Wet weather was about as far from Balinese conditions as you could get, but Sydney turned it on today in every other way for Indonesian President Joko Widodo. He's here to talk defence and trade and wants to team up with Australia to sell electric
vehicle batteries to the world. 5 ,000 kilometres from Jakarta and President Joko Widodo gets to visit a home away from home. This mock Indonesian village in its Samartran Tigers enclosure at Taronga Zoo.
The President looked to be the rarest of creatures, a happy Tigers fan. Visiting the big cats but hunting something else. A whirlwind 36 -hour tour to discuss security, trade, clean energy and visas.
In a major win for Mr Widodo, Australia has eased requirements for visiting Indonesians. And today our relationship shifts up another gear. Last June Mr Albanese's first bilateral trip as Prime Minister was to Jakarta where they
rode bamboo bicycles together. Now they're talking electric vehicles, specifically batteries. Indonesia has the nickel but needs Australia's precious reserves of lithium. Indonesia and Australia must build a more substantive and strategic economic cooperation
through the joint production of EV batteries. That is a big part of the future of our relationship. But one issue that remained fenced off here today, defence. Specifically, AUKUS with Indonesia's known concerns of a regional arms race.
We've seen a lot of effort to consult and that has I think made a real difference. As both sides prepare for a predator of another kind. Chris Risen, 7 News.
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