Comments

I am quite taken aback that Hon. Abel thinks that African countries have something to teach PNG about handling mining income better to enable more equitable development. In almost all (if not all) countries the situation has been the exact opposite. Of course such situations are not just due to corruption at high levels and political favouritism/tribalism, which are prevalent, but also because of factors such as natural population growth and mine area influxes which create urgent new demands for services and housing which quickly outstrip any plans there may be. But another factor is diversion of funds to excessive levels of policing and militarism, in order to maintain positions of political power (and to keep their hands in the till) to the significant detriment of social service budgets.

Hi Amanda, PNG is experiencing similar problems Uganda faced when it embarked on compulsory Sim registration. At deadline date, millions of sim-cards were yet to be registered. In fact, the matter ended in court and the government subsequently extended the registration period by six months.

How long before we are able to banish that dread disease: 'white saviour syndrome'? Great article. I like this personal historical approach.

Congratulations Shamima Ali and the hard-working team at FWCC for a well-deserved award and recognition for your outstanding work in the region.

Paul, I welcome the PNG Treasurer's remarks, which I had not seen. The hard choices governments need to make to maximize and distribute the benefits of mining are the very reason we should be prepared to assist. If they choose to leave it in the ground that is their right, but if they allow mining then we can help if they want the assistance. Bob

Thanks Michelle for this nuanced and insightful exploration of the complexity of the challenges confronting PNG as leaders across the society work to find solutions to violence. And for the links to other important work.

PNG's Treasurer Charles Abel had some interesting comments in a speech to Parliament on 13 February. He stated "Having an abundance of natural resources can be a blessing or a curse. A child that is given everything from birth never quite grows up. A child that struggles learns to become strong and independent. Papua New Guinea must learn from the African experience." I was a strong supporter of the mining for development initiative and its predecessors while Director for African and Middle East Programs in AusAID from 1997 to 1999. In hindsight, although positive work was done in areas such as better environmental regulation and sometimes getting a better return for resource owners, I have become increasingly concerned about how mining can be a non-inclusive form of development, and possibly a corrupting form of development. I fear this is very evident in PNG where the resource sector has thrived especially since 1990 while living standards for most people have fallen significantly. I welcome the more balanced approach being suggested by PNG's new Treasurer. Cheers. Paul.

Youths are the future of our nation. This presentation clearly outline the lack of basic need towards the development of the youths potential. True education and health are the key factor to the social development of the youth. one cannot understand how to develop his or her potential without being educated and cannot be fit to carry out the potential if not in good health.

I admire the Samoan people for their devotion to their families and churches. Relationships are the most important thing in life and you will not be happy if you do not have good relationships with others. Samoa, beautiful islands, beautiful people.

Congratulations Fiji Women's Crisis Centre

I am an employer in the agricultural and wine industries. In the past I have been heavily relying on European backpackers for 90 percent of my workforce. 10 percent is made up of local Australians sent out to me by job agencies. And that small percentage are usually very unreliable. European backpackers are only as reliable until they have to move on to another job. We spend many many man hours training backpackers up to productivity then they leave. However I would be very keen to sign up to bring Pacific islanders as an alternative reliable longer termed workforce.

Hi Shaun. Excellent review. One small extension of the opening reference to "whose economies are highly dependent on extractive industries". For Papua New Guinea, the resource sector has averaged only 16% of PNG's economy since 1980, and only 13% of total revenues and grants since 1976. It is indeed correct that PNG's goods and services exports are dominated by the resource sector (now over 80%, up from 50% at the time of Independence). However, and this is abundantly clear with the PNG LNG project, a very large percentage of those export earnings are immediately spent through the capital account on interest payments and dividends to external stakeholders, making the "net impact" on the balance of payments much smaller. For PNG, the indirect impacts of the resource sector, especially through an exchange rate set at a level much higher than if there was no resource sector, means that the incomes and arguably political power of the larger and more diversified agricultural sector tends to be much lower than it otherwise would be. These indirect impacts are difficult to measure, and given the construct of "society" in the book, possibly fall out of scope entirely. However, it is possibly these indirect impacts from the resource sector that have done most to damage PNG's economic and social development. Cheers. Paul.