O’Neill says Aussie funding not addressing safety, security

FORMER prime minister Peter O’Neill has questioned Australia’s direct funding of the Papua New Guinea government, saying “it is not helping the safety and security of our country that is now virtually at war”.’
“The Australian taxpayer pumps in around K500 million in Australian dollars to the PNG Budget each year, only to be spent by the Marape government any way they wish,” O’Neill said in a statement.
“Instead of directly funding Australian-managed and procured aid projects under the Albanese-led Government, these funds are deposited directly into the PNG national budget to be spent at the whim of the Marape regime.
“While I respect Australia’s geopolitical strategies, and that they may believe Marape is easy to control by giving him a rugby league team in the NRL and massive amounts of cash, it is not helping the safety and security of our country that is now virtually at war.”
Marape, who announced a 14-day state of emergency on Friday, said Wednesday’s unrest was done “in a planned manner by what seems to be a mob that went from place to place, setting fire to shops”.
O’Neill blamed Australia for “turning a blind eye to the destruction of our country in the name of keeping James Marape on side for geopolitical reasons that have nothing to do with the welfare of Papua New Guineans”.
He blamed the violence in Port Moresby last week on the “increase in tax levied against the pays of public servants, huge unemployment and unaffordable cost of living”.
“Our people are frustrated and desperate and have lost faith in their Government,” O’Neill said.
Meanwhile Opposition Leader Joseph Lelang said Marape should resign as he has lost control of managing the affairs of the country.
“A normal thinking Prime Minister will respect himself and resign.
“He cannot continue to stay in office against so much carnage, misery, loss of lives and hundreds of millions of kina lost by business houses during last week’s riots,” he said
“Our business houses and people are hurting and are suffering under your leadership. Your policies have failed. Debt is out of control, inflation has gone through the roof, foreign exchange shortages, and rising unemployment and crime with no end in sight,” he said.
Meanwhile, Marape said the decision of some MPs to leave the Government ranks was to be expected, saying the coalition government had 105 MPs.
“If five or 10 want to leave, it’s their right. But my coalition government will still have the numbers.”