Aust hails resumption of programme

AUSTRALIA has welcomed the resumption of labour mobility workers from Papua New Guinea.
The first three Papua New Guinean labour mobility workers to Australia since last March arrived in New South Wales this week.
The workers were selected for employment as part of the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (Palm) scheme.
The three workers graduated from the Australia Pacific Training Coalition (APTC) in Port Moresby and the first of many PNG workers who are bound to Australia this year under Palm to provide much-needed support to businesses in rural and regional Australia.
They will be deployed to several businesses in the transport and engineering sectors in regional New South Wales.
Australian High Commissioner to PNG Jon Philp said: “The resumption of PNG workers delivers on Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s commitment to double the number of Palm workers in Australia by March, as well as Prime Minister Marape’s vision to boost PNG’s overseas workforce to 8,000 by 2025.
“Workers from across our Pacific Island family are providing a lifeline for businesses in regional Australia that have struggled to find local labour.
“Participants also gain valuable skills and experience while abroad and earn income to send back to their communities.”