PNG on a more stable footing

It is good news for Papua New Guinea that Governor General Sir Michael Ogio has invited Peter O’Neill to form the next government.

Mr O’Neill appears to have the backing of around 75% of the MPs elected to parliament at the recent national elections.

This result will hopefully allow PNG to move on from the period of instability that followed the decision of the Parliament last year to remove Sir Michael Somare from the office of Prime Minister, after an extended absence due to illness.

Mr Somare’s return to PNG triggered a constitutional crisis which at times placed the Parliament at loggerheads with the Governor General and members of the judiciary.

The acrimony around events at that time increased concerns of a violent election campaign and raised questions about national stability.

To the great credit of the people of PNG the elections were relatively peaceful, providing Mr O’Neill with the legitimacy that was under challenge prior to the election.

Importantly, Mr Somare has thrown his support behind Mr O’Neill which should provide the new government with a huge boost to its authority and future stability.

Mr O’Neill is no longer aligned with former Deputy Belden Namah, who has taken out newspaper advertisements in an attempt to garner support for his own coalition.

One of the key challenges for Mr O’Neill will be to reinforce the democratic foundations upon which PNG must rely for its future stability, including an independent judiciary, and to strengthen other key institutions of government.

During my discussions with Mr O’Neill, he made it clear that he has a robust agenda for reform, which he was unable to implement fully during the tumultuous 12 months of his Prime Ministership prior to the recent election.

It is encouraging to read reports that Mr O’Neill has been holding a series of meetings and workshops in the town of Alotau that have been described as “constructive” by some of the newly elected MPs.

One of the proposals reportedly under discussion is the establishment of an Independent Commission Against Corruption.

That would be a welcome development in a country that has struggled to deal with corruption and its Wantok system, which are often intertwined.

While the Wantok system is a valued social security safety net for many Papua New Guineans, it places pressure on people in positions of power and influence to provide favourable treatment and money to members of their community.

While many tribal cultures have a belief in sharing, if there are no checks and balances to protect the people who take on senior roles within the government, the judiciary and the police for example, they can be subject to pressure to compromise their responsibility to work towards equality of opportunity for all members of PNG society.

Establishing a robust framework including an anti-corruption watchdog will act not only to deter corrupt behaviour, but also provide a shield against unreasonable demands under the Wantok system.

PNG is a country of huge potential and is on the cusp of reshaping its destiny, through the benefits derived from mining and resource developments.

Massive LNG projects are underway that will provide the government with a huge boost to its revenues.

This will enable the nation to develop economic and social infrastructure that will hopefully underpin the acceleration of development across PNG.

New roads, bridges and educational institutions for example will support greater economic diversity and harness the natural energy and enthusiasm of the PNG people.

Australia must ensure that it moves on from the traditional stereotypes of PNG and that we embrace it as a full economic partner.

While PNG will continue to be one of the largest recipients of Australia’s foreign aid budget, this will decline in relative importance to PNG, as its overall economy grows.

The ultimate goal of our aid program should be to do itself out of a job.

That means supporting economic growth opportunities so that in the longer term PNG no longer requires foreign aid.

Australia can do much to support PNG’s future growth, as a key Pacific nation and as a partner and close friend, by fostering its economic and social growth.

The future of relations between our two countries should be viewed in that light, and be based on mutual trust and understanding.