Rudd-O’Neill Deal’s Principle Questionable.


Amid numerous opinions and criticism on the seemingly ad hoc Rudd-O’Neill Regional Resettlement deal, Prime Minister, Peter O’Neill put out a statement saying “the deal is not set in stone” thereby easing tension surrounding the issue. Questions though, that continually spring up is will Australia stick to the agreement in funding the processing centre and resettlement? And how long will these arrangements be for? Are we prepared to forego some sectors in the budget to assist the Australian Government, PM Kevin Rudd,  in this endeavour?

So many questions that need answers, yet the Rudd-O’Neill regime continually answer with either smiles or perceived valour that the “deal is not set in stone”; what will that mean exactly twelve months from now when we have the processing centre filled to or over capacity with asylum seekers demanding asylum in Australia but forced here for processing and possibly resettlement. What happens when come September Australian National elections and the government changes, what if the deal is scraped what will be the plight of these people? What becomes of our land, our social and economic issues we have yet to address? 

On the other hand, we cannot ignore that we do have a regional obligation to help Australia and other Pacific Island nations just like ours when faced with problems.  The Australian Aid has never failed to aid us in our time of need. Australia especially what with their aid to fight off invasion of our land during the war, their countless aid during our times of natural disasters and the annual Aid (A$493.5 [2011-2013] est. Budget for 2013-2014 now set at A$507.2) given to help alleviate poverty, maternal deaths and infant mortality, volunteers and Medical services in our rural centres and the list goes on. There is no end to the help we have received from Australia since our Independence.

Stemming from that line of account, it has been deduced that the Rudd government has preyed on our delicate economy and political woes by throwing this deal on a not necessarily ‘third world country’, but developing and neighbouring country.  A country that can never learn to look after itself, economically, socially and politically. Thus presenting itself globally as an impoverished and declining economic country.

 We are a floating gold mine, yet we are being drilled to the core from the inside, depleted by our own devices through corruption and stalwart unhealthy pessimist mindsets.
Going back to Aid, an article highlighting talks with Executive Director of ActionAid Australia, Archie law, a leading Australian Aid Organisation was sighted announcing the organisations fears that “foreign aid funds may be syphoned away from traditional projects to fund the new Papua New Guinea Refugee Policy”. 

The director said that according to the Australian Minister, funding for the detention and processing facilities will come from Immigration but what about the extra projects that were announced like road construction, refurbishment of a new hospital and university. Where are they going to be resourced from? Already A$375 million meant for aid has gone towards establishing detention centres.
UNICEF Australian Head, Dr Norman Gillespie also took a swipe at the Rudd-O’Neill condemning Federal government’s decision to slash foreign aid to pay for its PNG Asylum Seeker plan. Release of the Australian government’s election-eve budget update revealed A$879 million will be cut over four years from the aid budget. 

The initial objective of the Aid program will now face deterrence in favour of the Labor Party’s hardline asylum-resettlement policy to resettle refugees that arrive boat in PNG. This cut in the Foreign Aid by 14% comes at the time when the government has highlighted its ambition to raise the funding for the Foreign Aid sector. What is the principle behind this deal if the proportionate sector in the budget that assists Island countries in the region will suffer slashes to their AusAid funding assistance?

In offering up Manus and possibly other areas in the country to assist Australian PM’s hardline asylum policy and perceivably his polling stakes, we are showing ourselves in support of Australia’s drive to add more salt to the wound that is the name and global position of PNG. Labelling PNG as a ‘Hell hole’ and other such derogatory terms has detrimental effects, we know we have social, political and economic problems don’t others?

To end it off, can both the Australian PM and his counterpart in PNG come clean and advice what is their long-term contingency plan and solution for both countries if needed. Also explain how much exactly is for the initial objective of AusAid, developments and etc to PNG, and which is for the extra projects like the road construction, Hospital refurbishment and University. 

An Island Nation, Fiji has spoken out against the deal and has noticeably pulled out of a millions of kina deal with Bemobile Ltd in PNG. Solomon Island Prime Minister also expressed their refusal to support any asylum deal. We are looked up to in the region as ‘big brother’ by our Melanesian Island nations, how long before we are left out of Regional meetings or issues while our identity as a Melanesian brother nation teeters dangerously on the brinks of becoming obsolete.

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