P. M~ s FE. OFFICE 2. Apr. 92 9: 48 No. O05 F. 0I
PRIME MINISTER
SPEECH BY THL PRIME MINISTER, THE HON P J KEATING, IO
PNG OFFICIAL DINNER, PORT MORESBY
7: 35PM FRIDAY, 24 APRIL 1992
Thank you for inviting me here. I am very grateful for the
welcome you have given me, and for the opportunity to
speak to you tonight.
It is 20 years since I first v4sited Papua New Guinea. I
was an Opposition backbencher in the entourage of an
Australian leader who was to leave his mark on the history
of both our countries, Edward Gough Whitlam.
Cough Whitlam was one of those Australians Who had no
difficulty rec6nciling his love of classical European
civilisation and institutions, with a passionate
Australian nationalism and genuine excitement at the
prospect of the countries of this region emerging Into the
world independent and strong.
one of the places he was excited about, of course, was
Papua New Guinea. He was a great believer in this country
and so much that you have done since independence
Justifies his faith.
It is a pleasure to have the opportunity to visit Papua
New Guinea again.
The occasion of this visit, the commemoration of the
sacrifices made by our countrymen and women during the PNC
campaign of World War II, adds to the privilege.
Australia and Papua New Guinea are close neighbours,
enduring friends and partners involved in and benefiting
from the world's most dynamic region.
During the past decade, the economies of North and Southeast
Asia have been expanding at approximately twice the
world average.
Australia and Papua New Guinea are strategically
positioned at the southern reach of this dynamic Asia-
Pacific region.
We both know that we must seize the opportunity.
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We both know that we Must engage in the region as never
before. This is why, on my first overseas tour as Prime minister,
I AM Visiting Indonesia and Papua New Guinea.
In Indonesia my object was to restore and enliven the
relationship with a close neighbour which is destined to
play an increasingly dynamic role in the region and the
world, It soems to me that. the degree of our success in building
bridges into Asia and the broader Asia-Pacific might will
be the measure by which future generations will Judge us.
That is Why I say strengthening our regional linkages,
initiating dialogue, multiplying our common interests
through widening our trading relationships these
mneasures will stay true to the interests of the new
generations of Australians.
It will be hard work. it will require imagination and
tenacity. There will be setbacks.
This is an historic opportunity and that for any~
responsible government is the same thing as a necessity.
Like the region around us, both Papua New Guinea and
Australia have changed profoundly since 1975, when you
became independent.
Papua NeJw Guinea has made remarkable progress in building
a nation. You have hold fast to the principles of
parliamentary democracy, social justice and human rights,
which you established for yourselves under your
consti tut ion.
It i* a tribute to thie people of Papua New Guinea, that
the democratic process, in which you are now engaged
again, remains so vigorous and competitive.
But even with your relatively Short constitutional
history, you, like othors of us, have recognised that
constitutions can always be improved. You have
introduced important constitutional reforms designed to
make Papua NeW Guinea's democracy work More effectively.
Your economy has grown and diversified. And you have
taken some difficult decisions under your structural
adjustment program to make your economy more competitive
and to help it cope with the stresses imposed by the
consequence of the Bougainville rebellion.
As a result, real GDP grow by 9 per cent in 1991, an
impressive achievement by any measure.
On the Bougainville situation, I should restate here
Frfs FRE"-i:' OFF ICE c. ipr 92 9 4 tN o. 0C' 55'. CI3
Auttralia's fi. rm belief that the problems on that island,
which is an integral part of Papua Now Guinea, can only be
reeolved by Papua New Guineans themselves.
We hope that that resolution will be achieved peacefully,
because it is only through discussion that reconciliation
Can take place.
Australia has made it clear that we are willing to help
with the reconstruction that will be needed on
Bougainville. In the meantime we have been glad to assist with the
provision of urgently needed medical supplies. We
believe it is important that humanitarian asgistance
continue to reach the people of Bougainville. We want to
worX with the P'apua Now Guinea government to facilitate
such help.
Like Papua New Guinea, Au~ jtralial too, has changed
greatly since you bu~ came independent.
We have shaken off our cultural and 4tconornic torpor.
We have had to undergo sometimes painful economic
restructuring. we have had to transform our industrial and labour
practices.
We have had to overcome our complacency and our
prejudices, and to recast our view of the world and
ourse lves.
Such fundamental changes have had profound implications,
not only for the structure and competitiveness of the
Australian economy, but for the way we engage with our
neighbours. There is perhaps no more telling example of this than the
changing nature of ) Xustralia's relationship with Papua New
Guinea.-That relationship is no longer based on the persistence of
old ties with the colonial past. It is based instead on
the fundamental principles of political and economic
sovereignty and mutual respect articulated in the 1987
Joint Declaration of Principles.
Since the signing of the Joint Declaration of Principles,
our two countries have reached other agreements on trade
and comiiercial relations, security co-operation and
development assistance.
All these agreements share a commn theme: they recognise
the right and need for Papua N4ew Guinea to ta)~ e
responsibility for its own problems, with its own
resources, while signalling Australia's tustained
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commuTitment to assisting in the development of Papua New
Guinea's national self-reliance.
One Cf the relationship's strengths is the " habit of
contact" which has developed between us.
Prime Minister* Namaliu has visited Australia twice since
taking off ice, and I am pleased to have so early an
opportunity to visit Papua New Guinea.
The Australia-Papua New Guinea Ministerial Forum has
becom~ e a valuable mechanism for contact between Ministers.
Its broadening agenda now covers regional and bilateral
economic relations, development co-operation, internal and
regional security and the environment.
Our respective Parliaments hiave worked to develop contacts
anld exchanges.
But parliamentary, mininterial even Prime Ministerial
contact is not the sole measure of a relationship.
Contact between Australia and Papua New Guinea has most
importantly been a story of contract between people.
That contact has left on both sides a most important
legacy of understandSng and goodwill.
As I began by saying, one particular aspect of that legacy
is the main reason I am here. I have come to mark the
achievements of Australia's forces in Papua New Guinea
durin7 World War Two, and of the Papua New Guineans, both
in uniform and out, who assisted them.
That asbistance hats left an enduring mark on our
relationship. Quite literally, Papuians and New Guineans
helped to save Australia in 1942.
The Australian and PNG media have recently carried reports
about unresolved compcensation claims for some of the PNG
carriers who assisted Australian forces in the PNG
campaign. I under~ tand that. this issue was discussed by the
Australian~ and PNG Governments during the 1980s.
Australia agreed with the PHO proposal that the PNG
Government be responsible for handling any outstanding
claims. The Australian Government, therefore, feels it should not
intrude unilaterally into this issue. At the same time,
considering the invaluable contribution the PNG carriers
made to tho war effort, we are not happy if genuine claims
for compensation have not been dealt with.
We suggest the best approach Is for the P140 Government to
advise us if there are any outstanding aspects of this
issue that we need to reconsider together.
r . M's FPRESS OFFICE 25 Apr .92-9i tNCoJ. C3L5 F. C'
The Australian Government's basic position is that all
worthy claims for compensation should be treated
Sympathatically on their Perits.
I will be discussing this issue with Prime Minister
N& maliu tomorrow.
Ladies and gentlemen, even now, over 11,000 Australians
live and work in Papua New Guinea, helping to contribute,
like many before them, to Papua New Guinea's development.
Many Papua New Guineans, including Several ministers in
the present Cabinet, have received part of their education
and training in Australia.
This people-to-people contact underpinis an expanding
economic partnership. Two-way trade in 1991 reached a
record $ 1.7 billion, or more than 1.2 billion kina. This.
was a 48 per cent incroase over the preceding year. Our
trade is now roughly in balance.
Investment is another im~ portant dimenuion of the economic
partnership. Australian investment in Papua New Guinea
now exceeds $ 1.5 billion. A further $ 3 billion in
investment is in prospect over the next 5 years.
Continued economic growth in Papua New Guinea will bring a
further expansion of two-way trade as the demand for
imports to underpin productive investment accelerates.
T believe there is a need to look again at the framework
of our bilateral economic relationship.
Although partially revised in 1991, the Papua New Guinea-
Australia Trade and Commercial Relations Agreement of 1977
has become increasingly limited and anachronistic. We
need to examine wider, more reciprocal arrangements which
would more accurately raflect the changing nature of our
economic relationship and the economic realities of our
region. Thre n ore. Eressin? groblem for Papua New Quinea
GIORLI~ ULE~ ihU LII U alJilii a
it so well, Prime Minister, without security, economic
development cannot proceed, and without development,
security cannot be guaranteed.
Austral. ia remains committed tv security and defence cooperation
with Papua New Guinea. The Agreed Statement on
Security Co-operation signed last year by Prime Minister
Hawke underscores that commitment.
out more work needa to be done Le ensure this cooperation
is fully effective. In particular. Papua New Guinea needs
to develop an integrated and comprehensive approach to
security force reform and rosource allocation.
The nature of Austraulia's development assistance to Papua
Now Guinea is also evolving.
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F, . i's FEiOFFICE
Our two Covarnments are agreed that by the year 2000, all
Australian aid currently worth around $ 300 Million a
year will be jointly programmed to meet specific needs.
Our aid program~ will assist Papua New Guinea develop
effective and long-lasting solutions to its problems. it
is designed to help you strengthen the institutions upon
which your country's future depends.
Ultimately, however, the solutions will have to be your
Own.
A self-reliant Papua New Guinea will be better placed to
realise its aspirations and potential as a nation.
We in Australia are confident that the people of Papua New
Guinea have the will and the capabilities to meet the
challenges before you. Those challenges will demand
adaptability, patience, careful planning and
determination. But your country has already demonstrated
all those qualities.
Augtraliant, to an unprecedented degree, have begun to see
their interests and their future as lying in the region.
Papua N~ ew Guineans are doing the same.
Without abandoning your l. inks to the South Pacific, you
have become an observer at ASEAN meetings. You have
consolidated a close relationship with our mutual
neighbour, Indonesia. Your economic ties with Asia are
becoming closer.
You are well placed to act as a successful bridge between
ASEAN and the South Pacific Forum.
I am convinced that neither of us need fear the effects of
greater engagement with the region around us.
The snore we are able to open up our economies, and our
minds, to the outside world, the 1better and more rewarding
will be the quality of our own enduring links.