Carr: Death rate not on

 By MALUM NALU

AUSTRALIAN Foreign Minister  Bob Carr made a fleeting visit to Port Moresby last Friday and Saturday for talks with the PNG government on regional, bilateral and development issues.

Carr had a meeting with Prime Minister Peter O’Neill, Foreign Minister Rimbink Pato and National Planning Minister Charles Abel.

O’Neill and Carr discussed various issues, including preparations ahead of this week’s visit by Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard.

“I want to assure you that preparations are well underway to welcome Prime Minister Gillard later this week,” O’Neill said.

“Our government and people will give her a fitting reception and the hospitality she deserves.”

They also discussed the Manus processing centre for asylum seekers, the government’s legislation to address law and order problems and the government’s commitment to improve infrastructure.

“My government is investing more money to improve infrastructure and address law and order issues,” O’Neill said.

“We want to build a suitable economic base that can provide more investment opportunities for both local and foreign investors to do business in our country.

“We are also moving swiftly to address issues raised by landowners at the LNG project site areas. 

“I wish to assure everyone that our business and investment environment is stable. We want to be creative and provide opportunity for others who can participate in this country’s development by doing what is right for everyone.” 

O’Neill is scheduled to host     Gillard at a dinner at Parliament House.

 She is expected to depart                  on Saturday.

Gillard’s visit comes only a couple of weeks after Australian Governor-General Quentin Bryce’s five-day tour of the country.

Carr told a press conference that Australia’s trade and investment links with PNG were growing.

“We are working together to address challenges in our region such as people-smuggling and encouraging Fiji on its path back to democracy,” he said.

Carr also addressed the Burnet Institute’s “Healthy mothers healthy babies” fundraising dinner in Port Moresby last Friday.

“It is unacceptable that a woman in PNG is 80 times more likely to die during child-birth than a woman in Australia – particularly when the causes are largely avoidable,” he said.

“Australia is working in partnership with the government of PNG to improve the health of mothers and babies through our aid programme.

“We will provide 1,400 in-country scholarships for training midwives, nurses and community health workers by 2015 and procure and distribute essential medical supplies to all of PNG’s hospitals and health centres – 2,700 health facilities in total this year.

“We will also improve access to family planning services, including distributing around 20 million condoms this year.

“This will build on our existing work that, in 2012 alone, has supported more than 552,000 measles vaccinations for children and training for around 275 health workers (midwives, doctors, nurses and pharmacists). 

“We can’t do this work alone.” 

Carr last visited PNG last December to co-chair the PNG-Australia Ministerial Forum.