplomatic relations with our closest neighbour, it's crucial the new government doesn't view this as its sole objective. It should think bigger. The real key to moving our relationship forward with Indonesia is breeding a higher level of trust among the entire Australian community. While there has been an increased political focus on building a stronger relationship, a recent study by Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade shows that almost 50 per cent of Australians still believe Indonesia is a threat to Australia's national security. In fact, 59 per cent of Australians agree with the misleading statement that Indonesia's law-making is based on Islamic codes, while almost one-fifth believe Bali is a country of its own. While disappointing, ultimately the findings from this new DFAT study are unsurprising. Indonesian companies such as my company's affiliate, Asia Pulp & Paper, still regularly encounter old-school views and stereotypes that hamper their ability to do business in Australia. While progress has been made and the new government has made it clear this will be a first-term priority, the findings from this new opinion poll show that a great deal still needs to be done to remove ingrained business, political and cultural stereotypes. But where does this negative sentiment stem from and how can it be addressed so we can build to a truly harmonious relationship? The DFAT study, which divided Australians into four groups according to whether they had low or high knowledge of Indonesia and positive attitudes, shows a clear link between knowledge and positive sentiment. It also links the study of Indonesian language and travel to knowledge of and popular attitudes towards Indonesia. Despite the previous government's promise of deeper and broader links with Asia, fewer than 100 Australians a year will head off to study in the region under the much-hyped Asian Century scholarships. Clearly, if Australia wants to profit from one of the fastest growing economies in the world and take the relationship beyond trade, diplomacy and security, it needs to do more to increase Indonesian literacy and cultural understanding. And it's not just an educational issue. Local businesses need to be more proactive in seeing Indonesia as a corporate partner, and not just a new market to enter. Australian companies need to take the time to understand and learn about Indonesian culture and business practices, the way many are starting to invest in changing their perceptions of other foreign markets. So what could happen if the newly elected Abbott government doesn't work to address this perception issue? In my view, and as someone who has had to fight against this perception for much of their business career, it's clear Australia will miss the chance to be a major trade and business partner. If everyone sits idly and allows these poor perceptions to fester then Australia will continue to remain outside of the top five trading partners with its closest neighbour and risk losing its significance in the broader trading relationship. According to latest reports, trade between Indonesia and Australia stands at about $15 billion, a relatively small figure considering the geographical proximity of both our countries. Opportunities are clearly being missed and will continue to be, unless more is done by government and businesses to challenge deep-rooted and unjustified negative attitudes towards all things Indonesian. And as they wish to be some of the major benefactors, the business community has an important role to play as a force for change. If Australian businesses want to enter a market and profit from Indonesia's burgeoning middle class and rich natural resources, they must consider Indonesia as more than just a market and remember that a relationship requires both give and take. Indeed, Indonesia's Agriculture Minister Suswonon complained just last week about how seven Australian companies, who had pledged to invest in Indonesia, had not kept their promises. He said it seemed as though Australia only wished to use Indonesia as a market. And while programs such as the AIBC's Famil Program -- which supports businesses wishing to gain a greater understanding of the Indonesian market place and forge contacts with key -- are an important first step, they can't succeed in isolation. All aspects of our community, the business community included, need to banish their outmoded and inaccurate views about Indonesia gain a greater understanding of the modern country. This is a great opportunity for the new government, and can be an achievement that places our nation in a strong position for the next decade. However, we need to identify the root of the issue affecting our relationship, and work to build this trust throughout our business and political structures. Otherwise the same cycle may go on. Steve Nicholson is the chief executive officer at Solaris Paper, the Australian affiliate of Asia Pulp & Paper.