CAROLYN BLACKLOCK
| East Asia Forum

Carolyn Blacklock (Ipsum Pacific)

BRISBANE - Political and economic pressures are rising in Papua New Guinea, with escalating social tensions suggesting a need for focused regional support.

Critics argue that given ongoing civil unrest, political instability with Rainbo Paita’s challenge to prime minister James Marape and substantial economic challenges such as a stagnating minimum wage and increasing poverty, financial aid and strategies should be directed towards supporting the PNG populace rather than bolstering the political elite.

MARK PALM
| Samaritan Aviation Newsletter

WEWAK - One of our amazing stories is about the first patient Samaritan Aviation ever flew in 2010.

Her name was Antonia and she had been in labour for three days. She was unconscious when we got the call on Good Friday from the Timbunki Health Centre, located along the Sepik River.

NOOSA - A blue screen with a phony 'survey' form and three purported 'questionnaires' appeared on screen when you try to access PNG Attitude. 

This was some geniuses way of indicating I had not renewed the blog's domain name.

With some help from the USA I've now got on top of this, parted with a few bucks and we should be back in business.

Nobody was hurt in this process, although my feelings are telling me they were shamed.

ALLAN BIRD *
| Academia Nomad

Governor Allan Bird and prime minister James Marape (Radio New Zealand)

WEWAK – Earlier this week, while explaining the difference between devaluation of the Kina and depreciation of the Kina, my good friend, Papua New Guinea’s Treasurer Ian Stuckey, said the devaluation of the Kina, recommended by International Monetary Fund and World Bank, will give PNG "short term pain for long term gain."

There's that popular Marape government phrase again.

BOB LAWRENCE

Tim Bowden reviewing tapes in the process of producing Taim Bilong Masta

SYDNEY - Hobart born author, radio and television broadcaster, producer and oral historian, Timothy (Tim) Gibson Bowden AM, who was part of the trio who produced the book, tapes and radio program ‘Taim Bilong Masta: the Australian involvement with Papua New Guinea’, died in his sleep on Sunday aged 87.

While the people may remember him as compere of the ABC television program, Back Chat, most of his media work included reporting the Vietnam War, as the ABC foreign correspondent in the USA, founding the Current Affairs programs This Day Tonight on television and PM on radio and heading the ABC's Social History Unit.

KEITH JACKSON

The Kiaps' Award  -  Police Overseas Service Medal

NOOSA – I am told that the sometimes bitter division between a small group of former kiaps and the great majority of their ageing comrades continues.

I had thought it all over until recently, when it was brought to my notice that some of this seriously ageing and rapidly extinguishing band of brothers want further public memorialisation for themselves in the form of a public monument paid for and constructed by the government.

SAHAR SHALOM
| Academia Nomad

PORT MORESBY - I wanted to share with you how the Covenant Day tradition of 26 August started and clarify some misconceptions and distortions in relation to it.

In 2007, Michael Somare, the nation's then grand chief and prime minister, signed on behalf of the people a new covenant with the God of Israel.

PAUL OATES

This article was written by a reflective and analytic Paul Oates 16 years ago. It is both prescient and insightful.

Indeed, it makes me regret that an emaciated PNG Attitude, limping along at my own slow, health-restrained pace, ain’t what it used to be. But who is?

I compliment Paul on his literary output over the years.  His articles and books have made a real contribution to our knowledge about Papua New Guinea and other issues. 

Son in 2008, concerned about events and trends in Papua New Guinea, Paul has written a paper describing how these problems manifest themselves and making some recommendations for their alleviation. So here is a brief extract from ‘PNG: How to achieve a change in direction’. Unfortunately the link to the full paper has been lost - Keith Jackson

CLEVELAND - At Independence in 1976 Papua New Guinea was on the threshold of developing into a stable and prosperous nation.

During the late 1960s and early 1970s, Australia built up a regional government infrastructure throughout the country that provided essential law and order, education, medical assistance and all manner of essential support services in every area in PNG.

Australia then had a wonderful opportunity to bring PNG into the modern age and stand together with it as a friend and neighbour. Unfortunately, that opportunity was allowed to atrophy for want of interest. There was a mutual disregard.

In 2008, 33 years after Independence , much of the PNG government infrastructure has disappeared completely and yet the wages bill for PNG public servants continues to rise. Why is this so?

Among the recommendations I have made for securing a change in direction in PNG are:

1. Fund, strengthen and reform the PNG government infrastructure as a first priority for AusAID.
   
   
2. Reissue an updated PNG Government Code of Conduct and Ethics agreed to by government, unions and business. The Code of Conduct must be signed on behalf of all citizens by the PNG Prime Minister and disseminated to all levels. This must be encouraged by Australia as a matter of priority.
   
   
3. Issue a deadline for correct, ethical practice to commence. Offer an amnesty for people to come clean and testify.
   
   
4. Institute anti corruption tribunals and, after the deadline expires, use them to investigate and send new cases for trial to the PNG courts.
   
   
5. At the same time, improve Public Service wages, salaries and conditions of service on the premise that all PNG government employees sign performance based pay agreements specifying compliance with the new Code of Conduct.

If Australia does nothing, PNG will continue on a downhill slope to further poverty and corruption, notwithstanding increasing amounts of external aid funds.

If the process of ‘sweeping the dust under the carpet' continues, then potential to prevent a humanitarian disaster on our doorstep will be lost forever.

BUKA – The Bougainville Constitutional Planning Commission (BCPC) extended its consultations to Brisbane this week.

This will be the second international consultation to gather views from Bougainvilleans living in Australia.

PORT MORESBY - Community advocacy group Act Now! says a new logging operation in Milne Bay Province could be yet another example of a bogus agriculture project being used as cover for a large-scale forest grab.

The new logging operation began on Sideia Island earlier this year as part of the Loani Bwanabwana Integrated Agro-Forestry Project.

ROB BARCLAY

ADELAIDE – Former policeman, long-term MP Peter Dutton has finally awoken from his torpor and started to make some welcome statements.

Unfortunately, he has a tendency to cherry-pick only those subjects he is interested in.

ISO YAWI

A pure work of fiction based on a poem, The tale of a long road, that I wrote for the 2015 Crocodile Prize - IY

LAE - I was not sure whether Serah would make it to Menyamya station or not.

It would be a three-day walk on the harsh mountain track.  But there was a nurse at the station. This would be our second child. We wanted everything to go well.

KELA KAPKORA SIL BOLKIN

PORT MORESBY - The Marape-Rosso government has announced a Papal state visit to Papua New Guinea from Friday 6 – Monday 9 September and approved a K15 million budget for preparations and security.

At about the same time, the president of the Catholic Bishops Conference made an announcement calling for unity and participation in the visit amidst an array of cooked-up myths and criticisms.

History records that the first Catholic missionaries from France arrived on Yule Island in 1885, establishing the first mission station there.

CAMERON HILL
| Bougainville Copper Limited

Sir Mel Togolo and Andrew Cooper sign the remediation agreement
(PNG Post-Courier)

BUKA - The Autonomous Bougainville Government (ABG), Bougainville Copper Limited (BCL) and Rio Tinto have signed a memorandum of understanding to address concerns around future risks of ageing infrastructure in the former Panguna mine area.

The agreement is a response to several ageing structures requiring prompt attention identified by an independent legacy impact assessment.

MARK PALM
| Samaritan Aviation Newsletter

WEWAK - One of Samaritan Aviation’s amazing stories is about the first patient we ever flew in 2010.

Her name was Antonia and she had been in labour for three days. She was unconscious when we got the call on Good Friday from the Timbunki Health Centre, located along the Sepik River.

I remember putting the stretcher in the airplane and taking off into the rain and clouds for the 35-minute flight.

ALEX MITCHELL
| Come the Revolution

Alex Mitchell

TWEED HEADS - Former Labor Party prime minister Paul Keating is Australia’s foremost public intellectual.

Love him or loathe him, when he speaks on the ABC, the national broadcaster, people stop eating or talking, and listen.

Keating commands such public attention: he doesn’t ask for it, we give it to him with the same respect we gave prime minister John Curtin when he declared war on Nazi Germany.

MARY PEACHIN
Inside Tucson Business

Tucsonans who know him would agree, Ron Perry has enjoyed one hell of an adventurous live.

For more than 40 years he collected what is considered by experts to be the finest museum of quality Papua New Guinea artifacts.

KEITH JACKSON

Keith in the big person's chair at the exclusive Park Hyatt Dubai.  Right arm bandaged to restrict bleeding from capillary breaches.  Walking stick in hand to restrict falling over.  Sitting in chair also restricts falling over.  "Chairs are of key importance in not falling over," Keith said in a rare public statement. (Photo taken by Ingrid Jackson with Keith's full knowledge )

DUBAI - I'm now in the United Arab Emirates which, the way things are going, could one day own Australia.  Life is very comfortable here. Who needs democracy when you've got plenty of parking, plenty of retail, plenty of billionaires, plenty of air links to everywhere and don't care about the end of the world?

Rome, Spain, Barcelona, Casablanca, Malaga, Gibraltar, Valencia.  Three weeks on a small ocean liner traversing hither and thither on the Mediterranean. Plenty of time for the tropical breezes I recall from my youth to magically spring up and work wonders on my back and my soul.  Being with a splendid wife assists.

CHRIS ASHTON

Chris Ashton, journalist and author - recorder of a time now past in a land we loved so much

PREFACE BY KEITH JACKSON

It was in the late 1990s when Chris Ashton – a fine man and an exquisite writer – accosted me on a Sydney street and re-established what had been a collegial but not close relationship formed in the exciting swirl of 1970s Papua New Guinea.

In pre-independence PNG, we both had exacting roles. Arguably Chris was the leading public recorder and analyst of the massive changes occurring almost daily as the Australian colony hastened towards self-government.

JOE MORRIS & WARREN (WAZA) TURNER

Champion footballer tough politician accomplished diplomat. John Kaputin (centre) seen here at Rabaul airport in 1970 with Australian territories minister Barnes and prime minister Gorton

'The crowd erupted and stormed the fence'

JOE MORRIS
| Original article published 4 December 2007

NEWCASTLE - Digger Annand’s given name was James and he now owns a bottle shop in Newcastle.

I was a member of the DCA side that won in 1966. Barry Kenny, also in the side, later played for Queensland.

JOHN GATES

The 'Pride of Our Nation' Coast Watchers memorial statue in Honiara, Solomon Islands (Courtesy of Martin Hadlow)

NEWSTEAD – On behalf of more than 750 petitioners, late last year I drew the attention of the Brisbane Lord Mayor and Councillors that there is no memorial on the Australian mainland to the Coastwatchers who performed such courageous and vital service in Papua New Guinea and the Pacific Islands during World War II.

Brisbane was the site of the Coastwatchers’ headquarters in the second half of the war and recognition of their amazing achievements and sacrifice is long overdue in Australia, which benefited so much from their bravery.

PAUL KEATING
| Pearls & Irritations

Below Keith Jackson's preamble; overleaf Paul Keating's analysis ....

PREAMBLE - In Anthony (Albo) Albanese, Australia has one of its most timid, dare I say frightened, prime ministers ever to hold the office. It has been clear since the beginning of his term two years ago that his main objective was to not cause any ripples while he secured a further term. Not the Albo I knew 30 or more years ago. A loud-mouthed agent provocateur against the conservative enemy. Provided, of course, he had the protection of more stout-hearted politicians like former prisoner of war Tom Uren (whose protégé he was from a young age) and prime ministers Bob Hawke and Paul Keating (neither of whom ever thought of him as anything other than a lightweight). Eventually, Albo discovered he’d been around long enough to be considered for greater rewards: leader of the house, then leader of the opposition and now prime minister. A lesson in surviving long enough to become whatever you wish. In this piece, Paul Keating shines light on how the meek Albo and his hapless deputy Marles has turned Australia’s back on Asia and thrown in our lot more comprehensively than ever with the USA and, hard to believe this, with the UK, once of the British Empire - KJ