Aust envoy sees Apec as ‘moment of hope’

FORMER Australian High Commissioner Ian Kemish described Apec as “a moment of hope for our next-door neighbour and we need to be supportive of our neighbour as it steps forward into a new space”.
Kemish spoke on Australia’s ABC Radio National about this week’s Apec Leaders Summit. He said Apec was a matter of national pride for the Government and people of PNG, and “an opportunity to change the negative international narrative about the country”.
“Papua New Guineans are a bit struck by some of the lazy levels of interest and surprisingly ill-informed narrative about the country,” Kemish said.
“They want to show that they take pride in their country and that there’s more to it than is seen.”
Kemish said Apec was an opportunity to drive forward a range of significant economic projects, particularly in the resource sector, and send a message to the international community that PNG was a competitive place to invest.
When asked about the costs involved, Kemish said: “I think (the prime minister) is hoping to use the opportunity to lever the interest to ensure that major resource projects proceed, and to attract additional interest in other sectors. I think there’s a calculation that the additional levels of interest will ultimately – in ways that are hard to quantify in a direct sense – be good for the country.”
Noting Australia’s extensive support for PNG, Kemish welcomed the Australian government’s renewed energy on the Pacific and PNG. He noted that despite an increased level of interest from China, Australia continued to outspend in terms of development assistance.
He said: “Australia should not underestimate the extent of its own involvement, not only in terms of aid but in terms of the people-to-people links.”
Kemish will be attending the Apec CEOs’ Summit in his role as executive general manager for Newcrest Mining Limited.