BY BARBARA SHORT

MY PNG FRIENDS include many ladies who are good Christian women holding positions at the top of the PNG Public service.

One met Hillary Clinton to discuss PNG's problems, another gives permission for the Chinese to work in PNG, another is the Planning Minister's offsider, and another is high up in Education.

But they are very shy when it comes to writing.

I remember when it was like this in Australia. There were not many women in Parliament but some of my girlfriends went to the top of the Commonwealth Public Service. We thought that was great. Let's hope that they get a few women into the PNG parliament soon.

Minister for Education James Marape has now honoured his promise to start special selective schools for gifted and talented students. This was a theme of my book on Kerevat national high school, written with the help of many friends. But I know these things are easier said than done.

I hope PNG Attitude doesn't become dominated by the people who seem to be fearmongers who get carried away with what they think might happen in the future.

I live in Epping-Eastwood, which is now the home of many Chinese. I have some very good Chinese friends. I think some writers have a great fear of the Chinese. Many of the Chinese in my area have come from other East Asian countries, but the ones who live opposite came from mainland China. They are very good Australians.

My Chinese friend came from Vietnam and later in life married an American man from our church. She warns me off eating food from mainland China. She poured all my mainland China soya sauce down the sink the other day. We have some good Chinese ministers in the Presbyterian Church and many local doctors are Chinese.

I hope the PNG people will develop relationships with the Chinese people. The Sepik lady who lives near me married a Chinese man from Wewak. His dad used to run the Wewak picture show which I attended regularly in the 1970s.

I really appreciate Alex Harris' understanding on mining. Last weekend I went to the Cadia Gold Mine Open day [see photo]. It was very well organised. Hundreds turned up at Millthorp Museum and buses left every ten minutes with tour guides for a two-hour trip.

We were allowed out of the buses twice and dozens of young Cadia mine employees told us all about the mine. We saw the tailings dams and heard how they plan to turn the mine area back to farmland when they have finished with the mine. They make a great point about being a safe mine.

I spoke to many people and heard about all the good things that the mine has brought to the area. The locals are keeping an eye on the tailings dams and many of them come on these open days every year.

One man asked if the tailings included arsenic and he was told they didn't. Another told me that when the mine closes the tailings will remain as they are. I doubt if they will close down soon. They will keep working while the price for gold is high.