Australian Embassy Reviews Inclusive Development in Probolinggo City

Officials from the Australian Embassy, together with a team from the Ministry of National Development Planning (Bappenas), reviewed inclusive and equitable development in Probolinggo City, East Java, on Tuesday. Probolinggo Mayor Aminuddin, Deputy Mayor Ina Dwi Lestari, and the city’s Inclusion Ambassador Evariani received First Secretary Elena Martin Avila from the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, along with Qurrota Ayun, Director of Family, Caregiving, Women and Children at Bappenas, at the Mayor’s Office.

Mayor Aminuddin stated that attention to disability groups is an inseparable part of his commitment as regional head. All urban villages in Probolinggo have been directed to become disability-friendly, with persons with disabilities actively involved in various aspects of city development. “I have requested that everything must be inclusive, involving everyone, because we are all equal. A concrete step by the local government in strengthening regulation is Regional Regulation No. 2 of 2024 on Disability,” he said.

Through this regulation, the city government requires companies to allocate 1% of job vacancies for persons with disabilities. During job fairs, companies are obliged to meet this 1% quota for disabled workers. The government has also prepared 14 types of skills training, ranging from culinary arts to animal husbandry, to ensure that disability groups have adequate capacity for economic independence.

First Secretary Elena Martin Avila expressed appreciation for the opportunity to witness first-hand the collaboration taking place in Probolinggo. She noted that the partnership between Australia and Indonesia is crucial in supporting the development agenda towards a more inclusive society. “It is an honour for us to see directly how local government, disability organisations, and the business sector work together to expand employment opportunities for persons with disabilities,” she said.

Echoing this sentiment, Bappenas Director Qurrota Ayun commended the various regulatory initiatives and capacity-building efforts undertaken in Probolinggo. “This visit aims to observe the real impact of inclusion programmes as part of the National Priority in the 2025-2029 National Medium-Term Development Plan (RPJMN),” she said, adding that Bappenas wishes to learn from and observe good practices in Probolinggo to serve as a model that can be replicated in other regions across Indonesia.

The field visit by the Australian Embassy and Bappenas focused on strengthening and optimising the Disability Services Unit in the employment sector, as optimising this unit is crucial for improving access and job opportunities for persons with disabilities in the area.