AusAID stresses good governance

 PROMOTING good governance in PNG is AusAID’s most important task, head of Australian Aid (AusAID) in the country, Stuart Schaefer says.

Speaking in Port Moresby during the national development forum at Parliament last Friday, Schaefer emphasised that to improve service delivery, AusAID was finalising a new strategy for supporting governance.

He said they had picked up strategies from some of the key themes of the forum.

“This is not about improving governance for its own sake but to improve service delivery,” Scahaefer said.

“The three themes – quality services, sustainable services, community-driven services – are high among AusAID in PNG’s priorities.

“Achieving good governance is most likely to result in development that is sustainable and PNG-led. 

“PNG has experienced more than a decade of economic growth but this has not translated into commensurate improved development outcomes. 

“Increased government revenues will only translate into a more educated and healthier population if these revenues are effectively governed.

“The government has committed itself to improving service delivery. 

“Australia is here to help the government do so by improving the accountability, transparency and effectiveness of its spending. 

“We support better governance in PNG by focusing on the partnership for development priorities which Australia shares with PNG. 

“In health and HIV, education, transport infrastructure and law and justice – a good governance approach underpins everything we do.

“This year, AusAID is supporting more than 609,000 elementary school children to receive tuition free education. 

“Measures have already been in place to oversight the distribution of funds but AusAID is supporting the government to take an additional step – a feedback loop from citizens to government.”