PNGBLOGS

Source: DAN OAKES SMH PAPUA NEW GUINEA'S high commissioner has staged an astonishing attack on the Coalition and strongly endorsed the Gillard Labor government, throwing foreign affairs into the spotlight for the first time during the election campaign. Charles Lepani told the Herald that relations between his country and the Coalition had been severely damaged by the former Howard government, and that the opposition had made little effort to repair them since its defeat in 2007. Mr Lepani was speaking after a debate at the National Press Club between the deputy Liberal leader, Julie Bishop, and the Foreign Affairs Minister, Stephen Smith, in which Ms Bishop said that a Coalition government would repair relations with PNG. The diplomat said he was mystified by Ms Bishop's claim that the relationship between Australia and its former colony had deteriorated under Labor. ''There was no relationship left to repair when Labor was elected,'' Mr Lepani said. ''

Source: DAN OAKES SMH PAPUA NEW GUINEA'S high commissioner has staged an astonishing attack on the Coalition and strongly endorsed the Gillard Labor government, throwing foreign affairs into the spotlight for the first time during the election campaign. Charles Lepani told the Herald that relations between his country and the Coalition had been severely damaged by the former Howard government, and that the opposition had made little effort to repair them since its defeat in 2007. Mr Lepani was speaking after a debate at the National Press Club between the deputy Liberal leader, Julie Bishop, and the Foreign Affairs Minister, Stephen Smith, in which Ms Bishop said that a Coalition government would repair relations with PNG. The diplomat said he was mystified by Ms Bishop's claim that the relationship between Australia and its former colony had deteriorated under Labor. ''There was no relationship left to repair when Labor was elected,'' Mr Lepani said. &#