- 3 hours ago
As Australia and Malaysia look ahead to the next chapter of their 70-year partnership, Australian High Commissioner Danielle Heinecke reflects on the relationship, its future and her time in Malaysia.
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NewsTranscript
00:07Hello and welcome to Awani Global. I'm your host Fahna Sheh.
00:11Now Australia and Malaysia are marking seven decades of diplomatic ties
00:15with the relationship continuing to deepen across trade, investment, security and regional cooperation.
00:22As Australian High Commissioner Danielle Haneke enters the final months of her tenure,
00:27we look back at how the relationship has evolved, where it is headed and her own reflections of her time
00:33here in Malaysia.
00:35Your Excellency, it's such a pleasure to have you in the studio with us today.
00:39I've got to tell you, we have been at the Australian High Commissioner office for many, many times,
00:44but this is the first time that she's here, so we're very glad to have you finally here at the
00:49studio.
00:49Thank you Fahna and it's been great to have media around to my house quite a lot for casual barbecues
00:55and to get to know you.
00:55Yes, we will definitely miss the casual barbecues I feel hosted by your team.
01:00Right, you are now entering your final months here of your tenure.
01:04Looking back, how would you describe the state of Australia-Malaysia relations today compared to when you first got here?
01:11Do you mind giving us a little bit of landscape or look back at your time here a little bit?
01:17So first of all, just to say thank you to Malaysia.
01:19I've had a wonderful time here in Malaysia and I'm devastated to be going home.
01:23I've absolutely loved everything, the people, the food, the landscape.
01:27Visiting all of your 12 states and two territories, it's been an incredible time.
01:33But looking back professionally and at the relationship, I think what's really happened in the last three years
01:39is we've really realised, Australia and Malaysia, that we have so much in common.
01:42We have so many common interests, but also that we really know each other and we have a great history
01:48together.
01:49And when you come into times that we've all been experiencing this year around the energy and food crisis,
01:54we've really been able to work together in a way that has not been transactional,
02:01has really been about that long-term relationship.
02:03And just to highlight some of that, last year we had the Prime Minister visit for ASEAN,
02:08but we also had six to seven other ministerial visits last year.
02:12And that's really around our defence relationship, our deep education relationship,
02:17our growing relationship in areas such as energy and tech,
02:21which are going to be really important to our future, critical minerals.
02:25And energy and food is really, really another part of what we've been doing a lot together.
02:30Prime Minister Anwar and Prime Minister Albanese met again this year around the energy and food crisis.
02:35And what we really realised is how interdependent we were on each other.
02:39So much of Malaysia's food comes from Australia.
02:4259% of your wheat comes from Australia.
02:4614% of our diesel in Australia comes from Malaysia.
02:50Crude oil, coal, it never ends.
02:53We've got so much that we do in common.
02:55So now what we're doing 70 years on is a lot of the areas that we're cooperating on
03:01that we've really been able to accelerate in the last few years
03:03is around things like rule of law and its practical application in the maritime space.
03:10Renewable energy.
03:11We're currently working with the Ministry of Transport around really practical regulatory issues
03:16in the maritime decarbonisation space.
03:19Sharing lessons around AI and tech governance,
03:22which is a challenge for all of us.
03:24So we've really been able to go deeper on some of those really key sectors,
03:27which are all going to be about our future.
03:30I think there's not a single doubt when it comes to the closeness of Australia-Malaysia ties.
03:36We've seen it in between sectors and we've seen it with relations with regards to our officials
03:42and our interconnectedness when it comes to food, when it comes to high energy sectors.
03:51I think there's not a single doubt that we are forging ahead with regards to our ties.
03:56But yes, I want to ask you with regards to your time here as High Commissioner,
04:01what are some of the milestones or defining moments in your career here in Malaysia,
04:07in your time in Malaysia?
04:08If you can pick out a few that will stay with you when you're back in Australia.
04:13Oh my God, there's so many.
04:15There's so many defining times.
04:17I think one thing that I've really appreciated about Malaysia and your leaders
04:22is that they're very generous with foreign diplomats.
04:26They always give time.
04:27They always know our name.
04:28And I don't think that happens in every country.
04:31And what I've really learned is that relationships matter
04:36and that you cannot do anything without the relationship.
04:39I mean, that's obvious to anyone,
04:41but I think it's really been reinforced here in Malaysia,
04:45particularly when you watch Malaysian foreign policy in action,
04:48it is about friends to all and really leading with the relationship
04:53and everything else comes second.
04:55But in terms of Australia in my time here,
04:59there are a few areas where I feel like have, you know,
05:02sometimes they're challenges,
05:03but they're also being really great times in watching
05:06how Malaysia and Australia have worked together.
05:08The first one to highlight is the evolution of education.
05:12So we have around about 500,000 Malaysians that have studied in Australia
05:17many generations since the old Colombo plan.
05:21But now we have the new Colombo plan.
05:23And what's really happening is we've got four Australian universities
05:27that have set up campuses here,
05:28initially Monash, most recently Wollongong.
05:32And we have about 21,000 Malaysians and international students
05:36that have come here.
05:37But also we're collaborating really closely in areas such as R&D
05:42in new sectors like critical minerals
05:45and other kinds of renewable energy type cooperation
05:49around batteries and other things.
05:50And so our future together is evolving.
05:53It's moving from what it was to future sectors.
05:57And that's really exciting to see that happening in education.
06:00We're also seeing the growth of key sectors like critical minerals.
06:04And I think many of you are aware of Linus.
06:06Many of you are aware that in the critical mineral sector,
06:09the only non-processing of rare earths at scale is really in Malaysia.
06:15And that is because of the Quantan factory that Linus has set up many years ago.
06:21So I think there's a lot of exciting opportunities
06:23around the upstream and the downstream for Malaysia in the supply chain.
06:28And Australia is really happy to be a partner with that.
06:30And I think we've seen the long-term investment
06:32and the understanding and the investment around the policy environment
06:35and the debate here in Malaysia really evolve
06:37in the three years that I've been here.
06:38And I think that's really creating a lot of exciting opportunities.
06:41For example, the Linus and JSLink factory
06:45that it's being scoped at the moment in Quantan.
06:48So we've seen a lot of growth in that sector.
06:50And I mentioned earlier that the other area
06:52that we're really seeing exciting opportunities
06:55that we've been working on for a while
06:56is to try and work with Malaysia around the renewable energy journey,
07:01whether that be in the maritime space.
07:02We're both maritime nations.
07:04We both depend on our ports being able to have green bunkering in the long term.
07:10So we've been able to really work on the regulatory side,
07:12as well as with Sarawak around helping them
07:15look at different energy storage options around pumped hydrogen, the grid.
07:19So Malaysia can make the most of its aspirations
07:22around hosting part of the ASEAN grid.
07:24And we want to be there on Malaysia's development journey
07:27as you go into the future,
07:29because we see Australia's future in Asia.
07:33We see that your growth is our prosperity as well.
07:36So that's really been what we've been trying to do
07:39over the last three years,
07:40is to better position our sectors together
07:43where we've got opportunities to grow.
07:45Right.
07:46I mean, that's a very nice way to put it.
07:49You know, sort of kind of a sister relationship,
07:51you know, where we both sort of mutually benefit with each other.
07:55Now, you mentioned certain sectors just now.
07:57You mentioned education is going strong
07:59with a lot of Australian student exchange as well.
08:03You mentioned, you know, we're both maritime nations
08:05and we mentioned as well critical minerals
08:08as some of the strongest collaboration here.
08:12If I may ask you, is there any untapped areas
08:15or potential areas that we might have missed?
08:20Is there one area where you believe that Australia
08:23and Malaysia could achieve something sort of transformational, right?
08:27Yeah.
08:28Any area, you know, in your time here that you've seen
08:30that, you know, we could have tapped on this more?
08:34I think there's always a time and a place
08:37and there's always needs to be a sequencing
08:39around economic development.
08:41So sometimes we need to be patient
08:44before we sort of push particular sectors.
08:46Sometimes you need to have the right,
08:47the building blocks in place.
08:49And so one of the reasons that we've been working
08:52with Malaysia in the energy sector,
08:55the renewable energy, is because we see
08:57that that's a great opportunity for Malaysia's development,
09:00but also because it's a great opportunity
09:03for Australian companies to invest when the time is right.
09:05So even though at the moment we have a lot more Malaysian companies,
09:11Gentari, Tenaga Nationale, Gamuta, Gentari,
09:17are all investing in Australia in renewable energy.
09:20We think in the future there'll be a lot of Australian companies
09:23in different parts of the supply chain investing back here into Malaysia.
09:27It's not quite at the point yet where they're ready to invest,
09:30but that's why we're working with Malaysia on some of the regulatory issues,
09:34some of the research and development,
09:36in order to create an environment where there is readiness for investment.
09:41So I don't think there's a kind of lost opportunity.
09:44I think it's more about building the foundations for investment to come.
09:50And there's also a lot of learning.
09:53Like when Malaysian companies go to Australia
09:55and they invest in our renewable energy,
09:57they're bringing back those lessons to Malaysia,
10:00both the positives and also some of the negatives
10:03that they're perhaps learning about in another jurisdiction
10:06and bringing that back so Malaysia can learn from that
10:09and I guess not make perhaps the same mistakes that we might have made
10:12because all development is political as well
10:16and making a transition from a fossil fuel economy
10:20to an energy, renewable economy is tricky and it's politics as well.
10:26So I think we're learning from each other
10:28and I just really wanted to highlight where I think we've seen a lot of growth
10:31and it is controversial in both of our countries
10:33and that's data centres.
10:36Malaysia's really been leading the way.
10:37You have one of the highest data centre footprints in the region,
10:41including from Australian companies,
10:43but you've just created a national task force
10:46and you've just created really strong legislation
10:48and practices around data centres with links to electricity and water
10:52and how you're approving them.
10:55Australia is really looking at Malaysia
10:56and trying to learn from Malaysia.
10:58But I think what's going to happen from data centres
11:01is that you are going to develop a demand,
11:03and you already are, for renewable energy
11:05and that's going to create a whole new set of investment here in Malaysia.
11:09And I think that's exciting
11:11and I think we can start to see that that's starting to take effect
11:14and Australia is really happy to be here on the journey
11:17as Malaysia goes forward with that,
11:20but also learning from you
11:21because you are a few steps ahead of us in that journey.
11:25You mentioned investment just now.
11:27So Australia's Southeast Asia economic strategy to 2024
11:31places Malaysia among the key markets to tackle for deeper economic engagement.
11:36Let's talk a little bit about that.
11:38What opportunities do you think Malaysian businesses and investors
11:41should be looking at in Australia and also vice versa?
11:46Sure.
11:46So just to start with,
11:48our trade and investment is pretty healthy.
11:51So we're 35 billion in two-way trade.
11:54Malaysia is Australia's ninth biggest export market
11:58and Australia is Malaysia's 12th biggest export market.
12:02Malaysian investors have seen opportunities in Australia.
12:06I've already talked about renewable energy.
12:08Many of your companies are working across many of our states
12:11and learning from that,
12:12but obviously they're going there
12:13because they see a good business opportunity
12:15as the first part of what they do.
12:17The other thing that Malaysia has done really well in Australia
12:20and we need more of it,
12:21is Malaysia's very good at building.
12:24So when I first came to Malaysia in 1997,
12:27the towers weren't quite finished.
12:28I was a student
12:30and Malaysia didn't have one mall.
12:33You didn't have your highways.
12:34You didn't have much higher rise.
12:35We have many malls now.
12:36And now it's like you've got more buildings
12:39over 150 metres than the whole of Western Europe.
12:42So it's quite incredible what Malaysia has been able to build.
12:46If you've read the Australian media,
12:48you will see that we have a housing shortage
12:51and we want more.
12:52So I think we really thank the Malaysian investors
12:55that have built apartment blocks in particular
12:57in our big cities
12:58and I think we're engaging all the time
13:01to try and encourage more Malaysian developers
13:05to come to Australia and build.
13:07That's also included a lot of a student accommodation,
13:10which has also been a shortage in Australia.
13:12So I think we've also got Malaysian companies
13:15that have been competing and winning
13:17a lot of the infrastructure contracts in our big cities,
13:20in particular in New South Wales.
13:21So some of our bypasses,
13:24some of our metro tunnels that have been built
13:25have all been built by Malaysian companies
13:27because of your infrastructure expertise.
13:29So that's where I think we're seeing a lot of opportunity
13:32for Malaysian companies in Australia.
13:36On the flip side,
13:37I think some of the sectors I've already mentioned
13:39in this interview,
13:40it's renewable energy,
13:41it's healthcare, actually.
13:43That's another area where we've had a lot of growth.
13:45Digital.
13:46So Australia is the number four digital investor
13:49into Malaysia.
13:50So 2.6 billion ringgit and 24.
13:53And that's not just from the big sort of data centre tech.
13:58It's also from some of our SMEs
13:59that are looking at setting up
14:01different kind of headquarter hubs here in Malaysia,
14:04drawing on your centre of tech here in the world.
14:08So I think all that investment
14:10that's gone into the tech infrastructure
14:13has enabled a lot more companies
14:15to look at Malaysia as a hub
14:17to access the 700 million people in ASEAN.
14:21And that really is the gist
14:22of our investment strategy here into Southeast Asia.
14:26It is about how do Australian companies
14:28invest into Southeast Asia?
14:30We're a country of 28 million.
14:32ASEAN has a population of 700 million.
14:35We see our future in this region
14:37and we want our,
14:38the Australian government wants to do everything we can
14:41to encourage our companies to invest here.
14:43And Malaysia is actually one of the most attractive places
14:46to invest at the moment in ASEAN.
14:48You're positioned in a really nice sweet spot
14:50between Singapore and other emerging markets
14:53because you've got good energy,
14:56water, people, talent, stability
15:01and good financing around it.
15:03So if you've got all of those things,
15:04you're in a good place
15:05to be attracting foreign investment.
15:07And that's certainly what we're trying
15:09to encourage our companies to do.
15:11Well, just hearing you compliment Malaysia,
15:14I feel, you know, I feel a bit elated
15:16and, you know, thinking about, you know,
15:18the kind of relationship
15:19that Australia-Malaysia ties have,
15:22but also the kind of opportunities
15:23that you mentioned just now
15:25in infrastructure, for example.
15:27You know, I'm pretty sure, you know,
15:29a lot of the big, big companies
15:31are already looking into this,
15:32but small, small, smaller companies
15:34could also be looking into infrastructure
15:37in Australia and, you know,
15:38other sectors as well
15:39that you mentioned just now.
15:40You mentioned ASEAN
15:42and I'll move on a little bit
15:43about the current geopolitical landscape
15:45because it's a heavy one.
15:47We are seeing much of, you know,
15:50the Indo-Pacific now
15:51in a very contested space, right?
15:54Growing strategic competition
15:55between major powers.
15:57We've seen this in the news every day.
15:58So how important is Malaysia
16:00to Australia's thinking
16:02about regional stability?
16:04And what role do you think
16:05Malaysia can play
16:06in maintaining that stability?
16:09So when we look
16:10at Australia's security and stability
16:13and we look at global,
16:15the global environment at the moment,
16:17we look to ASEAN,
16:18we look to our Pacific neighbours,
16:21we look to our friends.
16:23But Malaysia plays a really important role
16:25in ASEAN and always has.
16:27But also when we look up,
16:29Malaysia sits in the middle.
16:32When I'm talking to my daughters
16:33when we live here,
16:34we're really conscious
16:35that we now live
16:36in the middle of the world.
16:38We're surrounded
16:39by really important waterways
16:40and I think that's really been highlighted
16:42with the current crisis
16:43in the Middle East
16:44around the Strait of Humoz.
16:46The Malacca Strait
16:47actually has a much higher
16:49passage of ships going through it
16:50than Humoz does.
16:52So we are very thankful
16:55that the role that Malaysia plays
16:56in the governance of your waterways
17:00and that's going to become
17:01more and more important
17:02and that's one of the reasons
17:03we cooperate so much in maritime.
17:05So in my time here,
17:07we actually announced
17:09a package of 16 million
17:10when Prime Minister Anwar
17:12went to Melbourne in 24
17:15for ASEAN 50 years
17:17of Australia anniversary.
17:19We announced this package
17:21for maritime states
17:21and we've really been able
17:22to kind of grow that
17:23and it really is around
17:24the rule of law,
17:26sharing experiences.
17:28We recently announced
17:29a drone package
17:30working with MEA
17:31to look at better surveillance
17:33and that was with
17:34our environment department.
17:36So we're really trying
17:36to broaden our relationships
17:38in the maritime space
17:39because of the importance
17:41that good governance
17:42around maritime plays.
17:44We're also having
17:45a really important conversation
17:46with Malaysia at the moment
17:48around conflict prevention,
17:50preventative diplomacy,
17:51which is something
17:52that Malaysia has always done well.
17:54You've always played
17:55a really important role
17:56and had a really loud voice
17:57around conflict prevention.
17:58And we think
18:00that's really important
18:00and it's not just words,
18:02it's about trying
18:03to develop some practical ways
18:05that countries
18:07like Australia
18:07and Malaysia
18:08who are middle powers,
18:10we're not the great powers,
18:12but we have a really important voice
18:13in reinforcing
18:14international law,
18:15international contracts,
18:17the rule of law,
18:18restraint
18:18and how do we do that?
18:20We have a really strong
18:22relationship
18:22in many of the security sectors.
18:25We work very closely
18:26with MEA
18:27through our border force.
18:29We work very closely
18:30and we have for 70 years
18:32with all parts of defence here.
18:35We do 13 exercises
18:37a year together
18:38and that is all
18:40about preventative diplomacy.
18:42We have the five power
18:43defence arrangement
18:44with Singapore, Malaysia,
18:45the UK, New Zealand
18:46and that again
18:47is about doing
18:48joint exercises together.
18:50But at the front of that
18:51is a preventative diplomacy role.
18:54I think we can establish
18:56that where
18:57Malaysia-Australia ties
18:58right now
18:59is quite strong
19:00and its foundations
19:02are strong
19:02but also where it's heading
19:04is also very hopeful
19:07and looking at
19:09a few years from now,
19:11nothing is going to change
19:12for the worse,
19:13I feel.
19:15Right, okay.
19:16Let's move on
19:17to a bit of more
19:18personal note here.
19:19You have spent several years
19:21living here in Malaysia
19:22and working here.
19:23So, what has Malaysia
19:24taught you
19:25both professionally
19:26but also personally?
19:29So, the thing I really love
19:31about Malaysia
19:31and my time here,
19:34it's not been
19:35when I've been sitting
19:35in the back of the car
19:37or sitting in a conference.
19:39It's about the days
19:41that I get to walk to work
19:42and be on the pavement
19:44with the young people
19:45and the people
19:45that don't have a car,
19:47walking to work,
19:48going past the street sellers,
19:51looking at the street food,
19:53maybe having a coffee
19:53by the side of the road
19:54and really getting to know
19:57how Malaysians are
19:59and that's how I feel
20:00like I've really
20:01got to know Malaysia.
20:02It's by being out there
20:03kind of on the street,
20:05not with a flag,
20:06just getting to know everybody
20:08including a lot of travel
20:09around Malaysia.
20:10I've climbed Mount Kinabalu
20:12and I've been to
20:14the Perhentians three times.
20:16It's my favourite island.
20:17Oh, that's my favourite island too.
20:18And I can't get enough of it
20:20and I'm telling all
20:21of my friends to go there.
20:22But I think it is really
20:23about getting out
20:24and seeing how diverse
20:26Malaysia is,
20:28meeting lots of people
20:30at the grassroots level.
20:32That's to me
20:33what's been amazing
20:34and I think that's
20:35when you learn
20:36the most about the country
20:38to bring to
20:38the bilateral relationship.
20:40So what I've learnt
20:42generally is
20:44number one in diplomacy
20:45and this is just about
20:46diplomacy generally
20:47is be yourself.
20:48So I'm a relatively,
20:50compared to many
20:51other ambassadors,
20:52I'm female
20:53which is a minority here
20:55but also I'm younger
20:56than many of the other
20:57ambassadors that we've had here.
20:58So the only real asset
21:00I've had is to be myself,
21:02to be authentic
21:03and I'm from a small town.
21:05I grew up on a farm
21:06so what really
21:08that has highlighted to me
21:09is it's all about
21:10your relationships.
21:11When you live in a small town
21:12you've got to be friends
21:13with everybody.
21:14You've got to get on
21:15and you've got to be yourself
21:16and that's all you can be.
21:18So I think I've really learnt
21:19that diplomacy
21:20is about authenticity
21:21and it being you
21:23and as I said before
21:25in Malaysia
21:25what I've really learnt
21:26is it's about
21:27like everything's
21:29about relationships
21:30and Malaysians really are
21:33fantastic at relationships.
21:34Everybody is very warm,
21:36very welcoming
21:37and I think about Malaysians
21:39as being a little bit
21:40like my grandmother
21:41which is
21:43my grandmother used to always
21:45show me how much
21:46she loved me
21:47through food
21:48and giving me
21:49lots of great food
21:50and I think Malaysia
21:51is very much like my grandma.
21:53Very warm,
21:54always welcoming with food
21:55and that's a really
21:57really lovely way
21:58to form a relationship
22:01and to bond.
22:02That's a very nice
22:03compliment as well.
22:04I mean yes,
22:05we here love our mamaks,
22:07we here love
22:08you know
22:08to sit down
22:09with our te tare
22:10to chat
22:11you know
22:12till late night
22:12and you know
22:13to just be among
22:14friends and families
22:15you know
22:16over the weekends.
22:17So definitely something
22:18that you know
22:20I'm pretty sure
22:21not the norm
22:22for many countries
22:23but I think
22:23I personally as well
22:25feel that
22:26that's one of our
22:27strongest suit here.
22:29Was there anything
22:30about Malaysia
22:31you feel that surprised
22:32you when you
22:33first arrived
22:34that now you sort of
22:35understand very
22:36differently now?
22:39I guess I just
22:40hadn't realised
22:42because it had been
22:4497 when I first
22:45came here
22:46and I visited
22:46Malaysia
22:47for holidays
22:48actually in between
22:49I just
22:50it's incredible
22:52to me
22:52how quickly
22:54Malaysia's been
22:55able to go
22:55from
22:5797
22:57to
22:592026
22:59Right
23:00In that
23:0130 years
23:02what Malaysia's
23:03achieved
23:04in terms of
23:04its development
23:05I think sometimes
23:06you know
23:07we all want to be
23:08richer than we are
23:09as a country
23:09I know Malaysia's
23:10been trying to reach
23:11its higher income
23:12status for a while
23:13but actually
23:14when you reflect
23:15on what Malaysia's
23:16achieved
23:17in its 69 years
23:18but in particular
23:20over the last
23:2030 years
23:21it's quite incredible
23:22and I think
23:23every now and then
23:24stopping and just
23:25remembering
23:26where a country was
23:27and where it's gone
23:28is incredible
23:29and the fact that
23:29that's happened
23:30in my sort of
23:31professional career
23:32is even more amazing
23:33so yeah
23:34I think
23:34keep going
23:35I come from
23:37a development
23:37background
23:38and so
23:39most of my career
23:40has actually been
23:41about poverty reduction
23:42and about making sure
23:43that the sorts of
23:44investments that
23:45Australia has in the
23:46region
23:46are making a
23:47difference to
23:48people in the
23:50bottom 20
23:50bottom 40
23:51in a country
23:52and so
23:52I think
23:53for me
23:54the things that
23:54I've really
23:55been heartened
23:56with is
23:57many of the
23:58attempts by
23:59many people
23:59whether that's
24:00at the political
24:00level
24:01the bureaucratic
24:02level
24:02or at the
24:03community level
24:04the people that
24:05have been
24:05really making an
24:06effort to do
24:08so much about
24:08development
24:09and a couple
24:09really stand out
24:10to me
24:11and amazing
24:12women
24:12and amazing
24:13people that have
24:13driven that in
24:14Malaysia
24:14the Rose Foundation
24:15that does so much
24:16at the grassroots
24:17level around
24:18cervical cancer
24:19and we're really
24:19pleased to
24:19partner with them
24:21they're just
24:22really out there
24:22on the ground
24:23with some amazing
24:23volunteers that
24:24just make it
24:25happen
24:25and yesterday
24:26I was at
24:26Dignity School
24:27up in
24:29Benton
24:30and again
24:32that's all
24:32about the
24:33underprivileged
24:33in some cases
24:34the stateless
24:35here in Malaysia
24:36and just the
24:37people that were
24:38on the ground
24:38making that
24:39happen
24:39for those
24:40for those
24:41kids
24:41incredible
24:42people in
24:43Malaysia
24:43and I think
24:43that's to me
24:44what makes
24:45a country
24:45is all the
24:47people out
24:47there that
24:47are doing
24:48those kinds
24:48of unpaid
24:50low-level
24:51things to just
24:52develop the
24:53people of the
24:54country and
24:54the kids in
24:55particular
24:55right
24:56and it's
24:56the people
24:57to people
24:57relationship
24:58at the end
24:58of the day
24:59that matters
24:59I feel
25:00so when
25:02you look
25:03back on
25:03your time
25:03here as
25:04Australian
25:05High Commissioner
25:06what do
25:07you hope
25:07your lasting
25:09legacy of
25:10your tenure
25:10here would
25:11be
25:13so I
25:14think I
25:15want two
25:16big things
25:17the first
25:17one is
25:18that we
25:19continue to
25:20understand
25:20each other
25:21and we
25:22continue to
25:23explain each
25:23other
25:24because
25:25sometimes
25:26what we
25:26can see
25:27in the
25:27media
25:28someone
25:29says
25:29something
25:29gets
25:30interpreted
25:30a
25:31certain
25:31way
25:31isn't
25:32what's
25:33happening
25:33in the
25:33country
25:33so I
25:34think
25:34it's
25:34that
25:35continual
25:36understanding
25:36between
25:37Australia
25:38and Malaysia
25:38is key
25:39to working
25:41together in the
25:41future so I
25:42think that's
25:43really important
25:43and that only
25:44happens as well
25:45through lots of
25:46visits and we
25:47do get that so
25:48keeping that
25:48dialogue going
25:49any way we
25:50can is really
25:51important and
25:52then the second
25:53one is more
25:54investment from
25:55Australia in
25:56here I think
25:57we've started
25:57the process and
25:58I think what we
25:59really want over
26:00the next five
26:01ten years is we
26:02want that to
26:02sort of double
26:03quadruple because
26:04when you're
26:05investing in each
26:06other's country
26:07through private
26:08sector and it's
26:09the markets that
26:10are making those
26:10decisions it means
26:11that both countries
26:12are better off so
26:13I think for me
26:14they're my hopes
26:14going forward
26:15right I think my
26:17last question to
26:18you would be what
26:20will you miss most
26:21about Malaysia
26:22because I
26:22understand you'll
26:23probably be visiting
26:24here often you
26:26know getting the
26:26laksa here or
26:27getting you know
26:29visiting the
26:30mama here or
26:31anything but what
26:32will you miss most
26:32look it's the
26:34people of course
26:35right I'll just
26:36miss all the
26:37friends I've made
26:37I'll miss I'll
26:39miss all your
26:39really engaging
26:40ministers that
26:41are always very
26:42kind and
26:43generous with
26:44their time and
26:46I'll really miss
26:47getting out and
26:48and all the
26:48hiking and other
26:49things I've been
26:50able to do in
26:50KL living in a
26:53big city in Asia
26:53I'll be going
26:54back to tiny
26:55Canberra and
26:57I'm going to
26:57really miss the
26:58vibrancy of your
26:59great city all
27:00the rooftops all
27:01the all the
27:02forests all your
27:03islands so I
27:04think I'm going to
27:04miss everything
27:05actually right
27:06and I'll be
27:07back it's only
27:07eight hours we
27:08have a hundred
27:09flights together
27:09between Australia
27:10and Malaysia a
27:11week so I'll
27:12be making the
27:12most of Malaysia
27:13as a hub
27:14definitely and I
27:15think we'll be
27:16excited to have
27:16you back as well
27:17here often I
27:18mean you've been
27:20such an excellent
27:21friend to the
27:22media I feel you
27:23know we've engaged
27:24with you a lot
27:25we've engaged with
27:26the Australian
27:26High Commissioner
27:26office a lot
27:27and you've been
27:28so warm and
27:29welcoming to all
27:30of us and so
27:31accepting of all
27:31of us so we
27:32thank you for that
27:33as well that's
27:34all our time here
27:35your excellency
27:36thank you so
27:36much and thank
27:37you as well we
27:38really appreciate
27:39your openness and
27:40accessibility and
27:41we wish you the
27:42very very best in
27:44your next chapter
27:45thank you very
27:46much I might cry
27:47now do you have
27:49any last message
27:50to Malaysians I'm
27:51going to give you
27:52the camera since
27:52it's your first and
27:54hopefully not the
27:55last time here
27:56look thank you
27:57Malaysia I've had
27:58a great time my
27:59kids and I are
28:00going to be back
28:01we love you and
28:03you've just taught
28:03us so much about
28:04the world you
28:06live right in the
28:07middle of it you
28:07have to be friends
28:08with all of your
28:08neighbours and
28:10you're just such a
28:12such a amazing
28:13beautiful country
28:15so patient so
28:16tolerant and and
28:18love your
28:19multiculturalism which
28:20is which is one of
28:21the things I love
28:22about Australia too
28:22but I I love it in
28:24Malaysia as well and
28:25and everything that
28:25comes along with your
28:26multiculturalism
28:27right it's never
28:28goodbye here we'll
28:29definitely see you
28:30again that's all the
28:31time we have thank
28:32you so much your
28:33excellency for joining
28:34us I'm your host
28:35Vanna Shae we'll
28:36see you again bye
28:38you