Terror attacks in Jakarta should not be seen as a direct threat to Australia but could inspire similar attacks across south-east Asia, experts on the region say. 
Australian National University's Associate Professor Greg Fealy told Fairfax Media that a wide range of expatriates frequent the area of Central Jakarta where explosions occurred on Thursday, with no obvious signs that attackers had intended to target Australian hostages.
"I don't think Australians should see this as an attack on Australia or Australians," he said, noting no symbolically Australian site had been targeted.
The attacks did not warrant Australia raising its terror threat level above the current "probable" level or restricting travel to Indonesia, which would be "counter-productive", he said.
Australian counter-terrorism police could do little to improve their close intelligence ties with their Indonesian counterparts.
Indonesian police were also far better prepared for such attacks than at the time of the Bali bombings in 2002, Mr Fealy said.
"They have one of the best records
in world of thwarting attacks and arresting terrorists."
Deakin University Professor Greg Barton agreed the attack posed little domestic threat, but said it could inspire similar attacks across south-east Asia, including in Malaysia, the Philippines and Thailand, where many Australians travelled.