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Australia is taking PNG taken for granted

Bill StandishBILL STANDISH | The Saturday Paper

In my view, Bill Standish is an Australian commentator without parallel on Papua New Guinea affairs. After 45 years (and counting), Bill really knows the country and its people. Late yesterday, getting round to reading the ‘Saturday Paper’ thrown over my front gate five days ago, I came upon a letter to the editor from Bill, which I'm delighted to reproduce - KJ

AUSTRALIANS know about prison colonies in strange lands. What our politicians haven’t realised yet is that former colonies become independent.

In 1975 Papua New Guinea wrote a 20th-century constitution entrenching human rights.

Now its Supreme Court has ruled the Australian insertion of an asylum-seeker processing centre that deprives people of their liberty without charge is unconstitutional.

This is despite PNG’s attempt, encouraged by Australia, to make the Manus scheme legal by amending its constitution.

Any Australian attempt to finesse the issue at this stage and prolong the presence of the detainees is yet another case of Australia taking PNG for granted.

It is also encouraging the current PNG government to break its own constitution, again, at a time when the prime minister is fighting an arrest warrant on a corruption matter, and the attorney-general, a judge and the prime minister’s lawyer all have been charged on serious matters.

Our current buck-passing is yet another case of poorly advised neo-colonialism, which shames many in both countries. Australia needs to respect the rule of law in its neighbour.

Fingers crossed there will be no more dangerous riots among the desperate detainees in the Manus centre, which Australia falsely claims is all PNG’s responsibility.

Comments

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Arthur Smedley

Bill, Good to see you are still writing - I trust you are well

Arthur Smedley

Peter Kranz - along with Norfolk Island maybe Port Arthur would be an option. Or if we want oppressive conditions I guess Sarah Island, in Macquarie Harbour, would take some beating!

Peter Kranz

Norfolk Island sounds like a good option. After all it has a history of housing the worst of the worst. Vile criminals found guilty of stealing a snuff box or a round of cheese. Come on Dutton! Step up to the crease!

http://www.convictrecords.com.au/crimes

Francis Nii

Totally agreed. Australia should stop passing the buck and find ways and solve the problem.

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