O’Neill: Help us to develop

Main Stories, National
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The National, Friday 30th of November, 2012

“HELP us develop the country but do so by getting behind us, not alongside us or ahead of us doing your own thing.”
That, in a sentence, is what Prime Minister Peter O’Neill has been telling Australia this week as he sells his historic K13 billion budget.
In Sydney to the Lowy Institute yesterday, O’Neill said he wanted Australian development assistance programme to closely align with PNG’s own funded priorities in order to lift living standards and opportunities in the areas of education and training, health care and on essential infrastructure.
“In general, my view is we are best served and Australia is best served by your aid supporting and strengthening our own priorities such as rebuilding our major highways and expanding roads and services that our rural majority need.
“The budget we brought down over a week ago increases spending on the key medium term social and human development priorities of health, education and law and order by around 50% cent in just one year – from K5 billion this year to K7.5 billion next year.
“The budget also commits K12.1 billion over the next five years for nation building infrastructure – that will enable us to repair rundown roads and sea ports and airports and build the new infrastructure we need if we are to grow agricultural production and maximise the development of our mining gas and other resources.
“I hope we can discuss with our Australian counterparts how we can make sure the generous development assistance programme Australia provides aligns with, and adds to, our own priorities.
“I want your aid to have a two-way benefit. I want it to add to our own key programmes, programmes we are now funding over the medium term, not just the short term and I want it to be widely supported in the Australian community for the constructive contribution it makes to help secure our future – a secure and stable PNG is overwhelmingly in Australia’s national interests as well.”