PNGBLOGS

by PETER J RICKETS April is proving to be the most disastrous month in the history of Australia’s relationship with Papua New Guinea, with yet another crisis in Malcolm Turnbull’s concentration camp on Manus Island, to the north of the PNG mainland. At a time when the West is struggling to win the hearts and minds of Papua New Guinea in the face of a concerted Chinese diplomatic effort to do the same, Manus has once again blown up in Australia’s face. This week’s riot during which PNG Defence Force personnel fired approximately 100 rounds from military weapons into the refugee compound has created even more animosity towards Turnbull’s Australia. The compound is supposed to be officially closed, but still houses hundreds of refugees, with Turnbull and his Immigration Minister washing their hands of any responsibility for it and its occupants. Infuriated by the continuing Turnbull-Dutton deceptions and their attempts to slither away from Australia’s responsibilities, Papua New Gui

by GREG POYA   Peter O'Niell should be worried about Australia's new Prime Minister, Mr Malcolm Turnbull. Papua New Guinea's prime minister has signalled a partial back-down from recent comments that Australian consultants and advisers would be expelled from PNG by the end of the year. Peter O'Neill announced in July that his government would remove all foreign advisors and consultants from government departments because their presence was m aking locals lazy. There were also suggestions that the foreign, mainly Australian, advisers, were spying on his government. Mr O'Neill now says he prefers a change to contract officers who can be accountable to his government. He told AAP that his government is not that silly to displace families overnight, and that nobody is being thrown out on the street. Mr O'Neill says he wants to ensure people assigned to PNG show loyalty to the government and to service. Australia has 34 public servants on