Dressing down of ambassador over ‘unacceptable’ border protection policies a matter of enormous concern.

This article is more than 6 years old

This article is more than 6 years old

Australia and Indonesia were now in “open conflict” and repairing the “worsening” relationship was imperative, deputy opposition leader Tanya Plibersek said on Saturday.

After Australia’s ambassador to Jakarta Greg Moriarty was reportedly called into the country’s foreign affairs ministry for a “dressing down” over the Abbott government’s border protection policies, Plibersek said it was crucial the government acted now to settle the rocky relationship.

“It’s absolutely vital that Tony Abbott and Julie Bishop get on with repairing the relationship with Indonesia,” she said.

“It’s of enormous concern that a huge nation, a growing democracy, a nation that’s vital to our security but also to our economic prosperity is now in open conflict and calling the Australian ambassador in for a dressing down.”

The government had inherited a “warm” relationship with Indonesia, but over five months the coalition had “trashed” it, she said.

“Relationships only seem to be worsening,” she said.

Indonesian foreign minister Marty Natalegawa said he told Moriarty Australia’s use of lifeboats to return asylum seekers was an “unacceptable” escalation of its border protection policy, Fairfax Media reported.

Moriarty was last summoned in November in the wake of the revelations Australian spies targeted the mobile phones of Indonesia’s president and his inner circle.