Aust to ensure trade continues

By DALE LUMA
THE Australian government will continue to work with Papua New Guinea to reopen borders normalise business and trade, Australian minister for international development and the Pacific senator Zed Seselja says.
Seselja told the 2021 PNG Mining and Petroleum Conference and Exhibition yesterday that over AU$340 million (about K854 mil) in the Coronavirus (Covid-19) support to the country to archive this.
He said the Covid-19 had enormous effects on businesses and Australia had worked with the country’s national airline Air Niugini to ensure commercial flights to Australia did not stop.
“We also recognise the importance of fly-in-fly-out workers in the mining and petroleum sectors,” he said. “So we have worked closely with businesses and state governments in Australia to support travel exemptions arrangements for these workers.
“Likewise we have assisted the PNG Government in pre-departure flight tests at Jackson international airport in Port Moresby.
“Since Nov 1, Australia has been gradually relaxing its border restrictions under a risk based approach to reopening.” Seselja said Australia’s support had also been buffering the economy through loans and grants to help mitigate the worst economic impacts of the pandemic.
“We have been encouraged by progress on some major resource project negotiations this year. Namely the Papua LNG and Pnyang (gas agreements).
“Getting these negotiations over the line will improve economic certainty and over the construction phase, stimulate urgently needed investment.
“We know that business requires a predictable operating environment, certainty around mining, oil and gas legislations will encourage investment in PNG.”
Seselja encouraged ongoing discussions between industry and government on new policies regarding tax and other regulations.