| While Australia's Westminster system introduced | | | | for a 'looking north' policy. There is a strong feeling |
| civilised law and justice concepts to Papua New | | | | they would like us to take our aid and shove it. |
| Guinea in colonial times it has not eradicated the spirit | | | | There is certainly no shortage of possible suitors. |
| of 'payback' enshrined in their cultures over centuries. | | | | China, Japan and Malaysia have close ties and |
| Payback within family, clan and village groups remains | | | | significant investment in PNG. Indonesia shares a |
| a binding custom in PNG society to this day. | | | | common boundary. The Koreans are building a |
| The spirit of payback, like many other cultural | | | | multi-million dollar casino in Port Moresby which will be |
| traditions in PNG is not understood by most | | | | restricted to 'tourists and selected businessmen'. The |
| Australians. The relationship between our two | | | | PNG LNG project will double their GDP. |
| countries has drifted over the years since | | | | How they manage their new wealth and invest it for |
| independence. Up till that time young Australian patrol | | | | the future benefit of their people will be the major |
| officers (kiaps) lived and worked throughout the | | | | social challenge of their time. So far the signs are not |
| country as administrators, explorers, teachers, health | | | | good. The surge in expatriate demand for |
| workers and policemen. Many married local women, | | | | accommodation and services is making these less |
| raised families and took out citizenship after | | | | affordable for local citizens. Public officials from |
| independence. | | | | Moresby's middle class are being forced into |
| Australia built a School of Pacific Administration to | | | | settlements to make ends meet. 'Haves and |
| train PNG citizens in public service administration. | | | | have-nots' have always been a part of modern PNG |
| Bright young students were identified for educational | | | | society but the gap is about to widen significantly |
| scholarships in Australia. Others were trained in our | | | | and will inevitably lead to civil unrest if not managed |
| military academies and served side-by-side with | | | | properly. |
| Australian soldiers in the Pacific Islands Regiment. | | | | In a critical review of the current Defence White |
| Some returned with Australian wives to raise families | | | | Paper, Mr Neil James of the Australian Defence |
| in PNG. | | | | Association argued that Australia needs to 'prepare |
| These programs drifted into obscurity after PNG | | | | for a looming demographic, political public health and |
| gained independence in 1975. Our corporate | | | | law and order catastrophe in Papua New Guinea'. |
| knowledge of the complexities of the 'Melanesian | | | | Maybe. But what if PNG asks China for help instead? |
| way' remained with Australian administrators, | | | | As academics and commentators rail on about |
| businessmen, miners and farmers who chose to | | | | endemic corruption and human rights abuses from |
| remain in PNG. PNG's corporate knowledge of our | | | | their ivory towers in Australia PNG leaders withdraw |
| Western ways declined with the closure of the | | | | further into their anti-Australian cocoons. Yet nothing |
| School of Pacific Administration and the decrease in | | | | seems to change despite the army of consultants |
| the flow of students after they developed their own | | | | and aid workers we send to PNG. |
| University of PNG. | | | | Perhaps it's time we changed the directional flow of |
| Our relationship was later relegated to aid agencies | | | | people between our two countries. Perhaps we |
| which introduced PNG to an ideology of patronising | | | | should think of bringing more people from PNG to |
| dependence. The country has since been awash with | | | | Australia to work on long term exchange programs in |
| highly-paid consultants who fly in and out without as | | | | our public and private enterprises. Perhaps we should |
| much as a courtesy call to the relevant PNG Minister | | | | allow them to come here as seasonal workers. |
| or Departmental Head. AusAID has approved and | | | | Perhaps we should establish a Ministry for Melanesia |
| built projects without informing local MPs. PNG | | | | to focus on our relationship with our near neighbours |
| citizens, including former Australian citizens, are | | | | who now number more than 10 million. |
| treated like lepers when they apply for a visa to visit | | | | PNG's rebuff to Australia during the asylum seeker |
| Australia. | | | | debate last week was an indicator that we are no |
| The ultimate snub was delivered when an | | | | longer the white 'masta' and can no longer take them |
| overzealous security boofhead took their Prime | | | | for granted. It might also have been a bit of payback |
| Minister, Sir Michael Somare, aside at Brisbane airport | | | | for humiliating their Grand Chief at Brisbane airport. |
| and frisked him. We humiliated their Grand Chief! It | | | | Either way they would have taken great delight in |
| was little wonder that some PNG MPs began to call | | | | rubbing our noses in it. |