Power project key in Aust funding

THE PNG electrification partnership programme will be one of the key focus projects in the Australian government’s K1.5 billion development funding assistance for the country, an official says.
Australian High Commission minister counsellor Andrew Egan told The National that this budget would allow the Australian government to continue implementing the undersea cable project and in time that would then be linked into the electrification initiative.
Egan said the centres that could benefit through the project would benefit directly from the new cable that wwould also enable reliable access to electricity to those provinces.
“This is the biggest aid budget ever announced by the Australian government for PNG,” Egan said.
“It’s the first time we’ve broken through A$607.5million (K1.4billion) and that budget will allow us to support PNG in line with the PNG-Australia partnership,” Egan said. He said this budget confirmed the Australian government’s commitment to the Pacific region and PNG in particular.
“It will allow us to continue supporting PNG governments’ priority on infrastructure development, including through our electrification partnership with the goal of connecting 70 per cent of the population to reliable electricity by 2030.
“The budget will allow us to expand our secondary schooling programmes to support learning outcomes in PNG also giving Papua New Guinean children the opportunity to study in Australia,” Egan said.
He said through the support of the budget there would be increased opportunities to support skilled PNG workers, including through the Australian government’s Pacific labour scheme.
Egan said the Australian government would continue expanding support for health service delivery and invest in vital transport infrastructure, including the roads network and Highlands Highway.
He said the budget would support the law and justice sector in PNG through the new PNG Australia Policing Partnership and important gender equality programmes that benefit women and girls.
“We think of the electrification partnership as being new and the secondary school programme allowing PNG students’ access to Australia,” he said.
Egan said the Pacific Labour Scheme was new for PNG and it was about providing opportunities to workers to access job opportunities in Australia.
He added that nominated industries with job opportunities would be created for Papua New Guineans.
“Health will remain a very strong focus of the PNG-Australia partnership,” Egan said.