Labor knew of Russia’s Indonesian air base request in March

The Albanese government was aware before the election campaign started of a Russian request to use Indonesian airfields for long-range military aircraft only 1300km from Darwin.

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto. Picture: AP

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The Albanese government was aware before the election campaign started of a Russian request to use Indonesian airfields for long-range military aircraft only 1300km from Darwin.

Australia became aware of the Russian request after a meeting in February this year between the ­Indonesian Minister of Defence, Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin, and the Secretary of the Security Council of the Russian Federation, Sergei Shoigu.

For two weeks, Labor ministers have avoided questions about the Russian request, suggesting it wasn’t true, had been “fabricated” and was akin “to the Loch Ness monster” but had been aware for two months there had been a Russian request to Indonesia.

The original information was that Russia wanted to use Manuhua air base on Biak island north of Papua, only 1300km from Darwin and 1800km from the US base on Guam, to transit Russian military aircraft, reportedly Tupolev Tu-95 long-range bombers.

Russia has previously used the base for long-range surveillance in 2017, when the Coalition was in government, and is seeking to expand its defence co-operation with Indonesia as part of spreading its influence in the region.

PM coy on what he knew in March of Russian bases request

Mr Albanese has refused to reveal what he was told in March about the Russian request for airbase access in Indonesia, declaring that when it comes to intelligence, adults “act like adults”.

After nearly two weeks attempting to sow doubt on whether the Russian request had been made, Mr Albanese did not deny he was informed of the request in March and stated that he refused to use intelligence for political gain.

“What adults do on intelligence is receive them and not do it – conduct it through the media,” Mr Albanese said on Monday.

“What we know about the importance of transparency ... I’m sorry, but adults ... when it comes to intelligence, act like adults.

“They don’t engage in seeing every international issue as a domestic political opportunity. “The key issue here is that Peter Dutton verballed the Indonesian President, that’s the issue here.”

The request was publicly revealed on April 14 in the respected Jane’s defence journal, which reported there had been a request from Russia to establish a base for Tupolev bombers at Biak, which is a base for long-range Indonesian surveillance aircraft and is also a joint Indonesian-Russian satellite project.

Indonesia has previously granted requests for Russian military aircraft to use Biak in transit.

The suggestion of a permanent base for unspecified long-range Russian military aircraft went well beyond the earlier advice Australia had received and prompted calls for more information and transparency during the election campaign.

Anthony Albanese deflected the calls for more information and used a mistake from Peter Dutton suggesting there had been a formal statement from Indonesia’s new President Prabowo Subianto about the request and accused the Opposition Leader of “reckless ­behaviour”.

The Prime Minister refused to confirm or deny “the reports” and said “there was no prospect” of a Russian base in Indonesia. Cabinet minister Murray Watt denied there was “any proposal” and suggested it was like “the Loch Ness monster”.

“The opposition is asking for a briefing on something that doesn’t exist. I mean, they might as well ask for a briefing on the Loch Ness monster. This is something that doesn’t exist, that they fabricated,” Senator Watt said.

After statements from the Indonesian government and the Russian ambassador to Jakarta, Sergei Tolchenov, Mr Albanese would not say if there was a Russian request, attacked Mr Dutton’s “verballing” of the Indonesian President and suggested it was Russian propaganda and mischief-making.

Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Richard Marles. Picture: David Geraghty/NewsWire

But Defence Minister Richard Marles contacted the Indonesian defence minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin for clarification because the reports of a base being sought were well beyond Australia’s initial understanding.

The Indonesian Defence Minister said on Wednesday that the Jane’s report was “absolutely untrue” and Indonesia would “not allow foreign military bases on our soil”.

In a statement, Indonesian ­Foreign Ministry spokesman ­Rolliansyah Soemirat said: “Indonesia has never granted ­permission to any country to build or possess a military base in Indonesia.”

But he left open the prospect of regular Russian military visits to Indonesia and said: “As a country with a longstanding tradition of a free and active foreign policy, Indonesia will receive and permit military aircraft or vessels from other nations on peaceful missions to visit Indonesia.”

Russia and Indonesia held their first joint naval exercises in ­November last year in a sign of deepening defence ties under President Prabowo.

On Wednesday, Mr Tolchenov issued a lengthy state­ment that did not deny Moscow was seeking to base military aircraft in Indonesia and appeared to provide justification for such a move.

“Military co-operation is an integral part of the intergovernmental relations between the Russian Federation and the Republic of Indonesia,” the Russian envoy said.

Russian ambassador to Indonesia Sergei Tolchenov. Picture: X

He also attacked the AUKUS nuclear submarine agreement and said it destabilised the region. In response, Mr Albanese said the ambassador was “talking up his book” and mischief-making while declaring there was no prospect of a Russian base on Indonesian soil.

In an interview with The Australian, when asked if it was his advice that the Russian proposal was “mischief-making”, the Prime Minister said “without talking about our intelligence” that it would be “remarkable” if the Russian ambassador hadn’t tried to talk himself up.

Mr Albanese also told The Australian that Indonesia had acted “very quickly” to reject the request from Moscow.

“Indonesia, quite clearly, without talking obviously about our intelligence, Indonesia has made its position very, very clear and very quickly … Australia’s defence relationship with Indonesia has never been stronger,” he said.

Anthony Albanese. Picture: Jason Edwards/NewsWire

Mr Albanese said at a press conference on Saturday: “It’s not surprising that people like the Russian ambassador to Indonesia want to talk up Russian influence in the region. That’s what they do.”

Opposition foreign affairs spokesman David Coleman ­accused Labor of a “dodgy ­attempt to hide from scrutiny”, saying the position suggested the Albanese government had been unaware of the Russian request.

“This is a strategically crucial issue which goes to Russia’s ­apparent plans for military expansion in the Indo-Pacific region,” Mr Coleman said.

Opposition defence spokesman Andrew Hastie said on Sunday: “The government needs to stop mocking the concerns of Australians who are worried about apparent attempts to establish a Russian military presence 1300km from our territory.

“Their story keeps changing. Labor has been slipping and sliding with the truth on what is a serious national security issue. The whole point of diplomacy is to know what is going on in the region. If the Albanese government had no idea of this report, they should just say so.”