Comments

So PNG will start producing quantity over quality.

Robin, you conclude your Blog by stating that transparency advocates should push forward on both the supply and demand sides wherever the going is good. Thus, your Blog presents a demand-side opportunity to enquire about Australia’s current development initiative in Indonesian education, the $49 million Inovasi project. As you observe, Australia was one among many nations that made commitments at the Busan High-Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness in 2011. This includes a commitment to the principal of transparency and accountability to the intended beneficiaries of co-operation, as well as to citizens, organisations, constituents and shareholders. Transparent practices form the basis for enhanced accountability, this commitment asserts. In light of Australia’s commitment to this principal, it is reasonable to enquire about the progress of Inovasi. DFAT and the project manager provide scant publicly available and readily accessible information about this important project. After unaccounted for delays in 2015 and early 2016, all DFAT can tell us on its website about the progress of Inovasi is summarised in 150 words. Why the silence? Where is the transparency and accountability from this limited information?

Hi, Bon thanks for your feedback on my article. What happens with RAMSI in 2017 is just the last instalment of a process that has been ongoing for a number of years. I was in Honiara late last year and it didn't come up as a topic of conversation with anyone I spent time with (predominantly members of the media) which indicates it is pretty much old news now. Much more significant for the region as a whole is how the PM of Solomon Islands is trying to provide leadership in relation to self-determination for West Papua across national, sub-regional, regional and global platforms.

In Solomon islands people live on the land in their respective locality, therefore, to use informal urban low cost housing as a prognosis to solve informal settlements is like asking the river to flow from the sea to the mountains or creating a wave of urban drift to our urban areas. The only solution is to pass a national rural growth development equitable distribution to our provinces in partnership with our rural dwellers who hold the wealth of our country. Having this mindset the national government should give their expertise to our Rural Dwellers front doors and give confidence to our people to give their all to our nation building.

Wonderful to read. Well done, Stephen. Best wishes, Andy

A fantastic review...even a lazy reader like me will have no excuse(s) to read this master piece!

Thanks for the interesting article. It is hard though to see the use of cheaper formal-sector housing as a tool for slowing the spread of informal settlements. As you say, informal settlements are the solution to housing affordability. The focus, it seems to me, should be much more on the other things you suggest - the provision of services, and providing security of tenure.

I can't think of a better way to honor Rev. King, so close to MLK Day in the States. Thank you, Stephen

Thank you Stephen for this wonderful piece! Good to be reminded through the life of people like Jean, King and Mandela, the higher purpose of our calling – to be a service to humanity and a voice for the voiceless in time of increase human and corporate greed. Moral heroes certainly undertake great sacrifices. PNG has seen its own national heroes recently in the likes of Sam Koim and members of the Fraud Squad who have all fallen at the Master’s axe. Amidst their often lonely journey, one thing is sure – they stood for something greater than their own. Brings to mind an age old question – what should one be remembered for at his/her last breath? That he/she stood for something or wanted to but never did? Wherever we stand, hopefully we can try to champion a cause for common good in 2017.

Hi Stephen, Thanks for sharing this. Really interesting and well written. I also know Jean and did some work with him. I agree very much with your description of him. He is a fabulous teacher, an amazing individual and incredibly principled human being. I think the idea of doing 'small' good deeds, each and every day is possible for most human beings and can help make an important contribution to building a better world.

Great article, thoroughly enjoyed reading it.

This sounds like a really fascinating read. All the discussions about Universal Basic Income of late have made me wonder if something enabling like that, which takes away the risk of being completely destitute or that could free up some of people's time from paid labour, might encourage more people make the kinds of altruistic contributions you mention in this review (though not perhaps to such extremes!) and foster communities that are more inclusive. Although we are incredibly wealthy in Australia on the whole, for many it often feels like a real scramble to be doing all the things one is supposed to be doing. Of course being altruistic is a choice and it is about the priorities that people set, but removing some of the 'risk' might make it easier for the average non-superhuman to make those kinds of contributions (which ultimately benefit us all)? Just a random thought.