Source document: https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/1698054777023.pdf (Papua New Guinea)
THIRD DAY Thursday 28 August 2014 DRAFT HANSARD Subject; Page No.

; MATTER OF PUBLIC IMPORTANCE - MATERNAL MORTALITY AND MORBIDITY RATE PETITION ., .„.
QUESTIONS DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH - ANNUAL MANAGEMENT REPORT 2013 - PAPER AND STATEMENT - MOTION TO TAKE NOTE OF PAPER MOTION BY LEAVE ; SUSPENSION OF STANDING ORDERS - REARRANGEMENT OF BUSINESS WESTERN PACIFIC UNIVERSITY BILL 2014 MESSAGE FROM THE GOVERNOR-GENERAL MOTION BY LEAVE SUSPENSION OF STANDING ORDERS - REARRANGEMENT OF BUSINESS EXCISE TARIFF (AMENDMENT) BILL 2014 CUSTOMS TARIFF (AMENDMENT) BILL 2014 MOTION BY LEAVE SUSPENSION OF STANDING ORDERS - REARRANGEMENT OF BUSINESS PERMANENT PARLIAMENTARY COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC WORKS - DISCHARGE AND APPOINTMENT OF CHAIRMAN .1 2 2 17 32 .,..32 33 35 36 36 36 37 38 38 39 PERMANENT PARLIAMENTARY COMMITTEE ON PENSIONS AND RETIREMENT BENEFITS - DISCHARGE AND APPOINTMENT OF CHAIRMAN 39 PERMANENT PARLIAMENTARY COMMITTEE ON CITIZEN ADVISORY - APPOINTMENT OF CHAIRMAN PERMANENT PARLIAMENTARY COMMITTEE ON CONSTITUTIONAL LAW REFORM COMMISSION - APPOINTMENT OF CHAIRMAN ADJOURNMENT 39 39 40 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES CORRECTIONS TO DAILY DRAFT HANSARD The Draft Hansard is unconnected.
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LEE Acting Principal Parliamentary Reporter THIRD DAY Thursday 28 August 2014 The Speaker, (Mr Theo Zurenuoc) took the Chair at 10 a.m.
There being no quorum present, the Speaker stated that he would resume the Chair after the ringing of the bells.

Sitting suspended.

The Speaker again took the Chair at 10.20 a.m., and invited the Member for Lae, Honourable Loujaya Toni, to say Prayers: 'Eternal heavenly father, the God of Papua New Guinea whom we are in covenant with.

We thank you for this honourable House, the Speaker, our Prime Minister, who is the chief executive officer of this nation and all the members.
As we stand before you this morning we come with our inabilities and inadequacies.

We repent on behalf of our families and our people we ask this morning that you cover us with the precious blood of Jesus and you inspire us with your presence and wisdom and understanding as we deliberate on the many agendas of our country.

Lord we give you all the glory, honour and praise and we affirm and confirm together as we say the Lord's prayer confirming that we are called by your name.
Amen' MATTER OF PUBLIC IMPORTANCE - MATERNAL MORTALITY AND MORBIDITY RATE Mr SPEAKER - I have to inform Parliament that Honourable Ken Fairwheather, Member for Sumkar has proposed that a definite matter of public importance be submitted to Parliament for discussion namely the maternal mortality and morbidity rate in Papua New Guinea.

The proposed discussion did not receive the necessary support.
PETITION Small Holders Coffee Growers Association Mr Sam Basil presented a petition from certain electors of the Small Holders Coffee Growers Association praying that the Government consider the concerns and issues which are important to promote, develop and expand the Coffee industry where more than three million people of the highlands and the coastal provinces are involved in.

Petition received and read.


02/03 QUESTIONS Mr JOE SUNGI - Thank you Mr Speaker, for giving me this opportunity to ask my question and for recognizing the people of Nuku.

Mr Speaker, my question is to the Minister for Works Department.

I have heard that JICA has assisted the Department of Works by donating some machinery and I also heard that some of these machines will be sent to Wewak.
So, I would like to ask the Minister to inform this to Parliament and the people of East and West Sepik weather these machines will be used to complete road works on the two Highways in the Sepik Provinces.

The road linking Wewak to Aitape along the coast, the coastal highway and the other one from Wewak to Yangoru, Maprik, Drekikir, Nuku and to Lumi this two highways are the national highways for East and West Sepik.
Mr Speaker, can the Minister outline his plans to develop the highway and what are his plans for the machines?

Thank you, Mr Speaker.

Mr FRANCIS AWESA - Thank you, Mr Speaker, I would like to thank the Honourable Member of Nuku for his question.

I would like to give a detailed answer tomorrow after I consult my department about the use of the equipment which were given by JICA including other work we are undertaking by using private contractors.

Thank you, Mr Speaker.


Mr HA VILA KAVO - Thank you, Mr Speaker for recognizing the people of Gulf.

I direct my question to the Minister for Inter-Government Relations and ask the Minister for Finance and Treasury to take note.

Gulf Province is still facing disaster as of today as I speak.

My provincial government has contributed up to half a billion to help those who are badly affected by the disaster.
This morning I got calls from the mountains between Morobe and Gulf in Kaintiba, that the disaster is also affecting them.

The services like food supply and other things have not even reached them as I speak today.

I believe the government had made a commitment of K5 million and K3 million was supposed to go to the people of Gulf province, as of today that money has not reached my people and my people are still suffering.

Thank you, Mr Speaker.


Mr LEO DION — Thank you Mr Speaker, for this very important question that the Governor of Gulf has raised.

Firstly, I would like to apologise of the situation which has occurred in the Gulf province, unfortunately it is a natural disaster and we cannot avoid it but it has affected our population.

To answer your question directly, through the information that I received the funds were released immediately after it was processed through the system.
03/03 I apologise to the Member and I will give an undertaking to look into the matter and also seek advice from the Treasury Office as to where that funding is supposed to be today.

Mr NIXON MANGAPE - Mr Speaker, I direct my question to the Minister for Works.

Mr Speaker, this is the second time that I will be asking this question and to date nothing has been done.

Since the closer of the Bougainville Copper Mine the Porgera Gold Mine has single handedly shouldered this countries economy.
Mr SPEAKER - Honourable Member, according to the Standing Orders you are not allowed to repeat the same questions on the Floor.

That question has already been answered.

Please take your seat.

3 Mr PETER ISOAIMO - Mr Speaker, I direct my question to the Deputy Prime Minister and the Minister for Inter-Government Relations and I would like the Attorney General and Minister for Justice to take note.
Mr Speaker, so much has been done regarding increase in Members of Parliament salaries and remunerations packages and I commend this Government and this Parliament.

But I am concerned about the frontier of the public service serving in the Wards in particular the councilors, magistrates and the peace officers.

The Government gave the undertaking that it will pay these public servants in this years Budget.
Up until today I have received too many complaints in my electorate for the delay in this entitlement payout.

Can the Minister responsible tell the people of this country and my electorate on who is responsible in paying out these hardworking public servants, whether it is the Department of Inter-Government Relations and Local-Level-Government or the Attorney-General's Office?
The funds are already parked in the provincial administration to pay these workers so what is the real problem that is causing this delay for over 7 months now?

Mr LEO DION - Mr Speaker, I thank the Member for Kairuku/Hiri for his very important question that is affecting the last line of workforce in the government sector.

Mr Speaker, let me acknowledge and thank this Government through its wisdom to officially recognize the workforce back in the rural or ward level after 39 years of independence.
I thank the Government regarding the policy decision and I also give credit to the former Attorney General who was behind all this through a contentious decision by the NEC to pay all the ward members and our village court officials.

Mr Speaker, I am sorry that the process is taking too long but a policy decisions was made in the NEC as well as the allocation of certain funding that was also made in relation to paying these people.
The process is that for all the provincial Governors as well as the Open Members of Parliament must corporate in sending the data information that is required for this exercise to the Provincial Affairs and Local Level Government Department and it will be processed and verified and it can go through a submission through determination to the Treasury for the actual funding that was allocated to be released for payment.
Mr Speaker, I sincerely apologise as that as not come following pressures put by Governors and I appeal to them to assist my Department in making sure that the relevant information is forwarded.

04/03 Mr Speaker, I also want to ask the Governors to assist my Department by making sure that relevant information comes through so that everybody will be processed together.
It is likely that the payments to these people will be backdated; not in fact likely but it will be backdated to the time when the NEC decided to pay them.

So, it is in a way a forceful savings but at the moment, the provincial governments and districts through their internal revenue and depending on their economy are paying for the allowances that were supposed to be paid before this decision was made.

Anyone who is not paying them, I think it is their moral obligation to do so.
Thank you and I hope, I have answered the question.

Mr EZEKIEL ANISI - Thank you Mr Speaker for recognising the people of Ambunti-Drekikir.

Mr Speaker, I direct my questions to the Minister for Justice and Attorney-General which is in relation to the new Sorcery Act.

Mr SPEAKER - Honourable Member, the Minister is not available so I will reserve your right to ask the question later.
Mr JOHN SIMON — Thank you Mr Speaker, I wish to direct my question to the Minister Public Enterprise but since he is not present, I re-direct it to the Prime Minister.

Mr Speaker, before I raise my question, I want to thank you for giving; the Assistant Speakers opportunity to travel overseas on behalf of this Parliament to attend conferences.

I will present a detailed statement next week for the trips that I took firstly, to a Pacific Parliamentary Regional Conference in Samoa and another one to Taiwan.
My question is not related to these trips.

It is in relation to in-flight services provided by Air Niugini our national airline.

Is Minister for Public Enterprise aware, that biscuits served as refreshments were made in Australia and the bottled water is manufactured in Fiji.

Is this bottled water from Fiji sweeter than the ones manufactured in Papua New Guinea?

Why are we not promoting the PNG made products?


Air Niugini is our national airline and it should be promoting our products because at the end of the day we create employment opportunity and we should encourage what we preach about.

So, is the Minister for Public Enterprise aware that Air Niugini is not promoting Papua New Guinea made products on our national airlines?
Mr PETER O'NEILL - I thank the honourable Member for Maprik for this very important question because we have to promote our own industries and it does not display well when we promote products that are produced elsewhere.

The products in Papua New Guinea create employment for our people.

So I will certainly bring this issue up with the Minister concerned so that he can direct them.
I know, sometimes they want to save costs so they go out and source some of these products everywhere around the world because it may be cheaper but we should not look for pricing all the time.

If products that are made in Papua New Guinea particularly biscuits, water and other products used by the airlines, I think, it is important that we must also note that it also employs Papua New Guineans and feeds families in many of these factories throughout the country.
Regardless of pricing, they must try their best to promote our own products and I agree with the honourable Member that we have to do everything possible so we display Papua New Guinean made products internationally.

05/03 I will talk to the Minister and we will direct them to change the product lines to be served on the airlines.
Mr SASINDRAN MUTJJUVEL - My questions are directed to the Minister for Sports and despite the success of our two athletes at the recent Commonwealth Games, (1) What was the real outcome of these games?

(2) Can he consider a tax exemption on the provinces that will be hosting the PNG Games, like the Pacific Games whereby allowing the industries to participate?

Mr JUSTIN TKACHENKO -1 thank the Governor of West New Britain for his questions.
Two weeks ago I represented Papua New Guinea in Glasgow Scotland as the Minister responsible for Sports to support team PNG at the Commonwealth Games.

As you all know we came out with two Gold medals through weightlifting and most importantly team PNG has made us proud.

From 96 athletes that represent the country, two Gold Medals brought us up to 16th place out of 70 countries in the Commonwealth.
The result was the first of its kind and I thank the Prime Minister and the Government for the support to team PNG.

There was a lot of personal bests and records broken by our athletes and many achieved higher goals at respective levels.

It was a testing point for the athletes to get them prepared for the South Pacific Games in 2015.
And to see where we are in the pacific against our neighbours, getting ready for this fantastic event coming in July 4th 2015, this has really put an indication that we are getting up there in many different ways.

This goes from the 'Go to Gold' program that was introduced by our Government and the Ministry two years ago, where we are actually funding athletes, teams and sporting codes to enhance their abilities and capabilities of being better athletes.
This has really shown also from the results of Wallis and Futuna Mini Games that we have had and now with the Commonwealth games as we head towards the pacific Games we are prepared and hope for better results.

On that question, I want to say to all the Members and to the country that team PNG has made us proud in Glasgow, Scotland and will lead us now to the Commonwealth games in Gold Coast Australia in 2018.

It is closer and we will be much more ready to promote how good our country is.
The sporting revolution of our Government is really making a big impact not only in port Mpresby but throughput }he couflfty and with this yea/s PNG garnes porning up in ]Lae, this will be another area for us to expose our raw talent of the athletes of our country.

Sports affect us in many ways, it brings families together, communities and our country and it will be well put when we host the South Pacific Games next year.
For the tax side of things; there have been 150 per cent deductions for those companies that want to come on board.

7 06/03 The Treasurer and I have signed that submission.

I will discuss that with the Treasurer on future PNG Games whether they can apply or we have to do another legislation to allow for that sort of tax concession to be given to the provinces hosting PNG Games.

I support it because it is a good initiative.


It also will assist us in making sure that we get all business houses on board to give them the benefit of supporting a very worthy cause.

Mr Speaker, finally I would also like to congratulate the 'PNG Mosquitoes'.

Last Thursday the PNG Mosquitoes gave the Ireland AFL Team malaria and knocked them off and won by 3 points to win the International World AFL Cup in Melbourne, Australia.

So, congratulation to the hard work of the PNG Mosquitoes.
Good news is that Queensland AFL has invited PNG AFL into the Queensland AFL competition.

Just like the Hunters doing well in Queensland Rugby Competition.

I believe we are really setting a fantastic precedent for our sport men/women on an international scene.

We are getting invited by our international neighbors to participate in sport in very high level and it is fantastic to see our sport moving forward and improving in a bigger and better way than it is ever done before.
The sporting is improving because we have full support from our Government funding in assisting these sporting coaching that we lack in the past.

Mr GARRY JUFFA - Mr Speaker, my questions are directed to the Minister for Foreign Affairs and I ask the Minister for Public Service and the Prime Minister to take note.

Before I ask questions, I wish to briefly give some background information.
The questions are in relation to the death of Late Denis Taylor Pepeko, a public servant, a Foreign Affairs worker, a diplomat who was killed brutally in his office sometimes in July while at work by a person who has been diagnosed has mentally derailed but still employed as a public servant who accessed the building with a bush knife and attacked and killed the late Denis Taylor Pepeko in his office.
Mr Speaker, it is a very serious issue and this raises security of our public servants and security of information of officers like this.

My questions are as follow: (1) What is the Department doing in relation to the death of Denis Taylor Pepeko in terms of reviewing what occurred.

(1) How did that public servant who was mentally derailed and sacked was allowed access into the building?
8 (2) Is the Department doing anything to review the state of the security of that organization to ensure that the security of the public servants and the vital information security holding that it may have are not accessible by anyone and everyone?

(3) Why is it that the PNG Government continues to rent foreign own entities and pay excessive amount of money when they are unable to provide basic security and basic services?
(4) Can we review that situation and stop renting these buildings because if you visit any of these buildings, they are in deplorable condition, they have very poor security, they are not clean and they do not provide the most minimum of basic requirements for employees but they are foreign owned?

Mr RIMBINK PATO - Mr Speaker, I thank the Governor of Northern for his series of very important questions.
However, Mr Speaker, before I answer the questions, I want to place on record Government's sympathy and department's heart felt sorrow to the family and relatives of the late Denis Taylor Pepeko.

Mr Speaker, late Denis was very articulate, very dedicated, professional and competent officer of the Department of the Foreign Affairs.
07/03 He would have been a model foreign service officer and he was destined to become one of the foremost diplomats and I was looking for a progression in his career at the time he was brutally murdered.

This is something that I would like to speak out on before I answer the questions being raised.
With that, as a result of the horrific murder of the late Dennis Bebego, I have instructed the Department, in particular, the head of the Department to conduct a review of the security operation and the security issues in the new building.

This was one of the first matters that I raised when I moved into the office about two and a half months ago.

This was because as I entered I said to him that, this building does not appear secure and two months after I raised those concerns the officer was murdered.
Therefore, this brought me back to the situation to raise the matter again and as a consequence of that the Department has taken a series of steps including reviewing the overall situation in the building.

They have called the architects who were responsible for the design of the building because the building is quite new.
Therefore, in terms of entry into the premises, what kind of electronic devices should be used to ensure the best protection of the officers of the Department and those that visit our premises, and whether we should rearrange the security set up such that we will have police officers handle personnel from within the Department.

This will ensure the safety of all our people.

So, all of these issues are being looked at and it is not as if we are waiting.
Steps have already been taken quite apart from the fact that the police have also been instructed to look into the matter and the kind of measures that they should take in such situations.

So that it is not only deadlines with the issue of the Department of Foreign Affairs but generally in the Public Service as well.
Therefore, clearly we are taking steps and at some stage when I make a ministerial statement I will explain in detail some of the security issues that are taking place in the Department and with the plans for the APEC Meeting in 2018.

This is because security is an overall concern for all of us and the country.
Therefore, this is a concern well regarded by the Department as well as relevant stakeholders including the Defense Force and Australian High Commission whom I have had meetings with including officers from the Australian Army.

Therefore, all of these issues have been canvassed to give it the focus and attention that it requires.
In relation to the lease of premises, that is not a matter for the Department because in the Public Service there is an Office Allocations Committee, which makes the decision to allocate offices to the different departments of the government.

This is a matter that I will raise with my colleague, the Minister for Public Service.
Also, one of the issues that I have raised is that, and as the Prime Minister was saying in reply to a question earlier; we should be looking to national enterprises and our own people who own buildings so that we can grow the economy and the wealth of our people.

We can have millionaires whom we can be proud of as we grow this country because of the position that PNG is achieving internationally and also in our region.
Therefore, that is clearly a concern that I share with the Governor a^id when we have our own building, which we are planning on when we get some funding from the National Government.

We intend not only to look at the issue of security but see whether we can leverage the issue of ownership so that there can be local partners in the development of a building for the Department of Foreign Affairs, which is the face of our country.

Thank you, Mr Speaker.


10 os/63 Mr RONNY KNIGHT - My questions are directed to the Honourable Minister for Immigration and I want the Minister for Lands, Labour and Environment and Conservation to take serious note and act on these issues.

Mr Speaker, we have been given the Regional Processing Centre which has given our province a boost in development and in restructuring a lot of jobs.
We are grateful for that but what is happening in Manus is not being done according to our laws and I cannot remain silent in the face of constant issues arising and what may occur out of these.

Mr Speaker, the road is horrendous and in the worst state ever in history caused by those heavy trucks.

Why is it taking too long to fix the road?


Mr Speaker, the contractors are still flying in water, toilet paper, and other minor commodities that can be sourced cheaper locally to the benefit of them as well as our business community.

The manner of companies coming in to Manus without Manus content is deplorable, Mr Speaker.

These people have no respect for the locals and local businesses.
For example, to replace BNG Trading, a fully nationally owned company with an outside company without a local track record is deplorable, Mr Speaker.

They cannot even compete with BNG in prices but still they were preferred over PNG, that's just an example.

We've been told time and time again of the hundreds of jobs the citizens working at the RPC are holding but these are menial jobs.

How many are management positions and those that apply for substantive positions are told that they are over qualified.
Mr Speaker, we are advised that the current contractor is expecting machinery ranging from vehicles to lifting equipment as well as earthmoving equipment and machinery which is being given by the Australian Department of Immigration and Border Protection for their use, that includes hire cars and everything.

What about those minor companies that have joint venture agreements with mainland companies already serving the RPC?

They have been told that they will be used if workload increases.
Mr Speaker, we have expatriates doing work not specified in their work permits like hooking up containers, driving bobcats and stevedoring without a concern that there are capable local companies on the ground to do these jobs.

They say that Lombrum is not in the port limits.

This does not excuse them from abusing the law, Mr Speaker, stevedoring is a regulated activity and no foreigner should be doing these activities.

Mr Speaker, we have an issue with arrogance here.


I myself have witnessed these expatriates drinking in the Momote Terminal before boarding their flights to Port Moresby.

If 11 they were locals, Mr Speaker, they would have been denied boarding and probably be beaten up and locked up in the cells.

I have heard further complaints of our locals being abused verbally and sworn at, Mr Speaker, I don't think they can do any of these in their own country, why are we allowing them to do it in ours.
Mr Speaker, Los Negros has become a dumping ground for asbestos chemicals, old building materials and bio-rubbish.

At the same time, Mr Speaker, they are still taking sand, gravel, and rocks from State held agricultural leases and degrading these blocks irreparably.

Mr Speaker, advise this honourable House that the disenfranchised people and communities in Manus are preparing to take action which may jeopardize this whole process and I sympathize with the huge work done in vain.
I can continue but I know you will become bored so I will leave it at this but my questions are: 1) Is the Minister aware of these issues and if so can you make sure that the laws of the land apply?

2) Can the Ministers send someone competent to be based there to make sure that those work permits and visa holders whose blatant infractions are prevalent may be dealt with?
3) I've raised most of these issues relating to the extraction of gravel and fuel from the State land and the Minister for Lands advised that it was totally against the law.

Why they are still allowed to do it under our watch?

4) Is the Minister aware that there will be a mass civil unrest if these issues are not dealt with quickly?

5) Can those ministries concerned which I have mentioned work together as a task force to address these problems and charge and deport those flaunting our laws?
Mr RIMBINK PATO - Thank you Mr Speaker, and I thank the Honourable Member for Manus for those questions.

I think the questions raised are very serious issues and I would encourage the Member to put them in writing and pass them on to me so that I would get the relevant stakeholders, including our Immigration and Citizenship Services Authority as well as the Australian Government to look into them.

12 But, generally, if I may make few comments I will answer to the questions in this manner.
Just last week after the Cabinet deferred discussions on the resettlement of refugees policy I invited a number of colleague ministers to visit the work of the Regional Processing Centre on Manus Island and to del with some of those issues which the Member has raised and which Members of the Cabinet had the opportunity to raise the same issue which resulted in the deferment of the Refugee Resettlement Policy Determination.

So I took the Minister for Finance and Minister Community Development to Manus.
We had the opportunity to meet with the Governor of Manus.

The Honourable Members Office was properly represented by very competent officers who also raised the same issue.

I have made notes of this issue and have prepared a report which has been forwarded to the Prime Minister and the colleague ministers who visited the Regional Processing Centre in Manus last week.

09/03 This matter will be dealt with in Cabinet.


Clearly, this is a concern of this government to ensure that those who do business in our country whether in partnership or on their own accord must comply with the laws of our land.

That is the function of this Parliament including everyone in the government institutions.

We must ensure that the legal requirements are met.
These very serious matters and the issue of local participation, compliance with laws, Manus content, and the rehabilitation of road from Momote to Lorengau, which I have raised hut and I will continue to raise them again under the resettlement processing arrangements with Australia.

There are monthly meetings with the Australian Foreign Minister and the Minister for Immigration where such issues are raised to find a common ground.
If they are not resolved then there is a team from the Department of Immigration in Australia as well as Immigration Citizenship Services will then discuss those matters in detail and provide appropriate briefing for us.

But the important thing to remember is that the processing tender is built out of funding provided by the Australian Government and all contracts are awarded in relation to all aspect of the processing centers operation under the Australian Law.
So the important point is that we are partners.

13 Mr Speaker, many of my colleague ministers who have attended the ministerial meetings in Australia are fully aware of the way in which I have raised the concerns and issues of the people of Manus in this particular arrangement.

Mr Speaker, it is our concern to ensure that whatever the development abilities the Australian government put there must be a legacy for the people of Manus, Papua New Guinea and for this government.
So, your concerns are our concerns and they will be raised in the usual manner in the bilateral discussions which are ongoing with the Australian government.

Supplementary Question Mr GARRY JUFFA - Thank you Mr Speaker, throughout the entire country we continue to see the abuse of Papua New Guineans by foreigners even to the point where they are attacking them.

They are feeding junks to our people and running businesses illegally.

(1) Why do they have to breach provisions?


(2) Can the Minister explain whether the Immigration office has the capacity to investigate this type of allegation?

(3) Can the Minister explain if the Immigration Department is functioning?

The Department should cancel these peoples visas and deport them because if you were in their country I tell you, you will be leaving on the plane the next day should you engage in that type of behavior.
Mr Speaker, we have been accommodating such behavior for far too long.

Mr RIMBINK PATO - Thank you Mr Speaker, because the question is not specific and it does not relate to a particular incident I will only give a general reply.

I am not sure if the Standing Order requires specific questions to be raised that relates to specific incidents so that I can answer with clarity.

But clearly, these are matters of concerns and we are in a country which is governed by a rule of law.
We have a Constitution and a Migration Act.

10/03 We have the immigration regulation and the criminal legislation which applies to criminal conduct, if there is an issue then there is a process by which those issues can be 14 addressed and if it's criminal behaviour or breach of the immigration legislation there are procedures and processes by which those issues can be addressed.
I have said it in the past and I will not detract from that statement, in terms of many of our institutions of Government the PNG Immigration and Citizenship Services is one of the most efficient organisations that I have come to deal in my courier as a politician.
In the previous years I used to be on the other side and watched that organisation closely on behalf of other people but I now see that they are very functional and effective in answering all of the requisitions that I put to them in terms of implementation of Government policy.

We are ready, if there is an issue that you have with a particular officer of the Department please raise it with me and I will take personal attention to ensure that those issues are addressed.
But it is important to be particular so I can give specific answers as well as while addressing issues of concern from our leaders.

Mr JOE KOIM KOMUN - Thank you Mr Speaker.

Firstly I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Government and the Prime Minister on the allocation of K200 million to Bank South Pacific for housing loans .Housing is a basic need of humanity and some of us Members are rolling out housing programs.
I would like to ask the Prime Minister to clarify which people would qualify to obtain loans from BSP to build their houses.

It is all Papua New Guineans or is it only public servants?

Because those of us who are rolling out housing programs, we have committed substantial amount of money.
In my electorate we have committed Kl million last year and this year we committed another Kl million to roll out our housing program and I have told my people that the Government has put K200 million in BSP so they are qualified to obtain housing loans so they should be ready.

So can the Prime Minister tell the people of Papua New Guinea, if my people have qualified in this instance?

Mr PETER O'NEILL - Thank you Mr Speaker, and I thank the Honourable Member for Anglimp South Waghi for his question.
Mr Speaker, we do have a program which we are going to launch with the Bank of South Pacific.

In fact, it was supposed to be launched today but the Bank has asked us to 15 defer it to next week when all the board of directors can be present and I urge all the Members and the public who are interested to come and witness that launching because it is a major initiative of both the Bank and the Government.
Mr Speaker, the Government is putting K200 million as a deposit in the Bank but will be prioritized to be only lent to our citizens and it is a money that will still be a property of the State of Papua New Guinea so every year we can continue to add it up so that we can assist more Papua New Guineans who want to own houses in their own country and that is the challenge we have.
The proposal put forward by the Government to BSP was kindly accepted by the Bank that they have a longer term of the loan repayment.

Many of those who own homes now know very well that the Banks have been lending money to their customers for very short period of time for up to seven to ten years and as a result the pressure to repay that money back to the Banks have been very high and the amounts have been quite high and many Papua New Guineans could not afford it.
This is why the Government's aim was to make housing affordable and we have been able to arrange with the bank and agreed that it well be a 40 year repayment term and transferable from family members and that it will be at four per cent per annum fixed interest rate.

The interest rate can never be changed for the term of the loan.

I want to say to all Papua New Guineans that these kind of arrangement is not found in many places even in places like Australia.

They have up to 25 years repayment terms.


Therefore 40 years is very lenient timing for repayment and with a very low interest rate there are no other bank charges so I urge every Papua New Guineans who have some income coming through their pockets, don't waste it.

Try and own a home so you can give yourself and your family a better standard of living.
The Government will continue to support that program because I can assure you that money will continue to remain as the property of the people and the State.

The second issue is, I congratulate the Member and other members of this House who are starting their own district housing programs.

The Government has allocated almost K60 million this year in the budget.
The National Planning Minister through the Department of National Planning is putting aside Kl million to all the districts for Public Service Housing for our government workers who are living in that area.

The arrangement was that the members through their DSIP and districts will put K500 000 and the Governors will put K500 000, with the two million kina in total, with the funding of one million from the National Government we can build up to ten houses per district each year over the next few 16 years.
Our aim is to get at least 30 or 40 houses over the next term of this Parliament and many of us in this House know that the last time any of our districts had a major housing program was 30 or 40 years ago.

So, we owe it to our people, we owe it to our Public Servants and we need to get it off the ground.
11/03 Mr Speaker, I want to encourage the Department of Lands and the Department of Housing, please get our acts together so that we can make land available for our people so that now they can own their own homes in their own country.

Thank you DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH - ANNUAL MANAGEMENT REPORT 2013 - PAPER AND STATEMENT - MOTION TO TAKE NOTE OF PAPER Mr MICHEAL MALABAG - Mr Speaker, my fellow Ministers and Parliamentarians, a very good morning to you all.
Mr Speaker, I must firstly acknowledge the efforts and salute the men and women in the Health sector that have tirelessly worked under difficult circumstances to provide the best possible health care to those in need of these services.

Through this report the Department under my leadership is being accountable for whom the health sector government of the day and the general population for whom the health sector serves.
Mr Speaker, as Minister, I have endeavored to promote Free Primary Health Care and Subsidized Specialist Services as the highest agenda in PNG as a policy to improve access and equitable services to our population.

The O'Neil-Dion Government has not taken the responsibility for the health and livelihood of PNG, through such policies and ably supported by increased funding to the sector.
There is optimism that the department will deliver in 2014 to improve the health status of the ever increasing population.

Mr Speaker, implementation of the National Health Plan 2011-2020 began in 2011 through its alignment to the Vision 2050 and the Development Strategic Plan 2011 - 2030.

The Department of Health with the help of the development partners have seriously 17 considered reforms and new ways of addressing the inadequacies of the sector.
Our focus in the last two years has been targeted at strengthening our weak health system through these reforms.

I am excited to share some of the early experiences of the reforms and I remain confident that the future strategies if the National Department of Health and the Government will bring optimism for a brighter future.
12/03 Mr Speaker, achievements in 2013 under the Human Resources at the department included 100 percent stabilization of senior executive management through confirmation of the two deputy secretaries and the four executive managers and recruitment of 95 percent of the National Department of Health staff and the approval of the HR work force policy by the National Executive Council.

The HR work force policy will drive the HR work force plan been develop Health Department.
Mr Speaker three Provincial health authority board for Western Highlands, Eastern Highlands, and Milne Bay are now in place and fully operational.

The successes of the PHA are overwhelmed in these provinces.

We have been overwhelmed with request from provinces that are keen to implement PHA as the vehicle to improve Health outcomes for their populations.

The Department is now facilitating the roll out of the PHA to Enga, Sandaun, South Highlands, West New Britain, East Sepik and Manus provinces.
We are beginning to see improved health outcomes from this health reform and I request this government and parliament to support the mandatory roll out of the provincial Health Authority in the country.

I know that the Governor of New Island and Oro want to come on board.

Mr Speaker medical supply reforms are continuing with the seeking 14 000 000 million under the development of budget in 2011.
Building of provincial transit medical stores is 85 percent complete and we hope to return at the same completion by this year.

Temporary arrangements with the 40 percent and 100 percent kit have resulted in essential medjca} supplies been Available tq help facilities that never fyad drugs for longer period.

A jiew software is been sought to monitored medicines been procured and distributed health facilities and minimize over and under stock medical supplies in the country.
My plan now as the Minister is to implement and straighten the medical supply pool system.

18 Mr Speaker, the community health post reform is aimed at improving access to health workers at the ward level.

A community health post will be manned by three staff and they are; a child health nurse, a midwife and a third health worker to promote healthy living.

Construction has started in most provinces while tender as been put out for design and documentation in another nine provinces.
The detail design and documentations work was out sourced in order to speed up the procurement process.

Mr Speaker, I would also like to mention that the Government to rural primary health services delivery projects will building the community health post each in two districts from 8 selected provinces.

While building new infrastructure we are also rehabilitating existing aid posts K10.5 million was distributor to each province to rehabilitate four aid posts at K120 000 each.
Reports shows remarkable improvement to aid post and staff housing.

The community health post and aid post maintenance and rehabilitation incentives need to be supported by the provincial government through the DSIP.

Recently the community health policy was launched and will provide the guideline to build and establish health post in districts.

Mr Speaker, the department believes in evidence based planning and value information as paramount to its decision making.
Hence, it has supported the health network projects which aim to link provinces with the national level for faster transmission of data and information.

These projects will ultimately improve access to and use of information for decision making.

Today 100 percents of the work has been completed covering the following: (1) Upgrade of the department of health saver room.
(2) Upgrade of saver infrastructure that include a hardware and operating systems 13/03 and; (3) Upgrade of headquarter infrastructure that include cabling, equipment and power, (4) Software and application, infrastructure, asset management system, health care Practitioners' legislation system and ITT staff tools.

Mr Speaker, this year we will see the implementation of pace two (2) which will be a link between provinces and the national data base and service.
19 There are number of high level evidence in programs that have received sustained funding an adequate staff including malaria and HIV.

The prevalence in both diseases have shown decline in recent years.

Malaria, for example, generally between 2009-2012 saw a39 per cent reduction in the number of cases reported and a drop of incidence from 250-270 per 1000 population between 2008 and 2013.
The prevalence of HIV is below one per cent meaning that we do not have a generalized epidemic as previously thought.

These programs are heavily supported by the external donors.

These re-enforces the fact that including funding and staffing are required to see improvements in indicators.

We are now translating these lessons to other diseases like TB (tuberculosis) by providing adequate funding and human resources to make an impact.
We have also carried out an extended tetanus vaccination programs across Papua New Guinea, which ended on 25th July 2014.

Mr Speaker, despite our achievements, on a number of reforms and programs, we are still faced with challenges in areas of maternal and child health, communicable and lifestyle diseases.

The children under five (5) years are not getting sufficient immunization as evident by the dropping immunization coverage in the last five (5) years.
These reasons for the decline are due to many factors and some of them are outside of the public health sector.

Mr Speaker, the Department has supported the implementation of various programs to improve the situations.

Supplementary immunization activity was generally a success, while routine immunization levels remain at 70 per cent coverage at the first round of tetanus toxide coverage reached 77 per cent.
The prevalence rates of hepatitis-B infections amongst children aged six years and younger are at 2.3 per cent.

Only 3 per cent above regional targets.

Supervise deliveries and antenatal care is improving slowly in the past year.

There are encouraging signs of our responses to child health however, more improvement is still required and I needed the support of all the Members of Parliament in this.

Mr Speaker, the women in PNG are not receiving the best antenatal care.
Only six (6) out often (10) pregnant women come at least one (1) antenatal visit.

Furthermore, only four (4) out often (10) mothers deliver under supervision at health facilities.

The Health Department is currently developing the policies framework and guidelines to implement our response to this issue.

We continue to support midwifery and family planning programs to training, advocacy and other essential sports to provinces.
20 On this note, I want to thank the partners for their continue support to maternal health, in particular, the training of midwife in Papua New Guinea.

In summary, the National Department of Health achieved a lot despite the many challenges it face in 2013.

A list of achievement and challenges are documented in The 2013 Annual Management Report.
Mr Speaker, over all, the Department received K365 million despite budgeting for more than K6 hundred million delay and non release of warrant affect the implementation of our plans, but we continually working with the Department of Finance and National Planning and Monitoring regarding these issues.

14/03 Mr Speaker, I may be new to Parliament but I am not new to politics.

At a public servant and former Union leader, the passion I had for the workers' rights in the public and private sectors.
I hope I am showing that experience in the health ministry that I hold for the betterment for the health sector.

Our people are entitled to quality health services and it is our duty as politicians and as a Government to provide and deliver essential health services.

Mr Speaker, with that I would like to present the Department of Health Annual Management Report for the year 2013.

Dr PUKA TEMU (Abau - Minister for Public Service) -1 move - That the Parliament take note of the paper.
Mr Speaker, I wish to commend the honourable Minister, who is taking his responsibilities seriously and passionately.

From the 2013 report he has shown the country that his leadership is providing the changes that we have longed for a very long time.

Honourable Minister, you have the support of the people of Abau and I know that all the honourable leaders support you.
On that note I wish to commend the Prime Minister for providing the total budget support to the implementation of the current ten year health plan from 2011-2020.

As a former Health Secretary, I found it very hard for the last health plan 2001-2010 to be fully funded.

It was only a dream.

It was the first time a Papua New Guinea had a 10 21 year health plan, we mobilised the World Bank, ADB and our bilateral partners but it was never fully funded like many sectors.
We need to take our hats off to the Prime Minister's leadership because when the plan was done and launched, the government demonstrated commitment through the very important legal instrument called the budget.

The Minister is now making inroads in areas of achievement that he has now informed us on.
Mr Speaker, one of the most impressive achievement that I would want to highlight in the Minister's report today is found on page four of his statement, paragraph two; 'Between 2009-2012 a 39 per cent reduction in the number of malaria cases reported, 60 per cent reduction in malaria admissions and 50 per cent reduction in reported malaria deaths.

This is a major achievement.


If we look at this statistics where we used to only dream of and write them up as targets but now the Minister has reported that we have achieved those targets with those percentages.

15/03 Somebody has to be commended and I' want let the Parliament know that it is Rotary Against Malaria (RAM) Program and this is a oed netting program.

This is the demonstration of the Private Public Partnership.
When the private sector comes in support of the Government as demonstrated under the RAM program and one person called Ron Seddon who is in-charge from day one.

They applied for a global malaria fund; and then the bed net distribution program has made a very big impact in the instance and prevalence and the mobility to mortality related to malaria in our country.
So, Mr Speaker, I wanted to highlight that and we need to give credit to where it is due and these are one group of Papua New Guineans, citizens and non-citizens in PNG Rotarian Program that have really taken the bull by the horn and in this long term partnership.

I would urge our people throughout the country that when the Rotarians are distributing bed net, please, make sure that you use them.
You make sure that the pregnant mother is made to sleep under the bed net or a child is sleeping under the bet net because if you look at this very impressive reduction rate at 50 per cent in deaths from malaria, it is a major achievement.

In fact, you can receive a national reward for such impressive achievements.
22 Mr Speaker, I think we need to create a national reward for this organisation, the Rotarians Against Malaria because to contribute to 50 per cent, it is a major achievement and we need to say thank you to these people that have worked very hard to fight malaria and not only in distribution of medicine but in the distribution of mosquito net to reach every household in PNG is a logistic nightmare, and for this RAM program to do it successfully, demonstrated by the honourable Minister's admirable statistics, we just have to say thank you and salute these people who have worked hard for it.
Mr Speaker, I want to commend the RAM program for all these issues, particularly, in relation to malaria.

Mr Speaker, the issue of how can we achieve this, I am sure that honourable Ken Fairweather was to raise an issue on the Floor of Parliament concerning the issue of high maternal mortality.

If we have to bring every seven to nine mother to this Floor of Parliament every week, we can see how they die and that is the rate at which our mothers are dying.
Mr Speaker, I would suggest that this is a very serious issue and it is not only for the Minister for Health but the Government and all the Members of Parliament.

We should work together to address the issue.

The entire Parliament should resolve to ensure that in the debate we established a Parliamentary dedicated team to address this high maternal mortality rate that has been hounding us.
Mr Speaker, I am always afraid of telling people in any international meetings like in Geneva, under the World Health Assembly or in Manila for the regional meetings of Western Pacific, that our maternal mortality has not dropped but we are doing everything we can to try and reduce the maternal mortality through girl child education.

It has been demonstrated that if the girl child is educated, whole issues of child health dropped.
Infant mortality, childhood mortality and maternal mortality because its being demonstrated that our educated girls child will address many of the health related issues.

So, strategically from the Education Ministry level, we need to now make policy interventions that all girl child must not miss out in PNG and that they be well educated.

16/03 They must be given education right through to the university level.
Those are the types of policy interventions that we need to make in order for us to effectively address for example, this burden of the high maternal mortality rate in this country.

Health promotions were something that the Minister did not raise in his statement, but as we say, prevention is always better than cure.

Therefore, we need to have a dedicated 23 health promotion office.
We have been talking about the Office of Rural Development and office of this and that but there is one office that we really need, and that is the Office of Health Promotion.

We need to dedicate this office so that they will go out to every village in the country.

In the 60s patrol officers went to visit villages, one of the issues that they would articulate in every village in those days was the cleanliness of the village.
For example, all the pigs must be fenced in, all water ponds must be covered to prevent the spread of malaria, all the toilets must be dug, hands must be washed before eating and et cetera.

Nevertheless, all those are gone because we do not have a dedicated health promotion programme in the country.

Therefore, I would like to suggest that rather than the Health Department worry about health promotions then we should create a Health Promotion Office.
A non-health related entity like the Rotarians Against Malaria and bring the partners in this health promotion.

This is because I once said on the Floor of Parliament that, only 40 percent of health issues will be addressed by health interventions and 60 percent of health issues can only be addressed through non-health interventions.

t Good housing is non-health intervention that the Heath Department cannot promote.
Good environment for the village ward member must make sure that his or her village; for example, Domil village in Jiwaka is the best example of where the village people organised themselves and promoted health issues.

They used to have only one health worker there but when they restructured the entire Domil village, almost 12 people were trained.

Therefore, they were given a health bag to carry around and so, there was no need for a health worker in the village with 6 of them being dedicated.
Therefore, right now, Domil village is one of the trail blazing, smart and innovative approaches towards village management.

The way the village is organised is something and I believe that we need to have Domil demonstrated villages in every district in this country.

This was because it was part of what we called a Healthy Highlands Concept, when I went to launch it in 1997 when I was still Health Secretary and this is still going on.
This Healthy Highlands Promotion Programme is where everybody has responsibility for their health, and particularly, when non-health interventions are really needed in order to address the bulk of the issues that the communities suffer.

Therefore, I would strongly promote the establishment of a Health Promotion office partnering the private sector, like the Rotarians Against Malaria because of its good success.

24 With that, we must promote good health, good eating habits and exercise.
Every time I drive pass the Korobosea Primary School there are mothers who are getting ready for lunch and they are selling cheese pops and ice block.

With that also, mothers are not making their children dinner in the house but everybody through the informal sector is now promoting unhealthy lunch to our children.

Mr Speaker, I would like to let you know and the Parliament that we never saw heart attacks prior to 1981.
Mr Speaker, when I was a young doctor and graduated in 1975,1 never saw any heart attack patients when I was in the hospital emergency room.

17/03 Since 1971, every time I worked in emergency and did Ward rounds, I never saw any heart patients until I became I specialist.

It wasn't until 1981 that we began to see heart attacks but now heart attacks have growth exponentially.
Why, because we have promoted bad living habits, the fast food outlets are very dominant now, there are many Chinese outlets and even our onwn people are preparing traditional dishes which are very creamy.

All those unhealthy eating habits are now resulting in many Papua New Guineans dying earlier than their Caucasian counterparts.

We are having heart attacks at 40 while Caucasians are prone to heart attacks after 50 years.
So we are having a serious health problem in terms of non-communicable diseases and this is also consistent with all the other Pacific countries, and so there is a dire need of awareness or health education promotion programme.

We are always talking about diseases but let us talk about health and make some interventions and the Minister for Environment was absolutely right, all the health inspectors need to go out and see how those food outlets are behaving.
Some prepare food yesterday for sale and consumption today.

So, it is a very serious issue but the message is that the Prime Minister has given health top priority by fully funding the health plan.

Something this country has never enjoyed previously.

And when that support is there, Minister, you will achieve a lot of the outcome you are seeking, particularly in the areas of malaria, TB, healthy living, maternal mortality and most importantly, educating the girl child.
25 Mr Speaker, educating the girl child is very important today.

Imagine if we could round up all the mothers to make sure that all the girls are registered and attending schools.

When they finish grades 10 and 12 then they will be able to look after the family well.
This intervention is now the world's best practice standard and is promoted vigorously Mr Speaker, I take my hat off to the Minister and I envy him because when I was there, with Minister Tomscoll as my Minister, we just couldn't get the funding that we wanted.

For example we would ask for K29 million for medical supplies but we were given only K18 million even when the World Health Organisation's recommendation was that nations must spend US$10 per capita.
At that time our population was three million so we were asking for K30 million but we only got half of that.

No wonder chloroquin was running out in the aid posts all the time.

No wonder our patients were sent away by the health worker because penicillin injection was not there or the drip or blood pressure gauge is not working.

So I believe that all of us are convinced that the health of our people and the nation is paramount to the nation's aspirations in its development vision.
So I am glad that this government is committed and as a former health worker and former secretary for Health and now a politician, I just take my hat off to the Prime Minister and his commitment to fund the health budget fully.

I want to conclude by sharing an experience on the issue of how we can co-manage the bilateral because in the transport, works and health sectors our bilateral and multi lateral are giving their support individually.
So the World Bank will be supporting one section of the highway, while AusAid, ADB and others will be supporting other sections.

So we are creating so many parallel management systems.

This is similar to the health sector.

The World Bank will come, while ADB, JICA or others also come but they are all doing their own little things.
So you will read in the media that the Australian High Commissioner is launching something while the Director for ADB is opening a bridge in another location close by so the Works Secretary and his people are running all over the place and there is not enough people to manage and streamline the whole thing.

18/03 There is a program called SWAP (Sector Wide Approach).

The Sector Wide Approach program is a global best practice, it is world renown and is promoted by the World Bank.
Previously it used to be called Sector Investment Program but was changed to Sector 26 Wide Approach where the nations will instruct all the partners to put all the funds into one pool.

For example, for all the works programs, the World Bank, AusAid, ADB and JICA will all put the funds in the Works pool.

We will create a common management and reporting system.

So we will build our system up by doing that.


At the moment ADB and World Bank are promoting this system and so the Secretaries are running all over the place with different partners.

I strongly, recommend that we look at this.

We have tried it in the Health Sector and it worked.

I had to ask the World Bank to stop doing their own thing and I went to Canberra to put a stop to project oriented program.

Mr Speaker, we moved the program from Program Oriented and created a common pool.
We have created a system of managing partner funds in that regard.

Mr Speaker, I commend the Minister who has managed this program very well.

I can only hope that every year the Parliament will support the health plan because achieving lower maternal mortality, reduction in malaria death, immunization - the reason why we are having outbreaks in the country is because we are not achieving the standard community head.
When you immunize certain percentage of the community it prevents an outbreak of measles, for instance.

The standard around the world is 80 percent.

So 80 percent of the population must be immunized before measles or polio cease to become an outbreak.

Failures to do so cause outbreaks and epidemic.

In health all activities are structured and costed which are standard and very simple.
What a Minister need is support if we are to prevent our population from measles or other outbreaks we just need 80 percent of coverage for our children.

Mr PETER O'NEILL - Thank you Mr Speaker, I too want to join the Public Service Minister in commending the good work done by the Minster for Health and the people at the Department of Health.

It is a big improvement to what we are used to seeing.
I have been in this Parliament for 13 years and I have not seen any management report tabled in this Parliament.

I may be mistaken but I think this is the first of its kind.

It is very informative and is pleasing to see the sort of work that our people are doing.

It is encouraging to also see the reports of the statistics into some of the area where we are making good progress.

I too commend the Minister for the effort and time.

He has given priority to the health concerns we have in the country.
27 Mr Speaker, as Sir Puka has stated, this government has for the first time fully funded the National Health Plan after launching it some four years ago.

The funding requirement was approximately K1.4 billion per year so the health programs in the country can be fully rolled out.

Mr Speaker, this was never the case before.


But since coming into government and with our intervention policies like free basic health care and of course our investments in training and building capacities around many hospitals throughout the country is now starting to show signs of improvement in the health care that we provide.
19/03 This is clearly recognised by the recent report by UNDP stating very clearly that the Government's intervention policies like free education, free basic health are starting to have appositive effect in the way our communities are now starting to gain government services.

We are on the right path.

The other issue is that for the first time the Government is directly funding the hospitals through the budget.
Most of the referral and provincial hospitals are now getting funding directly and it is not small funding, some of the hospitals are receiving K10 million per year in addition to the normal salaries and supplies of drug and this is for the maintenance and improvement of the hospitals throughout the country.

This is starting to have appositive impact not only on the morals but on the image and the way the hospitals are maintained and being kept clean so that our people can get access to better services.
Our Health Department and the old health system is starting to gather its momentum into better way of delivering services that we want for our people.
Mr Speaker, I know that we are investing heavily in a lot of training and many of us in this Parliament know that we have not invested much money into making sure that the nursing colleges were kept open and our Medical Faculty was underfunded and as a result over many years we had a decline in the health care workers coming through public sectors and hospitals throughout the country.
I that was the reason why there was decline in doctors in the rural centres it is because the government was not able to invest.

However, last year and this year many of the training colleges have now been opened meaning that more nurses are getting trained.

Some of us who have attended graduations have seen graduates coming out from doctor and nursing trainings and it is starting to improve.
And with that increase in 28 the training programs we can now see improvement in the roll out of the health care in the country.

Mr Speaker, I also support the rollout of the provincial health authorities that is taking place at present.
The only fear that I have always expressed is that we are not recreating new authorities because the last one is not working we have to make sure that all these institutions that we are creating are serving our people correctly and making sure that we are delivering services.

If the system is not working we have to question, why?

It is not only about funding it is also about commitment as well.
Our people need to commit themselves in making sure that we deliver a better care for our people and that is where the provincial health authority's role comes in.

It is also encouraging to see that the Governors are embracing these.
But my appeal is don't just embrace it and allow the provincial health authorities to work alone but be a partner in this because we are now making sure that the people are now getting good and improved provincial service improvement program funding and most of that funding is for the health sector and if we invest well we can continue to improve on the health care that we are providing for our people.
Mr Speaker, this gives me an opportunity to debate on the issue about hospital authorities that we are proposing to introduce into this century.

We all know that there are seven referral hospitals in the country and they are Port Moresby, Angau in Lae, Kokopo, Mt Hagen, Boram, Madang and Goroka.

These hospitals are very important because they serve a large population not only in their own province but in the nearing provinces as well.
These hospitals also provide specialised medical treatment and to build that level of speciality in areas like cardiac and cancer.

We need to make sure that we invest in the facilities and the staffing as well.
To get specialist doctors and equipments into hospitals is expensive and the Government needs to put in more money and more resources and that is why we want to establish the authorities so that they can recruit better and they can also pay their doctors, nurses and all the other medical workers better rather than them being stuck in a Public Service structure that is not recognising individual expertise and individual talent.
All these build up to the delivery of better health care to our people and not to put more added stress in the system, but it is to try and help to deliver a better health care and we should embrace this, Mr Speaker.

29 20/03 In some hospitals like Mount Hagen, Angau, Port Moresby, Goroka and few others now where there is a good board representation and people who are able to put some time and effort in there you can see the outcomes, Mr Speaker you don't have to be an Einstein to see what is going on.
There is an improvement in the maintenance of the property, the equipment have been upgraded, the staff are well looked after and as a result you can see that the standard of health care they are providing from these hospitals are improving as well.

We must not find ways to stop these things Mr Speaker.
I want to give an example, recently in Port Moresby the board has told us that they need 300 nurses, our training colleges and our nursing colleges throughout the country cannot provide that kind of numbers for one hospital alone.

So, you can imagine the stress that it is causing in the hospitals and all the other health centers throughout the country.
So in order for us to bring some nurses in we have to fight with our own health department on registry of nurses to try to get people in, they have the mentality that we have to stop everything because it doesn't suit us, we have to change that attitude because it is not helping anyone, it is just causing people to die.

People are dying because we do not have people qualified enough to attend to them.
So, Mr Speaker, where we can be able to recruit, even expertise that are lacking in our own system, we must do so and we must have flexibilities and that is why the Authority Concept that the Minister, myself and few others are supporting is a good example.

We don't have to have people who are having heart conditions and heart problems travel to Singapore or Australia or Philippines to get that attention, same thing like cancer, we don't to have people travelling out of this country.
Mr Speaker, we must provide the facilities here so that we can look after our people here.

Not everyone from this country can travel to these places so it must not be for the privilege only, Mr Speaker, we must do it for our people.

Our Government, in this term of Parliament, must set up a Cardiac Unit in our country, fully equipped and we must establish a Cancer Unit, fully equipped with trained personnel so our men and women who are able to get that services can go and get it.
Mr Speaker, I think it is important that we have a systematic and plannedapproach to health care provision in the country.

On top of the seven referral hospitals, each province must have a provincial hospital with minimum standards and each districts must have a 30 district hospital with minimum standards.

Mr Speaker, we have 300 LLG areas in the country they must have at least have one health center in each LLG and the 3000 wardsin the country that must have an aid post each.
That should be our aim, it will not happen overnight, Mr Speaker, but we must strive to provide that so that our people can have access to immediate health care and then back it up with the staffing, the nurses and midwives so that the people can have access to immediate health care.
Mr Speaker, health problems do not wait for anyone they don't tell you that they are going to happen to you, they will appear at any time and we must be ready to be able to attend to you and that is where staffing and facilities are important to us.

I think this government is on the right path, we need to continue to fund that 10 year health plan that is starting to deliver results for us, Mr Speaker, I commend the Minister and his department.

Lastly Mr Speaker, I want to talk about population.
I know that this is a huge complain for our government and I want to thank many of our development partners, especially organisations like Rotary, Marie Stopes and of course UNDP and our own Health Department where we are working together to try to roll out some initiativesthat are going to attendto this.

Mr Speaker, one program that is to be rolled out today is implants that are implemented in young ladies and ladies who do not want to get pregnant, that will stop them from being pregnant for 5.
21/03 Mr Speaker, I want to thank and commend the Member for Sumkar and the Governor for doing an excellent job in Madang for the program that they have established in Sumkar with these organisations where a record number of women are getting implants to ensure they try and control the population.

Many times when women have increased number of children, they face hardships that some of us have not encountered.

It is important that we encourage family planning in the country.
This is one area where they can control as to when they can have children.

Mr Speaker, this implants can be removed any time when they want to start up a family and young women are going to be fertile enough to have children because it is not something that is implanted to make women sterile forever.

Mr Speaker, we want to have sustainable population growth in the country.

I commend the work that is being done in some of the districts like Karkar and Kiriwina.
Over 31 20 000 people live on that island and they need to control the population growth over there as well so and they have embraced this initiative.

I know there are some discussions in the community about it but let us look at the positive side of it.

One of the Millennium Development Goal is to empower women.

How do we empower women in the country?

One way is making sure they do not have too many children and they better educate themselves and make sure their health is looked after well.
They are the source of our life and that is why it is important that we must look after them.

Even the world recognises this and it is one of the Millennium Development Goals that they have articulated for all the countries around the world to embrace and Papua New Guinea must embrace that as well.

Mr Speaker, we are on the right track and let us work together and let this Parliament support the good work the Minister is doing.

Debate (on motion by Mr James Marape) adjourned.


MOTION BY LEAVE Mr JAMES MARAPE (Tari-Pori - Minister for Finance) - I ask leave of the Parliament to move a motion without notice.

Leave granted.

SUSPENSION OF STANDING ORDERS - REARRANGEMENT OF BUSINESS Motion (by Mr James Marape) agreed to - That so much of the Standing Orders be suspended would prevent Notice No.

142 from bein£ called on forthwith.


32 WESTERN PACIFIC UNIVERSITY BILL 2014 First Reading Bill presented by Mr Malakai Tabar and read a first time.

Second Reading Mr MALAKAI TABAR (Gazelle - Minister for Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology) -1 move - That the Bill be now read a second time.

Mr Speaker, thank you for allowing me the opportunity to address this Parliament of the Independent State of Papua New Guinea.
Before I discuss today's subject, allow me to also express my gratitude and appreciation to the Prime Minister for appointing as the Minister for Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology.

Allow me to assure this Parliament my commitment to reform and revitalise our Higher Education sector.

We must place our existing institutions on a more sustainable footing but equally, we must expand access to post-secondary education especially for our young people.
22/03 Expansion of access is imperative because our existing universities and other institutions currently only have places for a quarter of our Grade 12 school leavers every year.

We also need to extend the outreach of our institutions, including our national ones, to more local communities throughout the country.

Mr Speaker, today, I am honoured to present to Parliament an important piece of legislation; the Western Pacific University Bill 2014.
This Bill is for the establishment of a university in the lalibu-Pangia District of the Southern Highlands Province.

This is one initiative amongst many of the O'Neill-Dion Government to increase access to tertiary education in Papua New Guinea.
Mr Speaker, I have already mentioned the urgent need to increase the number of institutions and to extend the outreach of institutions into all districts and this new Western 33 Pacific University will demonstrate what can be achieved using up-to-date design and learning materials across a broad range of tertiary programs.

Mr Speaker, this university is the Prime Minister's initiative to show leadership at a local level by growing our tertiary sector.
The Western Pacific University will provide a wonderful opportunity to create a greenfield institution that can be a showcase for new ways of operating.

It will be cost effective in its construction and internationally referenced in its educational standards.

An extensive and professional planning process for the University is in place.

This will ensure that quality is built into the design of its operation and it will meet international standards for student learning.
We expect that all projected new higher education institutes and future universities will be planned to the same higher standards.

The Western Pacific University will be for all the Papua New Guineans in this country.

The legislation is similar to that of other Papua New Guinea Universities of which new specific provisions that address the need for transparency and stringent accountability to government.

It has detailed requirements in respect of governance and financial management.
Mr Speaker, the Western Pacific University Bill has been developed to be consistent with the objectives and key elements of the overarching Higher Education General Provision Act 2014 that was passed unopposed by Parliament this year.

Mr Speaker, the two pieces of legislation complements each other; the new Higher Education Act for Sectoral Coordination, accountability and quality assurance for all institutions.
Today, I presented a Bill for a University that will embody the principle of accountability, transparency and education to international standards.

Mr Speaker, I commend this Bill; the Western Pacific Bill 2014 to Parliament.

Motion — That the question be now put — agreed to.

Motion - That the Bill be now read a second time - agreed to.

Bill read a second time.


34 MESSAGE FROM THE GOVERNOR-GENERAL A Message from His Excellency, the Governor-General dated 15 May 2014 was announced recommending the expenditure of public moneys of Papua New Guinea in accordance with Section 210 of the Constitution insofar as the Bill relates to and provides for such expenditure.

Third Reading Leave granted to move the third reading forthwith.

Motion (by Mr Malakai Tabar) proposed - That the Bill be now read a third time.
Motion (by Sir Puka Temu) agreed to - That the question be now put.

Motion - That the Bill be now read a third time - put.

The Bill requiring an absolute majority of 56 Members as required by the Constitution, the Speaker ordered that the bells be rung.

23/03 The Parliament voted (the Speaker, Mr Theo Zurenuoc in the Chair) - AYES - 74 NOES-0 The Proposed Bill passed with the concurrence of an absolute majority as required by the Constitution.

Bill read a third time.


35 MOTION BY LEAVE Mr JAMES MARAPE (Tari - Minister for Finance) - I ask leave of the Parliament to move a motion without notice.

Leave granted.

SUSPENSION OF STANDING ORDERS - REARRANGEMENT OF BUSINESS Motion (by Mr James Marape) agreed to - That so much of the Standing Orders be suspended as would prevent Notice Nos.

144 and 145 of Government Business being called forthwith.
24/03 EXCISE TARIFF (AMENDMENT) BILL 2014 First Reading Bill presented by Mr Patrick Pruaitch and read a first time.

Second Reading Leave granted to move the second reading forthwith.

Mr PATRICK PRUAITCH (Aitape-Lumi - Minister for Teasury) -1 move - That the Bill be now read a second time.

Mr Speaker, this amendment will temporary increase the import tariff of plywood to 50 per cent.
The proposed change will fulfill the Government's intention of providing short term assistance to domestic industries involved in producing plywood.

This amendment will also create a new sub-heading under the heading GO207 for Charter Two to cater for 36 mechanically deboned meat under its correct classification in the Custom's harmonise system.

Mr Speaker, I commend the Bill to Parliament.

Motion - That the question be now put - agreed to.

Motion - That the Bill be now read a second time - agreed to.
Bill read a second time.

Bill, by leave, read a third.

Third Reading CUSTOMS TARIFF (AMENDMENT) BILL 2014 First Reading Bill presented by Mr Patrick Pruaitch and read a first time.

Second Reading Leave granted to move the second reading forthwith.

Mr PATRICK PRUAITCH (Aitape-Lumi - Minister for Teasury) -1 move - That the Bill be now read a second time.

Mr Speaker, this amendment will repeal the Free On Board (FOB) threshold value for used vehicle.
This amendment will ensure Papua New Guinea Customs operations are in harmony with the world customs organisations and global agreements on tariff and trade valuation and agreements.

Mr Speaker, I commend the Bill to Parliament.

37 Motion - That the question be now put - agreed to.

Motion - That the Bill be now read a second'time - agreed to.

Bill read a second time.

25/03 Bill, by leave read a third time.


Third Reading v j MOTION BY LEAVE ••} Mr JAMES MARAPE (Tari-Pori - Minister for Finance) - I ask leave of the Parliament to move a motion without notice.

\ Leave granted.

SUSPENSION OF STANDING ORDERS - REARRANGEMENT OF BUSINESS Motion (by Mr James Marape) agreed to - That so much of the Standing Orders be suspended as would prevent the Leader of the Government Business from moving a series of motions to appoint Members to certain Parliamentary Committees.
38 PERMANENT PARLIAMENTARY COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC WORKS - DISCHARGE AND APPOINTMENT OF CHAIRMAN Motion (by Mr James Marape) agreed to - That Mr Bob Dadae be discharged as Chairman of the Permanent Parliamentary Committee on Public Works and Mr David Arore be appointed Chairman of this Committee.
PERMANENT PARLIAMENTARY COMMITTEE ON PENSIONS AND RETIREMENT BENEFITS - DISCHARGE AND APPOINTMENT OF CHAIRMAN Motion (by Mr James Marape) agreed to - That Mr Joseph Lelang be discharged as Chairman of the Permanent Parliamentary Committee on Pensions and Retirement Benefits and Mr Tobias Kulang be appointed Chairman of this Committee.
PERMANENT PARLIAMENTARY COMMITTEE ON CITIZEN ADVISORY - APPOINTMENT OF CHAIRMAN Motion (by Mr James Marape) agreed to - That Mr Bob Dadae be appointed as Chairman of the Permanent Parliamentary Committee on Citizen Advisory.

PERMANENT PARLIAMENTARY COMMITTEE ON CONSTITUTIONAL LAW REFORM COMMISSION - APPOINTMENT OF CHAIRMAN Motion (by Mr James Marape) agreed to - That Mr Joseph Lelang be appointed as Chairman of the Permanent Parliamentary Committee on Constitutional Law Reform Commission.
39 ADJOURNMENT Motion (by Mr James Marape) agreed to - That the Parliament do now adjourn.

The Parliament adjourned at 1 p.m.. 40