Hi Guys,It seem PNG is starting to become a little more high...

Hi Guys,

It seem PNG is starting to become a little more high profile. Let's hope IDC jumps on this and follows the lead!!


PNG on the radar


Friday, 9 March 2012

AUSTRALIA’S Pacific Island Affairs Parliamentary Secretary Richard Marles has recently toured Papua New Guinea – including the Hidden Valley gold mine – as newly appointed Australian Foreign Affairs Minister Bob Carr faces calls to make PNG a high priority.



Marles with AusAID's gender team, Australian High Commissioner Ian Kemish and PNG Business and Professional Women president Susil Nelson

“Visiting the Hidden Valley mine is a great chance to see first-hand the exciting opportunities for Australian resource companies in PNG,” Marles said on Wednesday.

“These projects are making a major contribution to PNG's economic development."

Marles’ whirlwind tour also included making appearances at ANGAU Memorial Hospital, the Lae War Cemetery and a business forum in Lae.

He attended an International Women’s Day breakfast in Port Moresby yesterday – and at the start of his tour this week, Marles said he would meet cabinet ministers of the PNG government.

Former New South Wales premier Carr was parachuted into the Australian government through an available Senate seat – and he has already won the foreign affairs portfolio vacated by Kevin Rudd during his recent failed attempt to topple Prime Minister Julia Gillard.

Julie Bishop visited PNG LNG project sites last year as the shadow minister for this portfolio and was already calling on Carr to make PNG one of his highest priorities.

“PNG is on the cusp of a major economic upheaval as mining and resource projects come onstream that have the potential to transform the social fabric of the nation and recast the status of its relationship with Australia,” she said.

“PNG faces enormous challenges in harnessing the benefits of its coming resources boom, in restoring political stability and in raising the standard of living of its people.

“There is an urgent need to put our relationship more on the footing of economic partnership, rather than that of aid donor and aid recipient.”