Example of smooth transition in govt

AS Papua New Guinea launched itself into the 2022 general election another one was concluded south of the border.
Quietly, without much fanfare, Prime Minister Scott Morrison conceded defeat even before all the counting was completed and Australia returned to a Labor administration headed by former Opposition leader Anthony Albanese, the first Australian of Italian extraction to attain the top job.
In his speech, Morrison said it was important that the country had certainty in the leadership at an uncertain time in global affairs.
Albanese slipped in to the job and all is business as usual in the land down under.
It is important for Papua New Guineans to recognise and to emulate this smooth transition of power by our oldest and closest ally and friend.
What is this that Morrison refers to as “uncertain times” for which he reckons Australia should meet with forthrightness and certainty.
Morrison is leaving an economy that is experiencing strong expansion according to the May Monetary Policy statement.
Despite the slowdown in global growth, the Australian domestic outlook is supported by the substantial boost to national income from high commodity prices and robust growth in private consumption and investment.
GDP is forecast to grow by more than four per cent over 2022 and by two per cent over 2023.
Strong demand for labour is forecast which should see unemployment rate decline in this and next year.
The only sources for uncertainty stated in the May Monetary Policy report include future evolution of Covid-19, changes in price and wage setting behaviour at historically low levels of unemployment and the responses of firms and asset prices to higher inflation and interest rates.
Where there is uncertainty in Australia as in PNG and everywhere else is climate change.
Australia as a nation is getting hotter and it is prone to bushfires which have ravaged a great part of our neighbour at huge costs to private and public property and lives.
At the other extreme and perhaps global warming related as well are the heavy deluges in parts of Australia such as in Queensland.
Morrison was criticised much over his policies on climate change and it is an area that Albanese might introduce more clarity if he sticks to his comments when in the opposition.
There is certainly a lot of uncertainty in the Pacific following China’s security pact with the Solomon Islands and its draft China-Pacific Island Countries Common Development Vision.
This vision, following China’s Road and Belt Initiative, upset Australia and US leadership with strategic interests in the region and Canberra as well as Washington are no doubt working hard at shoring up their support and presence in the region.
That will be the reason new foreign minister Penny Wong had flown to Fiji with the election dust hardly settling at home, ahead of her Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi’s proposed visit to the Pacific.
The Albanese government has blamed his predecessor for complacency in allowing China to expand its influence and has announced plans to increase development aid in the coming budget and in the future.
It has put climate policy at the arrowhead of its diplomatic efforts in the region.
Australia will obviously see the PNG elections and the incoming government as part of that uncertain area Morrison referred to with PNG’s existing friendly relations with China.
With an economy basically in shambles at this point the incoming government will be looking to all friendly parties for urgently needed support and succour.
However it turns out, PNG’s future government in July will do well to follow the example of our older friend to the south, to play less politics in the formation of government, to concede without too much politics and to put the interest of the nation before parochial and selfish interests.
That will help.