The critical questions Scott Morrison must ask the PNG prime minister

According to Warren Entsch, about 69% of the people of the Torres Strait have had one vaccination, and 51% are fully vaccinated.

Contrast that with Daru. It has been estimated that just over 25% of the population is vaccinated. Elsewhere in the province, the figure is reportedly much lower.

Now before I outline the direct questions that Scott Morris must ask James Marape, just one more observation on the Australia-Papua New Guinea relationship.

The 28^th Papua New Guinea-Australia Ministerial Forum was held virtually on 2 September> I have not commented on it in On Line Opinion because to be frank it was about as useful as an ash tray on a motor bike!

But one paragraph simply cannot go unaddressed. In the joint statement, Ministers from Australia and Papua New Guinea signed off on these words in paragraph 7:

Ministers noted the strong vaccination rates in Western Province (South Fly) and interest in expanding vaccination support to communities adjoining the treaty villages.

Really? If that was true, then how is it that the Western province is one of just three PNG Provinces today facing an effective lockdown???

And how is it that the whole of the Fly River community is seeing pandemic rates now higher than any other part of Papua New Guinea – and with a rising death toll. But for the outstanding work of Ok Tedi Mining, its position would be even worse.

The question that both Canberra and Port Moresby must answer is simple: on what basis was the "strong vaccination rates" claim made?

But now to the questions Scott Morrison simply must ask James Marape with absolute urgency.

The rising incidence of Covid-19 (the Delta variant) in PNG just adds to the critical challenges the "failed" Papua New Guinea health system faces today.

The Prime Minister must raise with his PNG counterpart more than just the rising incidence of Covid-19 and related questions. He must ask James Marape whether the time has come for my suggestion – and it is one that other observers have suggested as well – that Australia take over some critical aspects of the PNG health system to rebuild public confidence and address failures that are causing death among the good people of Papua New Guinea?