Australia Lowers Travel Alert to Indonesia

VIVAnews - Australia today reissued its travel advice for Indonesia, placing it at the same level as countries such as the Philippines, India, Turkey and Thailand. The overall level of travel advice is now at a lower level, and advises Australians travelling to Indonesia to “exercise a high degree of caution”.

According to the statement by the Australian Embassy in Jakarta, before this change the Government advised Australians to “reconsider their need to travel” to Indonesia. The reissued advice continues to warn Australians that a terrorist attack could occur in Indonesia at any time.
 
But the lower level does reflect, among a range of other factors, Indonesia’s achievements in combating terrorism, and it brings Australia’s overall level of travel advice back to where it was before the first Bali bombing in 2002. 
 
“This is a positive development, based on a carefully considered assessment of the level of threat to Australian travellers in Indonesia,” said Greg Moriarty, Australian Ambassador to Indonesia.
 
“The Australian Government accords a very high priority to the safety and security of the more than 850,000 Australians who now travel to Indonesia every year,” Ambassador Moriarty said.
 
“Providing objective travel advice is an important part of this approach.”
 
Travel advice aims to help Australian travellers make well-informed decisions about their travel overseas. Travel advisories are not influenced by political or commercial considerations
 
The travel advice still emphasises the severe penalties that apply for drug offences, as well as some specific health risks in the country and risks associated with natural disasters.