Allison Sudradjat

Allison Sudradjat was AusAID's Minister Counsellor in Indonesia. Sudradjat was born in Narrogin, Western Australia, in 1966 to Kevin and Elaine Keevil. She was awarded a scholarship to Perth College, where she studied Indonesian, before winning an undergraduate scholarship to the Australian National University (ANU) in 1983. At ANU she undertook a degree in Asian Studies, completing her Honours year in 1986 after majoring in Indonesian and history.cite news | last = Cameron | first = Deborah | date = 16 March 2007 | title = Brilliant diplomat fell in love with Indonesia | work = The Sydney Morning Herald ]

Having completed Honours, Allison Sudradjat worked at the Indonesian embassy prior to traveling to Bandung, Indonesia to undertake a university scholarship at Padjadjaran University awarded by the Indonesian Government.cite news | last = Davis | first = Bruce | date = 20 March 2007 | title = Aid worker's love affair with Indonesia's needy | work = The Age ] cite news | last = Smiles | first = Sarah | date = 9 March 2007 | title = An engaging woman devoted to Indonesians | work = The Age ] It was at the Indonesian embassy in Canberra where Sudradjat met her future husband, Ris, whom she married in Jakarta in 1988.

Sudrajat began work in AusAID in 1989 and served in overseas postings in Indonesia and Papua New Guinea. While in Papua New Guinea Sudrajat managed the AusAID assistance during the 1997-98 drought, and was involved in the aftermath of the 1998 tsunami that hit the Aitape region.

She coordinated for AusAID the 2004 Boxing Day tsunami emergency relief effort provided by the Australian Government, [cite web
title=Australians dedicated to foreign service
last=Kennedy
first=Les
date=2007-03-09
publisher=The Sydney Morning Herald
url=http://www.smh.com.au/news/world/australians-dedicated-to-foreign-service/2007/03/08/1173166898071.html?page=fullpage#contentSwap2
accessdate=2008-03-18] and served as AusAID's foreign affairs representative in Indonesia.cite news | last = Bhaskara | first = Harry | date = 21 June 2005 | title = Acehnese bemoan slow reconstruction | work = The Jakarta Post ] Later, in 2005, Sudrajat was appointed to the role of minister-counsellor.

Allison Sudrajat died in the crash of Garuda Indonesia Flight 200 on 7 March 2007.cite web
title=Head of AusAID Indonesia Confirmed Dead
last=Davis
first=Bruce
date=2007-05-08
publisher=Australian Government; AusAID
work=Australian Agency for International Development
url=http://www.ausaid.gov.au/media/release.cfm?BC=Media&ID=9907_6116_6487_4096_3000
accessdate=2008-03-18]

In the AusAID magazine "Focus", Alexander Downer, then Australia's Minister of Foreign Affairs, said of Allison Sudrajat:

cquote|She was an exceptional human being who cared passionately for the aid program and what it can achieve. Allison coordinated the Australian Government's emergency response in Indonesia after the Indian Ocean tsunami, headed the reconstruction program in Aceh and later took over as head of all AusAID programs in Indonesia. She had enormous capacity and talent.cite web
last=Downer
first=Alexander
authorlink=Alexander Downer
title=Focus - The Magazine of Australia
work=Ministry of Foreign Affairs
date=2007-05-01
publisher=Australian Government; AusAID
url=http://www.ausaid.gov.au/publications/focus/may07/focus_may07_ii.pdf
accessdate=2008-03-18]

On March 18, 2008, Stephen Smith, Australia's Minister for Foreign Affairs announced the inaugural winners of the prestigious Allison Sudradjat Scholarships. The six scholars will undertake Masters or PhD level courses, [cite web
last=Smith
first=Stephen
authorlink=Stephen Smith (Australian politician)
title=Scholarships support emerging leaders in Indonesia and PNG - The Hon Stephen Smith MP, Minister for Foreign Affairs
url=http://www.foreignminister.gov.au/releases/2008/fa-aa0817.html
publisher=Commonwealth of Australia
accessdate=2008-05-03] and include four from Indonesian and two from Papua New Guinea.cite news | date = 22 March 2008 | title = PNG duo win Aussie scholarship | work = Papua New Guinea Post-Courier ]

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