AUSTRALIA ASSOCIATION (I NC )

NIUSPEPA BILONG APNG ASSOCIATION

DECEMBER 2012 E DITION EDITORIAL SPECIAL POINTS OF Hi folks, while items in a program INTEREST : for attainment during The Honourable Peter • the next five years, but MoU between PNG and O’Neill’s constitutional Qld the Prime Minister must election win as Prime avoid trying to repair or • Royal visit Minister of Papua New implement social issues Guinea has verified the which have taken a back immense expectations of seat in previous govern- his ability to lead his na- ments’ timetables and, tion into an era of pros- which should not be the perity unimagined 18 subject of a flurry of leg- months ago and has now islation which is neither set Millennium Develop- welcomed nor required. ment goals to achieve by 2015 or at least during I have complete confi- his present tenure in dence in Prime Minister office. O’Neill’s ability to bro- ker a confident and effi- These goals, a United cient cabinet with the Nations hopeful list, willingness to put PNG’s cover a wide range of welfare as number one targets such as: eradicate priority and continue extreme poverty and their all-out assault on hunger; achieve univer- crime and corruption. sal primary education; promote gender equality The committee and and empower women; members of the Australia reduce child mortality; Papua New Guinea As- INSIDE THIS ISSUE : improve maternal sociation wish all Papua health; combat HIV/ New Guineans a safe and MOU BETWEEN 2 AIDS, malaria and other happy Christmas and a QLD AND PNG diseases; ensure environ- wonderful 2013. mental sustainability; God bless ROYAL VISIT TO 3 and develop a global PNG partnership for develop- Hank Cosgrove ment. Important Note: The views ex- 4- pressed in this article are not NEWS ROUNDUP These are all very worth- necessarily those of other mem- 7 bers of the committee of the APNG Association . NEWS ROUNDUP 8 Visit us at www.apngassociation.com

PAGE 2 NIUSPEPA BILONG APNG ASSOCIATION

MOU RE -SIGNED BETWEEN QLD AND PNG

The Australia Papua New Guinea Association Secretary, Hank Cosgrove, was invited by the Honourable Tim Nicholls MP, Treasurer and Minister for Trade, to witness the re-signing of the Queensland-Papua New Guinea Mem- orandum of Understanding on Transport on Thursday, 15th November 2012 at the Treasury Hotel. Treasurer Tim Nicholls hosted the event but the MoU was signed by the Honourable Scott Emerson MP, Queensland Minister of Transport and Main Roads and the Honourable MP, Papua New Guinea Minister for Transport. The event was well-attended by the Queensland and Papua New Guinea business and government community. During his welcoming speech to delegates, Mr Nicholls made mention of the fact that Consul General Paul Nerau APNG Association Secretary Hank Cosgrove (left) LLB will be vacating the Brisbane office after Christmas. speaking with the Honourable Tim Nicholls MP. On behalf of the Australia Papua New Guinea Association, I wish Paul and Mrs Nerau happiness and success in the next phase of their careers.

PNG RE -SIGNS MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING FOR TRANSPORT WITH QUEENSLAND

The Honourable Scott Emerson MP (left) shakes the hand of The Honourable Ano Pala MP following the re-signing of the Memorandum of Understanding on Transport.

Memberships I IMPORTANT Over the next month you will receive tax invoices for the 2013 Australia Papua New Guinea Association membership fee. We urge you to action these documents at an early date to avoid requests for lost invoices which necessitates extra work by Treasurer Berry.

DECEMBER 2012 EDITION PAGE 3

ROYAL VISIT TO PNG

Papua New Guinea began Prime Minister and the preparing for the Novem- Chief Secretary and Chief ber visit by Prince Charles of Protocol in advance of and Camilla, the Duchess the November program. of Cornwall after it was Papua New Guineans confirmed in the media in were urged to turn out in September. droves to greet Prince The visit was planned as Charles and the Duchess part of Queen Elizabeth of Cornwall, with tele- II’s Diamond Jubilee cele- communications compa- brations and had been kept ny, Digicel (PNG) organ- Prince Charles and Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall under wraps since July ising a clean-up of Port tour the Sir John Guise stadium in Port Moresby in the back of a ute. Photo courtesy thetimes.co.uk. 2011, when Buckingham Moresby and offering priz- es as an incentive. Order of Logohu. The Roads along the Duchess received the in- routes expected to signia of a Companion of be taken by the the Order of the Star of royals were re- Melanesia. The couple sealed and plans also received the Queen’s were underway to Diamond Jubilee com- Photo courtesy heraldsun.com.au. name a locally- memorative medal. grown hybrid or- More than 5,000 residents chid after the Duchess. PRINCE CHARLES Palace informed Govern- of Port Moresby braved HAS NOW The Prince and Duchess ment House that a mem- the hot sun to attend the VISITED PNG 4 ber of the Royal Family received a rousing wel- ecumenical church service TIMES . would be visiting PNG. come with a 21-gun salute at the Sir John Guise stadi- and traditional and cultur- um on Sunday. With the royal visit ex- al performances on Satur- The royal couple flew out pected to cost the PNG day, 3rd November 2012. government millions of of Port Moresby, bound kina, a delegation from Prince Charles was invest- for Australia on Monday, Buckingham Palace flew ed with the insignia of a 5th November. in to consult with the Grand Companion of the

Change of address policy

Over the past 12 months, Those disruptions can be avoided by: our mail out procedures 1. Advising Treasurer Berry of any change of address. have been disrupted because letters have been returned 2. Advising your mail room to monitor our envelopes and pass the mail to the pre- due to change of address or sent incumbent if the nominated person has left the business. change of company person- nel who have been nominat- ed to receive our mail outs. Please help!

PAGE 4 NIUSPEPA BILONG APNG ASSOCIATION

NEWS ROUNDUP

- The period of reporting covers September to November 2012.

Business inefficient and cannot ing K27,500 to ship a 20- meet current demands. • foot container from the AusAID gave eight com- It accounts for 60 per northern coast of PNG to munities in the East New cent of the nation’s the highlands. Three Britain Province trade. years ago they were pay- K576,167 to go towards • ing K8000 and five years funding for improved The government has ago they were paying access to early learning, signed two long-term K2500 for the same con- better water, sanitation road maintenance con- tainer. and hygiene and in- tracts for the Highlands creased opportunities for Highway in Morobe and • Air Niugini will now women. Eastern Highlands prov- have its Boeing 737 to do inces. The funding for • domestic services short- Oil Search signed a new the contracts has been ly. It will service Nadzab Gas Sales Agreement provided by AusAID and Momote Airports in with Barrick (Niugini) through the PNG- Lae and Lorengau respec- PNG TO LIFT Ltd. Under the agree- Australia Transport Sec- tively. TARIFF ON 400 ment, Oil Search will tor Support Program. ITEMS FOR supply up to 56 billion • PNG is to lift tariff on EXPORT TO FIJI cubit feet of natural gas • PNG’s domestic and for- 400 items it exports to to Barrick. eign debt stands at K7 Fiji, but not for salt and billion and the Depart- • sugar. PNG-made goods The K6 billion loan from ment of Treasury is now such as biscuits, canned the EXIM Bank of China reviewing the country’s foods and the like are to has been described as debt management strate- enter Fiji export-tax free. risky by Institute of Na- gy to maintain it at a tional Affairs Director manageable level, Treas- • Customary landowners Paul Barker. He added ury Minister Don Polye of Port Moresby’s Jack- the government must be said. son’s International Air- prepared to address a port have threatened to financial debt scenario • Australia’s peak scientific close the airport if an given the 10 year tax free body, CSIRO, says outstanding compensa- holiday for the largest PNG’s growing popula- tion claim is not settled revenue earner PNG tion is more of an imme- by the government. diate threat to the re- LNG project means reve- • nue will not be due until gion’s sustainability than In the next 5-10 years, 2023. climate change. the K8 billion palm oil industry has the potential • Managing Director of • The cost of doing busi- to alleviate rural poverty IPBC Thomas Abe said ness in PNG is increasing in the country. In the 45 the most important port rapidly and both busi- years since its inception, in the industrial hub of nesses and consumers are palm oil has contributed the country in Lae was feeling the pinch. PNG to the growth of the na- companies are now pay- tional GDP. DECEMBER 2012 EDITION PAGE 5

NEWS ROUNDUP CONTINUED

Health • A total of 15,000 chil- for a total ban on betel- • dren in PNG die every nut in light of the new A feasibility study and year from diseases that deadly TB that is threat- design of a new Angau are easily preventable. ening the country. Memorial General Hos- These deaths, from dis- • PNG joined regional and pital has been valued at eases like diahorrea and global malaria experts in K65 million and the pneumonia, would not Sydney to address the price tag has astonished have occurred if person- major public threat of the National Planning al hygiene was followed. and Monitoring Minis- malaria. In 2010 there ter. Angau needs be- • The World Health Or- were an estimated tween K600—K700 ganisation has confirmed 42,000 deaths in the million to build the hos- seven cases of an ex- Asia-Pacific. pital, or about 10 per treme drug resistant • Leaders of Western cent of PNG’s national form of TB in PNG. The Province including budget. costs of treating patients Members of Parliament with this disease can • The number of sex are very concerned range from $8,000 to about reports that wom- workers in PNG’s major $16,000 per patient. It is en are dying from what cities and towns is in- reported that the success they have described as creasing at an alarming rate is low. rate because women and “abnormal bleeding” men are finding it very • Minister for Environ- from a cause that are yet difficult to fend for ment and Conservation to be identified. themselves. has called MINISTER CALLS FOR BAN ON Law and Order National Planning inet for the doubling BETELNUT • Northern Province Department and di- of police manpower BECAUSE OF has seen an upsurge in verting it for her per- to 10,000 by the year NEW DEADLY TB

criminal activity after sonal use. 2015. OUTBREAK the departure of the • PNG has been ranked • The Speaker of the Mobile Squad de- as one of the most National Parliament ployed there for the corrupt countries in said a number of sen- 2012 elections. the world. According ior members of the Crimes from petty to a United Nations parliament’s staff will theft to mugging and report, PNG ranked face the music over sexual harassment of 154 out of 180 na- what he described as females, break and tions worldwide. massive abuse of pub- enter have significant- • Mine workers at the lic funds over the last ly increased. Porgera Gold Mine 10 years. A compli- • The Investigative staged a stop-work ance audit is currently Task Force Sweep has action after being fed underway and an ini- made four more ar- up with frustration on tial report shows cas- rests in its bid to fight lawlessness in the lo- es of gross misuse of corruption in the cal community sur- parliament funds and

country. The arrests rounding the mine privileges. included a woman township. • An Australian citizen, who was charged for • The Police Minister Brian James Wyborn, applying and receiving will be putting a ma- allegedly involved in a K500,000 from the jor submission to cab- fraudulent land trans- Continued page 6

PAGE 6 NIUSPEPA BILONG APNG ASSOCIATION

NEWS ROUNDUP CONTINUED

General Politics hours of the 21st Sep- • PM Peter O’Neill has tember confirms that a • assured the seven mil- The Vice Minister for lot of things had gone lion people of PNG Works and Implemen- wrong with the con- that his government is tation, De Kewanu, duct of the 2012 na- committed to working thanked the Chinese tional election. The together with all the Government for hav- incident is believed to stakeholders to build a ing confidence in the be the work of arson- better future for eve- O’Neill-Dion Govern- ists. ryone. ment by approving • what is to be the big- The Government of • PNG has expressed its gest loan undertaken the People’s Republic intention to host the by any government in of China has given as a Asia-Pacific Economic the short history of gift K20 million as Cooperation (APEC) the country. untied grant to PM meeting in 2018. Peter O’Neill during • The rate of unemploy- his visit to China in • Papua New Guineans ment in PNG remains September. will go to the 2017 around 80 per cent • National Elections in with the bulk of the PM Peter O’Neill, five years time using a potential workforce Opposition Leader biometric identifica- unemployed and re- and tion card system. maining in subsistence Grand Chief Sir Mi- farming-based commu- chael Somare are • The Public Service nities. among 28 other MPs bureaucracy has been out of the 111 seats issued a stern warning UNEMPLOYMENT • The burning of whose victory in the by PM Peter O’Neill IN PNG REMAINS 100,000 ballot papers 2012 National Elec- to shape up or ship AROUND 80% for Jiwaka regional tions have not been out. seat held in a contain- challenged. er in Banz in the early

Law and Order Continued

fer case was allowed Alien” has netted a at the Department of bail by the Waigani total of K1.3 million Finance, following the National Court. for the state after the arrest of some senior • The K100 million for completion of its op- officers within the Lae city roads eration in the high- department. maintenance and re- lands region. A total • Port Moresby police construction works of 35 foreign nation- have busted what they will be thoroughly als were found guilty believe to be one of investigated by the by the Goroka Dis- PNG’s biggest drug Investigative Task trict Court. busts involving 50 Force Sweep and if • Finance Minister kilograms of methyl need be, monies paid James Marape has amphetamine, com- to defaulting contrac- started cracking the monly known as “Ice” tors will be re- whip by declaring a or “Speed” with a couped. “zero tolerance” on street value of $US8 • Task Force “Rausim fraud and corruption million (K15 million). DECEMBER 2012 EDITION PAGE 7

NEWS ROUNDUP CONTINUED

Mining payment to Autono- tion with employees mous Bougainville fleeing in fear of re- • Harmony Gold Mining Government with the taliation. Company Limited, first K100 million giv- • South Africa’s third- en by PM Peter PM Peter O’Neill has largest gold producer O’Neill paved forward announced that Ramu says that PNG will negotiations on the re- Nickel will most prob- have to pay if it wants opening of the ably start producing a stake in the compa- Panguna mine which is world class nickel by ny’s promising Golpu still in progress with the end of this year of project in the Pacific many positive achieve- early next year. country. ments and changes • Australian mining • Senior statesman Sir already taking place. magnate Clive Palmer, Ronald Tovue says • The death of a Tamea who’s planning to some of the country’s tribesman has caused build a modern replica natural resources the shutdown of all of the Titanic, aims to should be left aside for operations at the LNG start talks next year to future generations. He Project PDL 1 project sell stakes in a poten- said much of PNG’s site in the Komo Dis- tial $A8 billion natural financial activities trict, Hela Province. gas project in PNG. such as mining pro- The deceased, the late • Lihir Gold Mine total jects and most recent- Jackson Guariko was aggregate revenue ly the LNG and Sea an employee with Nai- since the start of gold Bed projects were all bors Drilling and was production in 1997 happening at the same allegedly hit and has reached an AUSTRALIA ’S PM time. squashed by an expat- astounding $US6.1 THANKS PNG ’S • The National govern- riate fellow employee billion. PM FOR PNG ’S ment annual K500 who was operating an EFFORTS TO million reconciliation excavator. This has COMBAT PEOPLE caused a chain reac- SMUGGLING

Manus Island Asylum Seeker Base

• Manus Island asylum development package The five villages in the seeker processing facili- for the people of Manus Manus Province gave ty began with the arri- that should now pave the National Govern- val of 25 Australian the way for the arrival ment seven days to Defence Force person- of the first refuges for meet their demand of nel on 18th September. processing. K100 million in devel- opment packages before • A PNG technical team • Australia has acknowl- an asylum seekers office is working on proce- edged PNG’s efforts to was built. dures that will allow combat people smug- • asylum seekers on Ma- gling and human traf- PNG may take up to nus Island to appeal ficking. Australian PM 600 asylum seekers into against their refugee Julia Gillard thanked the Manus Detention determinations. PNG’s PM Peter Centre once all negotia- • O’Neill during a bi- tions are complete. The Australian and lateral meeting. • PNG government have Work on rebuilding the announced an additional DECEMBER 2012 EDITION PAGE 8

NEWS ROUNDUP CONTINUED

General News • The O’Neill-Dion Gov- K370 million Lae Port project—is expected to • ernment has made edu- Provincial authorities in cation, like health care, be completed by 2015. Madang have revealed its priority policy and • The Anglicans of PNG that the volcanic activi- development agenda for welcomed the Arch- ty on Madang’s Manam the next five years. The bishop of Canterbury, Island has intensified Government’s free or the Most Rev Dr Ro- and there may be a need subsidized education wan Williams, who is to evacuate 1,000 plus policy is helping hun- the leader of the 80 islanders on the island. dreds of thousands of million Anglicans in • children and students Four PNG Defence sol- 165 countries. The from elementary to diers have been accept- bishop’s five day visit grade 10 and this will ed by the United Na- began on October 20. tions Military Observ- be extended to grade ers to participate in the 12 in 2013. • The multi million Kina Chinese Aided Interna- UN peace keeping du- • The Highlands Highway tional Convention cen- ties in Sudan. The four remains the O’Neill- tre project in Port Mo- soldiers will be de- Dion government’s top resby is set to begin ployed to Sudan and priority and it will cost following the ground- South Sudan respective- up to K3 billion for the breaking ceremony ly. redesign and recon- which was held on the • struction work, accord- PM Peter O’Neill is 6th November calling on the Australi- ing to Treasurer Don an government to allow Polye. The money will • PNG’s 2013 National not be drawn down in Budget will definitely for flexibility in its FOUR PNG strict visa policy, to one single year but over exceed K10.5 billion, DEFENCE allow for easier travel a period of 5-10 years. Treasurer Don Polye said. SOLDIERS HAVE between the two coun- • PNG’s major infra- tries. BECOME PART structure program in OF THE UN Morobe Province—the PEACE KEEPERS

The churches in nation building

and Rev Copland King sionary Society and oth- PNG would not be what landed near Dogura in ers and expeditions into it is today without the Milne Bay 121 years ago the unknown, mostly hos- mainline churches— on August 10, 1891. tile pagan territory oc- Catholic, Anglican, Unit- curred throughout the ed and Lutheran. Catholic missionary ex- country. plorer Rev William Ross Pioneer Christian mis- pioneered the expansion These historic events sionaries arrived on the of Christendom into the took place from Central shores of PNG more than AUSTRALIA PAPUA NEW Highlands hinterland Province westwards to GUINEA ASSOCIATION (INC ) a century ago. But they when he led a missionary the Gulf and Western began to open up the expedition 78 years ago Provinces in Papua; and PO Box 1511 vast, rich and fertile hin- COORPAROO DC 4151 in 1934. He settled not on the north coast of the terlands and densely pop- far from what is today New Guinea mainland of Phone: 07 3397 4667 ulated Highlands region Mount Hagen city. what is today Momase; Fax: 07 3397 9247 only in the early 1930s. and in all the provinces of E-mail: There were similar land- [email protected] Anglican pioneer mission- the New Guinea islands. ings by the London Mis- Website: aries Rev Albert Maclaren www.apngassociation.com