$8m for Manus Island from Australia

Australia is giving $8 million in aid to PNG's Manus Island, where it is planning to build an asylum seeker detention centre.

The Australian high commissioner to Papua New Guinea, Ian Kemish, says the aid, already committed before the asylum centre was planned, will pay for medical scholarships and equipment, and for schools to be built on the small collection of islands that make up Manus province.

The aid is coming amid ongoing uncertainty over landowner concerns about the deal, as well as the threat of legal action to halt the opening of the facility.

"Australia is committed to assisting PNG achieve improved development outcomes for all Papua New Guineans, and we are already providing significant support to Manus," Mr Kemish said in a statement on Thursday.

The high commissioner's statement said a joint assessment mission made up of development experts from AusAid and PNG's Department of National Planning is scheduled to visit Manus next week to conduct a needs assessment.

The technical team will make recommendations on where additional development assistance in the areas of education, health, law and justice, and infrastructure is most needed.

Australia will provide for the purchase and delivery of medical supply kits to 61 aid posts and 13 health centres on Manus, as well as funding 33 scholarships for residents in midwifery, nursing and community and health work.

Australia also plans to construct 20 classrooms, 10 teachers' houses and 10 school offices on Manus, as well as delivering 35,000 textbooks to schools throughout the province.

Australian defence personnel have set up a temporary tent facility on the site of the Howard-era detention centre on Lombrum Naval base.

One group of landowners, who claim to have the rights to the site, have repeatedly threatened legal action unless their demands for millions in aid in the form of business grants is met.

Other groups have threatened to sabotage services to the site.

Mr Kemish said upgrades to the roads and hospital on the infrastructure-poor island were also being considered, but Australia was unable to meet some demands by landowners.

"The Australian government simply cannot pay cash to individuals including landowners. That would be against our law and our culture," he said.

The statement quoted Manus governor Charlie Benjamin as saying the Manusians as a whole welcomed the asylum seeker facility.

"I know that Manusians will make the asylum seekers feel welcome and are proud to play their part in addressing this important regional issue," Mr Benjamin said.

The centre would also provide significant opportunities for Manus residents and businesses.

The statement also said the Salvation Army was considering building a public gymnasium and library for the use of both asylum seekers and local residents.

Two weeks ago the Australian government said it expected to send asylum seekers to Manus "within weeks".

AAP

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