Why worthwhile Australian entities like YWAM deserve greater government assistance

The report this week from a reputable international agency suggesting the real population of Papua New Guinea might be 17 million, compared to the "official" PNG Government figure of about 9 million, has sounded alarm in Canberra, but been largely ignored in Waigani.

The 17 million figure may be a bit high...I think it is closer to 12 million, but no one really knows.

Whatever the true figure, it carries one consequence. The capacity of the PNG Government to provide the education, health and infrastructure needs simply does not exist. It does not exist for 9 million people so there is zero chance it could for 12 or 17 million.

And it further brings into question the real effectiveness of our $600 million aid program to Papua New Guinea.

In my view the population explosion justifies a total review of our aid program centred on better resourcing worthy Australian groups, and churches to play a greater on-the-ground role in delivering vital services across PNG.

Today I want to highlight my own association with YWAM (Youth With A Mission) and what it has achieved in just 12 years engagement in PNG.

It was early in 2009 that I took the retiring Speaker of the Queensland Parliament, Mike Reynolds, to meet with Ken Mulligan, the CEO of the Townsville based YWAM.

After Ken outlined the proposal, I undertook to raise it with the then PNG Prime Minister, Grand Chief Sir Michael Somare. The Grand Chief wasted no time telling me that YWAM would be warmly welcomed to PNG.

Within a year, the first YWAM Medical Ship berthed in PNG.

Its initial mission was to call into remote villages along the Gulf and Fly River Province.

In the first week while moored off the Gulf coast an old man was brought down to the ship on a bed. He was totally blind with cataracts. Within 3 days his sight was restored. What the wonderful YWAM team of young volunteers from all over the world did not know was that the old man was a World War Two veteran who carried for the Australian Army!

Australia had neglected him. Shameful!