@JFAus:

I think it is very simple for foreigners to buy Australian land; for example Indonesian companies does not directly own the land, but purchase it via its Australian subsidiary registered as Australian entity and perhaps with Australian citizens as management team. Japfa purchased the land via its Australia subsidiary Santori which has Australians as its board members.

This is normal procedure for multinational corporations.

@Bronte:

Indonesia does not 'burn villages', please don't be such a gullible naive person who believe every fantastic propaganda stories you hear. BTW, Indonesia can impose its policies within in its sovereign territory as it sees fit without needing to get 'permission' from other countries. This is normal procedure.

Proud to be Indo: Indonesia does not 'burn villages', please don't be such a gullible naive person who believe every fantastic propaganda stories you hear. BTW, Indonesia can impose its policies within in its sovereign territory as it sees fit without needing to get 'permission' from other countries. This is normal procedure.

Well, it does burn Villages. When the Indos want an area they move in & relocate the people, burn the Village then Farm or Mine as they want. My brother worked there for 2 years. This is normal procedure.

As you say, "Indonesia can impose its policies within in its sovereign territory as it sees fit without needing to get 'permission' from other countries."

After all these people aren't human. They are considered to be animals by the Indos. They are not Muslim & they have no God.

This has been a useful article in raising a lot of issues which are clearly of national importance.

I think we have to keep asking publicly some questions of Indonesia and of Abbott's Liberals. All very well for Tony to swan around and listen to gamelan orchestras and watch pretty girls dancing but :

1. Why won't the Indonesian army allow foreign media to visit West Papua? What are they afraid of? Richard di Natale, Nick Xenophon and John Madigan have been asking these questions persistently.

2. What does Indonesia do with the $646 million that we give it every year?

3. How come Indonesians can buy land here, but we can't buy any land over there?

Bronte,
Indonesia does not 'burn villages', please don't be such a gullible naive person who believe every fantastic propaganda stories you hear.
I'm with Proud to be Indonesian on that one. I have personally accompanied Indonesians on one of their trips handing out goods & food to Papuans who did it hard. I have seen the Airforce Hercules twice a week taking Papuans to & from their villages to Market. I have not witnessed any hostility towards Papuans from Indonesians but I have experienced the other way round.
There are no angels in our world so I suggest to not expect the Indonesians to be any different to Australians. I have yet to see Indonesians coming to Australia & behaving like naked drunken monkeys but you see Australians behaving like that on a daily basis in Indonesia. I have yet to see indonesian sex tourists coming to Australia & abusing our children. If you want to point the finger than you'd better point it another way.

For Indi & Proud Indo & knowing what my brother told me.

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/oct/11/west-papua-tony-abbott-australia?CMP=ema_632&et_cid=52573&et_rid=jayb1@bigpond.net.au&Linkid=http%3a%2f%2fwww.theguardian.com%2fcommentisfree%2f2013%2foct%2f11%2fwest-papua-tony-abbott-australia

@bronte:

(1) LOL, Indonesia never close Papua from foreigners since there is nothing to hide. Show me a single law make such "prohibition". In fact, there has been dozens of foreign journalists visiting the provinces each year. There are thousands of foreigners working in Papua as miners or as Christian missionaries. Again, do not be such a gullible naive person who believe every fantastic stories you are told.

(2) Our economy is in excess of USD 1 trillion, foreign aid is less than 0.5% of our GDP whereby the largest provider is Japan and USA, not Australia. You can google AusAid website yourself if you want to know their programs.

(3) As I said, Indonesian companies can easily set-up Australian subsidary companies, and it is these Australian entities which purchase land and hold the titles. This is standard for any MNCs from any countries.