Aust talks to pave way for workers

PRIME Minister James Marape’s talks in Canberra are expected to open up more opportunities for Papua New Guinea seasonal workers such as fruit pickers and farm hands.
Labour mobility schemes such as the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (Palm) is among the topics for discussion by officials from the two countries.
While there have been workers from PNG in the Australian labour force, today’s discussions are expected to pave the way for a regular higher number of workers going across.
Foreign Affairs Minister Justin Tkatchenko met with Australian cabinet ministers yesterday to discuss the official programme for Marape’s visit today.
In a statement, Tkatchenko said he met and discussed with his Australian counterpart minister Senator Penny Wong and Minister for International Development and the Pacific Pat Conroy, at the Australian parliament.
He said the agreed announcements would include law and justice, immigration, climate funding, critical infrastructure investments, and scholarships among others.
He reassured both Wong and Conroy of the Government’s commitment to its traditional security partners in working with them to securing the peace and stability of the region, hence, dispelling suggestions that PNG is entering into a security cooperation with China.
Tkatchenko, in acknowledging Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s reciprocal invitation to Marape to address the Australian parliament, stressed that key common issues had been progressed in the bilateral partnership between the two countries and the need to implement them, including the implementation of the Bilateral Security Agreement and the labour mobility schemes such as Palm.