Esther Sainsbury is the Democracy and Justice Assistance Coordinator at the Australian Embassy in Jakarta. This role involves coordinating the Australian Government’s aid to Indonesia to support the rule of law, access to justice, anti-corruption, public engagement in elections and improvements to electoral management.

Prior to this, she worked as an Assistant Director with the Australian Agency for International Development and as an Investment Analyst with the Australian Defence Department. Esther received the 2011 Thawley Scholarship in International Security, studying at the Lowy Institute, Sydney, and Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), Washington DC. There she researched Australia-Indonesia-United States relations and helped establish the CSIS Pacific Partners Initiative, the first Washington-based policy forum dedicated to providing a sustained, high-level focus on Australia, New Zealand, and Pacific Island countries. Esther was a 2014 Conference of Australian and Indonesian Youth delegate and as an Asia Education Foundation Asia Literacy Ambassador supports educators to develop Asia literate young Australians. Esther holds a Bachelor of Asian Studies (Specialist-Indonesian)/Hons Degree and Master of Strategic Affairs from the ANU and is an alumni of the Australian Consortium for In-Country Indonesian Studies program, studying at Gadjah Mada and Muhammadiyah Universities.