Howard, Somare in confrontation over seasonal labour issue
 

AUSTRALIAN Prime Minister John Howard flew home last night only hours after an abrupt exchange with Sir Michael Somare in his capacity as chairman of the Pacific Islands Forum.

The incident took place after Tuvalu’s Prime Minister Maatia Toafa made some remarks about the refusal of Australia and New Zealand to consider taking in seasonal labour from other Pacific Island nations.

In a leaders’ session at Crowne Plaza, Mr Toafa said many Pacific Islands students attended universities in Australia and they had not violated any visa regulations, challenging the suggestion by Mr Howard and New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark about their fears of increased level of illegal migrants.

He asked why citizens from the United States and Europe were allowed to take up manual jobs in Australia, while people from the Pacific were barred.
Mr Howard immediately moved to reply, but Sir Michael stopped him.

Observers said Mr Howard shook his head and became red in the face, asking Sir Michael if he was going to allow the criticism to stand. “I will not allow you to reply and I will not entertain your comments,” Sir Michael responded.
Showing obvious dissatisfaction with the ruling, Mr Howard moved away from the microphone.

Sir Michael then changed his mind and asked Mr Howard to provide a brief response, as the Tuvalu Prime Minister’s comments had effectively been the end of the meeting. Mr Howard gave a short response to say that the case of the United States and Europe was different because people from these countries entered Australia on a “Holiday Maker Visa” which was quite different from the “seasonal labour” idea.

Mr Howard walked out of the meeting and was unavailable for further comments, but Sir Michael assured the media there was no standoff between them. “We are good friends and I’ve worked with them (Australians) for over 30 years and I know them,” he said. “There is no disagreement between us.”

There has been unanimous demand from developing PIF member countries that Australia and New Zealand open up the country to workers from the Pacific, a stance that was supported by Australian policy makers at a meeting yesterday at the University of Sydney.

Mr John Connel of Sydney University said seasonal worker schemes were the “most effective way of boosting living standards in Pacific countries”.
The two Prime Ministers had also clashed at the previous Pacific Islands Forum meeting when Mr Howard broke the usual protocol to insist that an Australian be appointed as secretary general of the group, against the wishes of Sir Michael.

Until then the PIF secretary general had always come from one of the developing member countries of the forum. Meanwhile, A World Bank report has accused Australia of being the worst culprit in terms of the brain drain from neighbouring Pacific Island nations.

It said that more than 75 per cent of all graduates from Tonga and Samoa and 62 per cent of graduates from Fiji had emigrated, mostly to Australia and New Zealand. Australia was cited as a country that had pioneered the migration of skilled workers, a policy that was spreading around western countries.

Courtesy: http://www.thenational.com.pg/1028/nation1.htm


My opinion is that PNG should work on improving the local economy than to bow down and cry to Australia and New Zealand to allow Papua New Guineans to go and work as Labourers and pay lots of taxes (33%). It's only my opinion you all have your own opinions. Open to discussion!

meripng.. ;-)

They are friends again.............meripng ;-)

What you say makes a lot of sense and it is the only long term solution to the PIF nations. But allowing guest workers into Australia would also have an effective short term benefit to the PIF nations because of the remittance of wages back home. This impact if managed competently would give these nations a good kick start.

Also australia would benefit because it has a crisis with lack of workers for many seasonal and unpopular jobs such fruit picking and irrigation chipping

those that oppose guest workers believe that:

1. past experience has shown that some PIF nations have badly mismanaged their economies and therefore any benefits would be lost.

2. australia fears an influx of "cheap labour" that would drive down wages and conditions.

3. many guest workers would overstay their visa and just "dissappear" into the crowd and not go home. This would create an underclass of greatly exploited workers which has happened with illegal Mexican workers in the USA.

4. Overstayers unable to get work would be socially disruptive such as is happening in parts of Europe with illegal immigrants from north africa.

5. Overstayers would have an enormous impact on social welfare services such as schools and health and if these were denied to illegals then they would be forced into a povety that is worse than in their home country.

6. Overstayers would be forced into crime to support themselves.

PNG should become the tourist mecca of the South Pacific even the world because it has so much to offer. Millions could be earned as PNG is one of the last frontiers.

The only way PNG can be a tourist mecca of SP if the Law and Order is control and severe penalties are imposed to deal with the law breakers. Also the people working in the travel and tourism industry should be more friendly and approachable.

meripng.... ;-)

Seasonal work debate
 

Papua New Guinea has a vast and untapped economic potential that needs to be addressed. Engaging seasonal workers in Australia is not the answer to job and employment opportunties back in PNG. Creating rural and village level opportunities with supported infrastructures such as subsidised transport and fuel for rural communities will go a long way to addressing economic transparency issues. Take a look at Thailand. The country is not rich by comparision. Yet, the government's support to rural and village level economic sustainability is to be envied. This does not mean that there are problems. However, the Thai government has and continues to ensure that the central and provincial systems provide decent road, transport, water structures that ensure returns to the Thai economy.

I know what it's like for people to suffer at the hands of central and provincial agencies. There is no need to cry poor by the PNG government. It's advisers and policy makers at both the central and provincial agencies need to get off their high horses and get down to earth. People are the greatest resource that any government, poor or rich can harnesh for the greater good of a country.

Agencies, advisers and consultants need to get away from bickering over political correctness as to who is right and who is wrong and get down to the basics. Serve your people and you will reap great rewards from their hard work.

Is it any wonder that so many of the rural and village populace are heading to the cities and towns and neglecting the village and the countryside? Blame should not be levelled at the migrants but squarely at the government for years of untold neglect to it's own people.

Go PNG

I agree but the government, central and provincial agencies need to get their act together first.

Be careful, PNG. Your Pacific brothers Vanuatu and Fiji are winning the tourism race. Why don't you learn from them? You might learn a lesson or two?