I am delighted to launch a new Australian Government program aimed at supporting high standards of governance in Pacific states.
The $6 million Pacific Governance Support Programme will fund activities designed to develop public sector expertise in Pacific states, build institutional capacity and strengthen regional approaches to shared problems.
Twenty-one activities will be funded under the program in 2004-05 including measures to improve maritime and aviation security, public sector capacity, financial institutions, electoral processes and judicial administration.
Australia recognises that good governance is vital to the future stability and prosperity of the Pacific region. We are already working with Pacific nations on a range of measures aimed at improving governance and strengthening institutions in the region.
This new program will enhance the opportunity for linkages between Australian government agencies and their Pacific counterparts so that networks can be established and expertise shared. It will be a practical contribution to the Pacific Plan which Pacific leaders have agreed will be developed.
This collaboration may be in areas such as personnel exchanges, training programs, technical assistance or policy research. Activities may be short term or form part of multi-year projects.
The program will be managed by the Australian Government's agency for international development, AusAID.
A list of activities and Commonwealth agencies taking part in the Pacific Governance Support Program in 2004-05 is attached.
8 August 2004
Attachment The activities which will be funded under the PGSP in 2004-05 are:
Australian Electoral Commission - Building Resources in Democracy, Governance and Elections (BRIDGE) course project to train electoral officials Australian Electoral Commission - Biennial Pacific Islands, Australia and New Zealand Electoral Administrators' (PIANZEA) network workshop to facilitate training and policy development Australian Electoral Commission - Implementation of generic voter registration system Australian Prudential Regulatory Authority - Technical assistance and training for prudential regulators Australian Public Service Commission - Strengthening public sector capacity though Pacific public sector work attachments in Australia, support for an annual Public Service Commissioners' Conference and development of emerging public sector leaders in region Australian Securities and Investments Commission - Pacific Securities Regulators training Attorney-Generals - AUSTRAC - Pacific Financial Intelligence Units database project Attorney-Generals - Australian Customs Service - Cargo compliance improvement program Australian Taxation Office - Technical assistance to advance the OECD's Harmful Tax practice initiative Bureau of Meteorology - Support for the Nadi Regional Specialised Meteorological Centre Bureau of Meteorology - Communications infrastructure study on introduction of Radio and Internet for the Communication of Hydro-Meteorological and Climate Related Information (RANET) Commonwealth Ombudsman's Office - South West Pacific ombudsman institutional strengthening project identification study Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry - Effective quarantine systems: Plant biosecurity officer for import risk analyses Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry - Effective quarantine systems: Plant pest risk analysis workshops Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry - Enhancement of the Forum Fisheries Agency (FFA) including through placement of Australian officers in FFA and Pacific officials in counterpart Australian agencies Department of Environment and Heritage - Environment and natural resource management support project Department of Health and Ageing - Collaboration on medicine regulation in PNG and Fiji, extending to other PICs Department of Health and Ageing - Developing a network of senior health policymakers, managers, regulators and administrators through an Australian-sponsored mentoring, training and exchange program Department of Industry, Tourism and Resources - IP Australia: Establishment of a regional mechanism in industrial property management and examination Department of Transport and Regional Services - Enhancing aviation and maritime security Federal Court of Australia - Enhancing judicial and court administration