Albanese ministers lash Peter Dutton for “reckless, aggro” comments over claims Russia wanted to base war planes in Indonesia

Peter Dutton has ignited an election brawl over national security, raising concern over the relationship between Russia and Indonesia while accusing Foreign Minister Penny Wong of being “out of depth”. The Opposition Leader’s comments come after open source military website Janes redeported Russia had made an official request to base several long-range aircraft at Manhua air force Base in Indonesia’s Papua province – 1300km from Australia. The request follows a visit by Russia’s Security Council secretary Sergei Shoigu to Indonesia in February, Janes reports. NED-13554-Indonesian base MAP While Indonesian authorities say the reports as “incorrect,” neither Indonesian nor Australian representatives have directly confirmed or denied that Russia requested Indonesia to host the war planes. President Prabowo Subianto met Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow in July 2024 before his inauguration and pledged to build closer ties with Indonesia’s “great friend.” That November, Russian and Indonesian Naval forces conducted a joint exercise in the Java Sea. In January, Indonesia joined BRICS – a 10 country forum which includes Brazil, Russia, India, China, Iran and the United Arab Emirates. Speaking to reporters in Melbourne on Wednesday, Mr Dutton warned against the “very real” prospect of Russia’s growing presence in the Indo-Pacific region after he was accused of “verballing” President Prabowo. “The relationship between Russia and Indonesia is close under this president and we want to make sure our relationship is respectful and I want to make sure the Australian people understand the risks in our region and over this period,” he said. “The Prime Minister wants to pretend it’s not reality but when he says we live in the most precarious period since 1945, these are the things he is talking about but his leadership is too weak to go any further to explain it to the Australian people.” He also lashed Foreign Minister Penny Wong for not being “on top of her brief”. He said his comments suggesting Russia had been in “negotiations or discussions” was based on Janes, which he described as a “credible military website”, not verballing the Indonesian President. “The fact is when you have a Foreign Minister and a Defence Minister and a prime minister finding out about decisions from our friends and countries abroad, when they found out about that on CNN or Fox or whatever, you know this government is not up to it,” he said. “The relationship between Indonesia and Russia is closer, we know that and … we don’t want Russian assets in our region. “It would be difficult for us, difficult for other Asian nations and that is not something we should sit idly by and pretend is not part of a discussion.” Prime Minister Anthony Albanese led his government’s attacks on Mr Dutton’s suitability to represent Australia on the international stage. “What we saw from Peter Dutton yesterday was an extraordinary overreach, he verballed the President of Indonesia,” Mr Albanese said. “Yesterday you saw the contrast between a government that’s considered, that deals with our neighbours and deals internationally in a diplomatic way – that doesn’t jump to conclusions.” Senator Wong accused Mr Dutton of being “too reckless” and “too aggro” with his originals claims stating “negotiations or discussions … have taken place between Russia and Indonesia”. “Peter Dutton fabricated – fabricated – a statement by the Indonesian president,” she told Sevens Sunrise. “Now, this is an extraordinary thing for a man who wants to be the prime minister to do – to actually try and verbal the President of Indonesia in order to make a domestic political point. “He is simply too reckless and too aggro to be the prime minister. “Indonesia made very clear to us they are not contemplating any Russian base operating out of Indonesian soil.” Defence Minister Richard Marles also said the claims of “Russian aircraft operating from Indonesia are completely false, and Indonesia has no intention of doing this whatsoever”. “I think what is really concerning about what played out yesterday is, despite all of that, we had Peter Dutton asserting that President Prabowo had actually made such an announcement, which was completely wrong,” Mr Marles said. “I mean, Peter Dutton is drawing inspiration from one president while seeking to put words in the mouths of another.” Liberal Party frontbencher Jane Hume said it was “really concerning” Australia had been blindsided by the Russia’s inquiry of the Indonesians. “Obviously there are national security implications here. That’s why the coalition has written to the Defence Minister and the Minister for Home Affairs and asked for a briefing. “We also want to understand exactly what it is that the Albanese government knew and when they knew it.” She later took Senator Wong to task for what she said was the foreign minister’s “bizarre comment” about Mr Dutton. “It sounds very defensive from a Foreign Minister. Clearly, she was blindsided by this report and has been on the back foot since,” Senator Hume said. “We’re not going to apologise for having a strong leader that will stand up for national interests, particularly with a track record in national security, as opposed to Albanese, who’s been very weak on this.”