Source document: https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/1698056236496.pdf (Papua New Guinea)
SIXTH DAY ____________________________ Wednesday 18 January 2023 DRAFT HANSARD ____________________________ Page No: Subject: QUESTIONS ........................................................................................................................................................... 1 ESTABLISH PROVINCIAL BORDER POSTS ........................................................................................................... 2 WATER POLICE FOR MARITIME DISTRICTS ......................................................................................................... 3 REPLACE ZUMIM BRIDGE .................................................................................................................................. 3 AUSTRALIAN VISA PROCESS ............................................................................................................................. 4 SPECIAL ECONOMIC ZONES .............................................................................................................................. 6 HUMAN TRAFFICKING........................................................................................................................................ 8 AGRICULTURE PLAN ....................................................................................................................................... 10 NORTH BOUGAINVILLE BY-ELECTION ............................................................................................................... 10 APPOINT PROVINCIAL ADMINISTRATOR ............................................................................................................ 11 CONDUCT NATIONAL CENSUS ......................................................................................................................... 12 INVESTIGATION INTO NATIONAL STATISTICS OFFICE ......................................................................................... 12 TRANSFER OF PROCESSING CENTRE FACILITIES ............................................................................................. 14 TREATY DOCUMENTS – VIOLENCE AND HARASSMENT CONVENTION, 2019 (NO.190) AND VIOLENCE AND HARASSMENT RECOMMENDATION, 2019 (NO.206) – PAPERS AND STATEMENT – PAPERS NOTED .............................................................................................................................................................................. 15 MOTION BY LEAVE ............................................................................................................................................. 18 MOTION TO WAIVE SECTION 117 (3)(A) OF THE CONSTITUTION – CONSENT OF PAPUA NEW GUINEA TO BE BOUND AS A PARTY TO THE TREATY ................................................................................................. 18 TREATY DOCUMENT – THE RATIFICATION OF THE LABOUR INSPECTION CONVENTION, 1947 NO .81) AND THE TRIPARTITE INTERNATIONAL (LABOUR STANDARDS) CONSULTATION CONVENTION, 1997 (NO 144) – STATEMENT AND PAPER – PAPER NOTED ................................................................................. 19 MOTION BY LEAVE ............................................................................................................................................. 23 MOTION TO WAIVE SECTION 117 (3)(A) OF THE CONSTITUTION – CONSENT OF PAPUA NEW GUINEA TO BE BOUND AS A PARTY TO THE TREATY ................................................................................................. 23 DEPARTMENT OF SPORTS – DEVELOPMENT OF SPORTS AND SPORTS FOR DEVELOPMENT – SPORT POLICY IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGY: GOING (GO) RURAL TO GO GLOBAL – MINISTERIAL STATEMENT – MOTION TO TAKE NOTE OF PAPER ....................................................................................... 24 GOVERNOR-GENERAL ELECTIONS – STATEMENT BY THE SPEAKER ....................................................... 45 ADJOURNMENT .................................................................................................................................................. 45 SIXTH DAY Wednesday 18 January 2023 Mr Deputy Speaker (Mr Koni Iguan) took the Chair at 10 a.m.
There being no quorum present, Mr Deputy Speaker stated that he would resume the Chair after the ringing of the Bells.

Sitting suspended.

The Speaker (Mr Job Pomat) took the Chair at 10.54 a.m., and invited the Member for Central Bougainville, Honourable Simon Dumarinu, to say Prayers: ‘God our Father, the universal God of all mankind in this world and this country Papua New Guinea.

God of love and compassion, we pray to you and bring our needs to you.
Especially today as we begin this session, we place ourselves before you.

We pray especially for the leadership of our country.

Bless our Prime Minister and his Ministers, the Opposition Leader and his deputy, with all the Members of this Parliament.

Heal those who are sick and are not here with us and help us to make the right choices for our people.

We pray for the Speaker, who continues to guide us through this meeting.
Protect us and guide us as we continue to deliberate on issues of our country in this Parliament.

Empower us Lord through your Holy Spirit to carry out our mandated duties and responsibilities well; Amen’ QUESTIONS Establish Provincial Border Posts Mr FREDDIE KUMAI - Thank you, Mr Speaker, I would like to take this time to wish you a belated New Year and I also extend this to the Prime Minister, as well the Opposition and to all the Members of Parliament.
My questions are directed to the Minister for Internal Security and I would like the Governors of Morobe, East New Britain and West New Britain to take note.

There is a worrying trend that is growing since opening of the New Britain Highway that links West New Britain Province with East New Britain.
1 Criminal elements have taken advantage of the road link to proliferate crime to a whole new level which was once difficult for drug peddlers, illegal firearm dealers, armed gangs and other criminal activities when there was no road connection between the two provinces.

Mr Speaker, there is a certain route link around the maritime provinces of Morobe, East and West New Britain provinces, both on land and sea.

Drugs are being peddled from the Highlands region to Lae.
02/06 From there it is shipped by speedboat through Siassi Island to Kandrian Gloucester, to Kimbe and continues to East New Britain Province through the New Britain Highway.

This is a worrying trend that cannot be ignored for far too long as it negatively affects businesses and the livelihood of the people in those provinces.
My questions are: (1) Can the Minister inform the House if the Police Department has any plans to establish border posts at certain strategic locations to destabilize the illegal routes and arrest perpetrators?

(2) Can the Minister also confirm the establishment of water police at hotspot locations Water Police for Maritime Districts along the maritime districts and coastal villages where people travel in speed boats?
Passengers and cargoes are checked on standard procedures, however, speedboats operating between the waters of Lae, Siassi, Kandrian Gloucester and Kimbe need to be monitored as well.

Mr PETER TSIAMALILI – Mr Speaker, I thank the Honourable Freddie Kumai, Member for Talasea, for his important questions.

I am happy that you have raised the questions because I’m also facing the same problem in Bougainville.
As the Minister for Internal Security, I share the same concerns about the adeptness of criminal elements and its willingness to abuse the benefits of economic development that this Government is delivering.

These are challenges that are not unique to Papua New Guinea but are rather shared by all countries that are committed to economic development and improving services to its people.
I am pleased to advise the Member that the RPNGC with the support of this Government is well positioned to meet the threat of this criminal element.

I am advised by the Commissioner that the development of further highway patrol posts in key highways and further investment in water police capabilities in coastal areas form key components of our RPNGC planning 2 activities.
I’m advised that the maintenance of an agile and a responsive water policing capability remains a key component of RPNGC strategic focus.

The Member will recall the commitment and the effectiveness of RPNGC water policing units during the recent National General Elections and can be assured that the RPNGC implores an intelligence driven approach to targeting the criminal element in the maritime environment whether they utilize passenger, cargo boats or speedboats.
These and other intelligent driven components of strategic provincial plans will ensure that the RPNGC targets the criminal elements and keeps our public infrastructure safe.

Mr Speaker, regional problems require regional support.

These are challenges that require the support of provincial governments and so I call on provincial government officials to work with the RPNGC to ensure that they support the provincial policing plans and empower the local police.
Only with the support can we expect specific regional problems to be addressed fully.

Mr Speaker, as the Member will be aware, this Government is committed to improving law and order through enhanced support from RPNGC.

The recruitment activity is underway and is unprecedented in recent history.

We will ensure that RPNGC is well placed to bring the fight to criminal element who seek to abuse the infrastructure that has been developed for public good.

Thank you, Mr Speaker.


Replace Zumim Bridge Mr KONI IGUAN – Mr Speaker, I direct my question to the Minister for Works and Highway.

Before I ask my question, I would like to congratulate the Minister on his appointment to this portfolio.

I can see that he is a very hard-working Minister because when I am in the Chair, I have observed how he is answering questions thus reflecting his work performance and I know he will solve many roads issues.
03/06 Mr Speaker, when I was first elected into Parliament in 2007, I raised a question regarding Zumim Bridge in Markham.

They built this temporary bridge to replace the old bridge that was washed away.

This temporary bridge is still there for more than 20 years now and it has become a deathtrap for public travelling along the highway.

We have lost more than 100 lives on that bridge.

The popular Evangelist Joseph Kingal was one of those victims who lost his life on that bridge.
Last weekend, I lost my brother and 3 his wife.

They were walking on the side of the road when a car slid off the bridge and killed them both.

I attended their burial yesterday and came here today.

Can the honourable Minister acknowledge that the Zumim Bridge is a risk to the people travelling on the highway and replace it with a new bridge?

I raised this question when I became Member in 2007 and I was assured that the bridge will be replaced but nothing has been done up.
I urge the Minister to take this issue as an urgent matter and attend to it for the safety of our travelling public.

Some of our Members of Parliament were also involved in accidents on this bridge and I have assisted them.

But I cannot mention them here.

This bridge is still a deathtrap to our travelling public.

Therefore, I am asking the Minister for Works to give his assurance to the travelling public and people that this bridge will be replaced.

Thank you.

Mr SOLAM MIRISIM – Thank you, Mr Speaker.


I also take this time to thank the Deputy Speaker and Member for Markham for raising these pertinent questions.

I am happy to hear that even though it is a temporary bridge the travelling public still use it.

This part of the road is one of the first sections of the Nadzab turnoff leading to Henganofi.

The bridge is part of this section of the road that comes under an ADB program.

The contractor engaged for this section is also expected to work on the bridge.
May I pass my sincere condolences to the Member’s late brother and his wife and many people who have lost their lives on that bridge.

04/06 Mr Speaker, I will address the issue with my department, as it is an urgent matter that needs to be looked into as soon as possible.

I want to assure the Member that the issue of the bridge will be looked into immediately.

Thank you, Mr Speaker.

Mr JAMES DONALD – Thank you, Mr Speaker.


I rise to ask my questions to the Deputy Prime Minister and the Minister for Labour and Immigration.

My questions are in Australian Visa Process regards to the process of obtaining an Australian travel visa.

4 Before I ask my questions, I want to acknowledge and thank the Australian Prime Minister for his visit.

We have had a lot of bilateral talks during his short visit.
I also understand that to strengthen our relationship, a lot of outstanding work needs to be done.

One of these pressing issues is the long process of obtaining an Australian visa.

There is a need to have this process be made a lot easier for both countries to travel.

I understand that that was one of the issues that the two Prime Ministers have discussed, but there was no firm commitment to solve this issue.
The current status quo we have on the visa processing for Australia is; (a)The processing office is in Fiji.

(b) The process of a Papua New Guinean applying for an Australian visa is very long and difficult.

After applying, people have to wait for more than three months to get their visas.

My questions are as follows; (1) Can the Minister immediately address the long process involved in obtaining Australian visas?
I realised that for some other countries that we travel to, visa is given on arrival, for instance, Singapore and Philippines.

The same cannot be said for Australia.

I waited six months to get my travel visa to Australia.

It is unfair!

We have a close relationship with Australia, it should not be a problem for us.

(2) Why is their office in Fiji and not in Papua New Guinea?
(3) Can the Minister facilitate a discussion between the two countries to relax their security measures and process visa on arrival?

This should not be a problem for us.

The two countries are friends and so, why is this made so difficult?

Mr JOHN ROSSO – Thank you, Mr Speaker.

I want to thank the Member for North – Fly for his very important pertinent questions.

It is an issue that affects most of us sitting here and our citizens who travel to Australia.
We have been asking these questions and we need clarification.

It is something that frustrates our countrymen, especially when Australia claims to be a close friend of ours but doesn’t reciprocate with the same form of treatment.

It was good that we had a visit from the Australian Prime Minister last week.

This issue was one of the things that were discussed between our Prime Minister, Foreign Affairs Minister and with the Australian Prime Minister and his delegation.

The signs are good.
The signs are good.

We have talked about the exact questions that was asked today.

5 Why is their office in Fiji?

As the largest Pacific country, we should have the office here and not in Fiji.

Why does it take so long for the visas to get processed when we process their visas very quickly?

These issues have been brought up by the Prime Minister and the Foreign Minister.
The Australian Prime Minister have assured us that they will look into this matter and bring back the office to Port Moresby to process our visas, and also look at ways to process our visas quickly.

We should realise that they are a nation of their own so they will make their own decisions.

We can reach out to them and ensure that they reciprocate the good deeds that we do for them.
As the current Minister for Labour and Immigration, I will make it my business to also write to my Australian counterpart and the Deputy Prime Minister of Australia about this concerning issue.

Let me assure the good House, during the Covid-19 pandemic, we had restricted visas on arrival for Australians and we have not lifted it yet.

They apply online just as how we apply for Australian visas.

05/06 Until they show some reciprocal treatment, we will accord the same reciprocal treatment.
We have given reciprocal treatment to our Melanesian brothers like Solomon Islands, Fiji and a few other countries that show these kinds of treatment and we grant visas on arrival for them.

Let me assure the House and the honourable Member that I am working on that and we should have some good results going forward.

Mr ELIAS KAPAVORE – Mr Speaker, I direct my questions to the Minister for Special Economic Zones International Trade and Investment.
The PNG Strategic Development Plan 2030 identifies 10 economic corridors in the country.

One of them is the south coast economic corridor covering over 500 kilometres of coastline from Rabaul to Pomio, and to the Kandrian-Gloucester districts.

This is where the bulk of agriculture commodities are coming from to Kokopo.

Mr Speaker, our people are generally hard working and committed to supporting the government agenda on the economic empowerment on downstream processing.
6 We now have arrangements on coffee, poultry, rice, cocoa, fisheries, tourism programs amongst others, to be implemented in the district, and not forgetting oil palm that’s been there for some years.

Mr Speaker, let me put on record that the funding support from the Marape-Rosso government towards the Pomio-Kokopo missing link was used to upgrade more than 50 kilometres of roads and construction of three bridges in the past years.
We are grateful for the Government’s support towards the construction of more bridges as recently announced by the Minister for Works and Highways.

Mr Speaker, the Minister for International Trade and Investment has recently announced 18 economic zones in the country.

My questions are: (1) Considering the increasing number of economic activities in Pomio District, can the Minister include Pomio in the list of special economic zones as well?
(2) For the sake of other special economic zones that were recently visited by the Minister, can the Minister advise the House and our people what the department is doing so that we see tangible impacts on economic zones in these particular areas?

Mr RICHARD MARU – Mr Speaker, I thank the Member for Pomio for his very important questions.

Mr Speaker, let me confirm to the Member and also to this Parliament that we are working to finalise the economic zone masterplan for our country in May this year.
Work is ongoing and I will confirm that the team which is leading the study, the Japanese Development Institute, will be arriving back in the country in the first week of February and they will be visiting five regions and provinces.

They are Western Province, Manus, Madang, Pomio, East New Britain Province and Finschaffen in Morobe.

Those will be the last five that the team will visit before they work towards finalising the plan, which we will bring to the government in May this year.
Basically, what this study will do is complete a high-level assessment for which areas are viable and suitable for us to create special economic zones.

The study will also rank in terms of which region or province should be given the highest priority.

Issues such as whether there is state land, market for commodities or potential investors are factors that will be considered in arriving at which ones are ranked first, second, all the way to the least priority.
7 These exercises cannot be done all at once and it will take some time and involve a lot of resources.

I can confirm to the Member for Pomio that the team will be visiting his electorate in February and he will be contacted and together we can make these travel arrangements for the team to visit.

06/06 That’s a very important agriculture area for this country and it is settling in the plan.

Thank you, Mr Speaker.

Human Trafficking Ms KESSY SAWANG – Thank you, Mr Speaker.
As we may be aware, January is the month for Human Trafficking Awareness, so I have a couple of questions that I will ask to the Minister for Internal Security and also, I would like the Minister for Labour Immigration and Foreign Affairs to take note.

Mr Speaker, in December, the Post-Courier reported three Papua New Guinean victims of an alleged Asian sex cartel put to media after their formal complaint appeared to have stalled.
The three women told the media that they were held hostage for three days in an apartment in downtown Port Moresby, drugged and raped by various groups of local and foreign men.

And there are many more national and foreign victims that they have alleged.

The women alleged that the foreign organizers behind the sex ring have a strong network in law enforcement and have become untouchable, that’s according to the report.
A few days later the Post-Courier reported that the foreign nationals who have been believed to be Sri Lankans have fled the country so easily.

Mr Speaker, in November, a foreign victim of a sex ring in Port Moresby was deported by Immigration authorities within days of her arrest, after the police dropped criminal charges against her to facilitate her deportation instead of determining if she was a victim of human trafficking.
Throughout the last few years, Mr Speaker, but more frequently last year despite new drug laws being passed, there have been increasing movement of illicit drugs in the country and also alleged report of this sex trafficking.

In PNG, human traffickers exploit women and children the most and they are involved in forced labour.

So, Mr Speaker, these are issues that have been continuously reported by our media.
Under the Marape-Rosso government a lot of emphasis is now put on trade and investment as well as law and order.

8 My questions are: (1) Can the Minister for Internal Affairs let us know what has happened to these cases?

(2) If he can inform the Parliament if there is a section in the Police Force that is specifically dealing with these issues of human trafficking?

Thank you, Mr Speaker.

Mr PETER TSIAMALILI – Mr Speaker, I thank the Honourable Member for Rai Coast.
Mr Speaker, there’s a syndicate that has been abusing our gaps within the system and we know that for far too long, even our police have been compromised somewhat and there’s a big effort by this Government to start closing in those gaps.

One of the strategies that we have discussed within the Police Force is the importance again of the NID system.

The NID is such an important genesis of our development and our security.
Once we zero-down and ensure that we have visibility of our citizens, we will be able to differentiate even the aliens that are taking advantage of our systems.

It is a good question, Honourable Member.

We cannot say that it affects only women.

This is happening right across our country where the syndicate is abusing the gaps.

And so, we have made an effort to start collaborating a lot more with our bilateral partners to enhance the areas within the Police Force that need that support.
07/06 I thank all you leaders for providing the appropriate support to the Police Force I just want to assure the good Member, our people, our mothers, sisters and daughters that this Government is taking every measure possible to clean up our system and provide the appropriate leadership within the system.

So, the process has begun, in particular the fight against syndicates that are preying on the gaps within our Police Force.
I can assure all the leaders and the people of Papua New Guinea that we have taken measures to address these gaps within the system.

I must also highlight that this particular case with the Sri Lankans and the involvement of some senior team members from PNG, because of the sensitivity of the case, we will provide information thereafter.

At this point in time, we will allow the Police Force Internal Affairs team to carry out these exercises.

Thank you, Mr Speaker.


9 Agriculture Plan Mr JAMES NOMANE – Thank you, Mr Speaker.

My questions are directed to the Minister for Agriculture.

Mr Speaker, Chuave does not have oil and gas but depends heavily on agriculture.

Mr Speaker, since 1960 when we concocted our first Census, the population of Papua New Guinea was about 2.26 million people, and 61 years later, we have a population that we say is 10 million and some speculate that it is more.
But all honourable members of the House can attest that we have a youth bulge issue in the country.

There is a rising youth demographic and this population demographic has to be mobilised and engaged.

Without opportunities we will have a problem.

Some districts don’t have oil and gas but have the potential for agriculture like Chuave and many other districts throughout the country, (1) What plan are we relying on in the agriculture sector?
Is it still the National Agriculture Development Plan 2007 to 2016?

(2) How is the agriculture sector going to contribute to job creation to increasing economic growth in the country?

Thank you, Mr Speaker.

Mr AIYE TAMBUA – Thank you, Mr Speaker.

I also thank the Honourable Member for Chuave for his very good questions.

I am also thankful to this Government for recognising the importance of the agriculture sector in this country.
Mr Speaker, we are looking at reviving the National Agriculture Plan to capture what you have mentioned.

The 2007 to 2016 plan has lapsed and we are looking to develop a new plan that will capture this country’s future aspiration.

Mr Speaker, as soon as the plan is up, we will launch the plan which will address all these concerns you have raised.

08/06 North Bougainville By-election Mr SIMON DUMARINU - Thank you, Mr Speaker.
My questions are directed to the Minister for Provincial and Local-Level Government Affairs and since he is not present, I would like to re-direct it to the Prime Minister.

10 My question is in relation to the election of a new Member for North Bougainville.

Since the passing of late Honourable William Nakin, this seat remains vacant.
There is an urgency to fill that vacancy as Parliament will be dealing with issues of Bougainville and it is important as the people of North Bougainville are missing out on services that are normally delivered through the Member.

(1) What is the Government’s plan regarding the by-election of the North Bougainville electorate?

(2) Are there funds available to proceed with the by-election?

(3) When will this by-election be conducted?


(4) Can the by-election be fast-tracked as we need the participation of North Bougainville in discussing issues relating to Bougainville in Parliament?

Mr JAMES MARAPE – I wish to thank the Member for Central Bougainville for his questions.

I wish to make it clear here that there are three vacant seats in Parliament.

Due to deaths, we have the vacancy in North Bougainville and Wewak and in Laiagam due to failed elections.
The Electoral Commission has been instructed to mobilise its plan to carry out the three by-election processes for these seats.

We need to conduct these elections soon.

There was an election petition for the Wewak seat.

The petition is alive and running and this sort of derailed the process.

The Electoral Commission was planning to stage the by-elections for the three vacant seats together so I would thank the Member for the question.
I will gather additional information and through the Government caucus discussion.

I should be able to inform the Parliament and the people of this country; especially to those three electorates whose seats are vacant when they should go to the polls to elect their representatives.

Mr EKIME GOROSAHU - Thank you, Mr Speaker.

On behalf of the people of Daulo, Appoint Provincial Administrator I would like to extend a belated New Year to you all.

My question is directed to the Minister for Public Service.
As I speak, I do not have a provincial administrator.

We had the services of an acting administrator whose time has expired and so we do not have one now.

Can the Minister inform the people of Eastern Highlands when an appointment of an administrator will be made for the province?

11 Mr JOE SUNGI – Thank you, Mr Speaker.

I would like to thank the Member for Daulo for his question on behalf of Eastern Highlands.
I would like to firstly convey my New Year greetings to you, Mr Speaker, the Prime Minister, the Opposition Leader and all the Members of Parliament.

Mr Speaker, the situation with Eastern Highlands provincial administration is that the term for the current administrator has expired.

The submission is ready for the NEC to deliberate on and appoint a permanent provincial administrator for Eastern Highlands.
09/06 Mr MUGUWA DILU –Mr Speaker, my questions are related to the proposed population Conduct National Census census update that the Prime Minister advised would be conducted this year.

Papua New Guinea does not know the exact population it has.

The last population census was conducted in 2011 which had the population at 7 million.

Now recently the United Nations report estimated that our population is at 17 million.
That’s a huge jump and we don’t know exactly whether we have 10 million or 17 million people in the country.

The Prime Minister has indicated that we will conduct the National Census this year.

(1) Can the National Planning Minister clarify as to when the National Census exercise will commence this year?

(2) Can the Minister also confirm to the Parliament and the country whether we have the budget for this this exercise to be carried out?
Investigation into National Statistics Office (3) Before we commence the new exercise to update our population, can we look into National Statistics Office (NSO)?

We know that K200 million has been spent on the NID program in this country and to date there has not been any investigation done and no results have been produced to inform the country as to how we expended the K200 million.
(4) Before we commence the census, can the Minister inform this Parliament and the country as to how we will go about investigating NSO in order to establish some facts before we go into the new exercise?

12 Mr RAINBO PAITA – Thank you, Mr Speaker.

I thank the Member for Kundiawa- Gembogl for these very important questions and the need for an investigation into NSO and at the same time, the status of an investigation into what has been the NID program.
Mr Speaker, as you would understand, when we wanted to conduct the census last year and the previous year while work was ongoing, we were affected by COVID-19.

Census as you would understand requires a lot of people to be on the ground physically checking and doing those census work especially in districts, LLGs and ward areas.

So, at the time when we were curbing down on the movement of people, we were not able to do that exercise, thus we set the defect to this year for us to do a better census program.
In terms of funding, we have budgeted for the census this year and I thank Parliament for the support and especially the cabinet for allocating K70 million for the census work this year.

Though that is not enough for the work but we are happy that the development partners have come on board and they will support us on the census program so that will be undertaken this year from the support that we are getting from bilateral partners and our development partners as well.
We are able to take a smarter approach to the census.

For instance, using innovative technology such as radio sensing and all the other technologies that are available now for us to carry out a more effective census program this year.
The cabinet has taken on an approach and through the office of the Prime Minister, PM and NEC were able to put together a committee which basically comprises of NSO, PM’s Department, multi-task departments and at the same time, provincial governments will also be involved in the process.

Implementing agencies such as DDAs will be involved, council presidents, ward recorders and the whole of government.
The government structure will all be involved in trying to implement a more concrete census for this year so that we can put to rest the numbers that seem to be floating around between 10 million or 17 million as highlighted my vice-Minister for National Planning and Member for Chuave.

So, in relation to Census, yes, we will start this year and we are taking it as a matter of priority for this Government knowing that once we understand the population status, we will be able to plan better.
In terms of NID program, I think most of us are aware of this issue with NID.

The previous government started this program - and not to comment on anything - we are now trying to improve the process and the projects we have within the NID program.

10/06 Now under the wisdom of our Prime Minister, the NID has become a program that also involves Internal Security in terms of monitoring people, getting them to register and seeing 13 the movement of people.
It comes under a joint leadership of the Prime Minister, the Internal Security and myself, taking courage of Planning.

So, in terms of the investigation and ongoing work, I think that deserves a question of its own which I will not go into.
But in terms of NSO, yes, this year, given that we need to do serious work with the census starting, we will ensure that there’s something happening but at the same time this census program will give us the opportunity to dissect the entire organization and see what we can do in terms of us going forward.

Thank you, Mr Speaker.

Mr CHARLIE BENJAMIN –Mr Speaker, my question is directed to the Minister for Transfer of Processing Centre Facilities Immigration, the Honourable Deputy Prime Minister.
My question is in regards to the processing center that is located in East Lorengau.

I have asked this question many times seeking information but I haven’t received any clear information on this.

Can the Minister clarify as to when the processing centre facilities can be transferred from Immigration to the Department of Higher Education?

The former Minister for High Education said it will take one week and now we are already into the Eleventh Parliament.
This facility is important because we want to convert it into the Manus Technical School.

Mr Minister, please confirm when this transfer will take place to the Department of Higher Education.

If you have a problem with the Higher Education then facilities should be transferred to Manus Provincial Government.

If you have some issues with it, please inform me of those issues.

This Technical College of Manus has been waited upon for over a long period of time and should commence this year.
Thank you, Mr Speaker.

Mr JOHN ROSSO – Mr Speaker, I want to thank the Governor of Manus for raising this important question.

This facility has been under the custody of Immigration and I would like to assure the Governor of Manus that I will check all the relevant facts and get back to him as soon as possible with a detailed answer at a later date on the Floor of Parliament.
I will thoroughly check and get back to you with a way forward so we fix it once and for all, and hand over this facility to the Manus Provincial Government.

Thank you, Mr Speaker.

14 Mr SPEAKER – Honourable Members, Question Time has lapsed.
TREATY DOCUMENTS – VIOLENCE AND HARASSMENT CONVENTION, 2019 (No.190) AND VIOLENCE AND HARASSMENT RECOMMENDATION, 2019 (No.206) – PAPERS AND STATEMENT – PAPERS NOTED Mr JOHN ROSSO (Lae – Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Labour) – Mr Speaker, pursuant to statute, I present the following Treaty documents: Treaty Documents – Violence and Harassment Convention, 2019 (No.

190) and Violence and Harassment Recommendation, 2019 (No.

206).
206).

I ask leave of the Parliament to make a statement in connection with the treaty.

Leave granted.
Leave granted.

Thank you, Mr Speaker, and the Honourable House, I would like to make a ministerial statement for the ratification of the Violation and Harassment Conventions 2019 Mr Speaker, I am honoured as the Deputy Prime Minister and also minister responsible for labour and employment matters in the country to present to this Honourable House, two international instruments that form part of the wider set of International Labour Standards.
These international instruments that I refer to concern the day to day confronting and sensitive issues on violence and harassment including gender-based violence and may I further state especially against our women.

These international instruments where adopted by 187 member states of the International Labour Organization in June of 2019.
Mr Speaker, that year in June, through the support of our Honourable Prime Minister James Marape, who had at that time endorsed three Members of Parliament, which included Mr. Alfred Manase, the then Minister for Labour and Industrial Relations, Hon.
Dr. Lino Tom and Mr. Mehrra Kipefa, to lead Papua New Guinea's Tripartite Delegation comprising of representatives from the Government, the Worker's Group and the Employer's Group to join leaders in the world of work at the 108th Session of the International Labour Conference.
15 11/06 Mr Speaker, it was during this 108 Session of the ILO, that 187 member states of the International Labour Organisation, including Papua New Guinea, deliberated on the sensitive agenda of violence and harassment in the world of work.

The conclusions of the deliberations resulted by unanimously voting for the Adoption of the Violence and Harassment Convention 2019 (No.

190) and its accompanying Violence and Harassment Recommendation 2019 (No.

206).

Not a single objection was cast.


It was a historic moment, where the leaders of the world had produced a first-ever international standards aimed at ending violence and harassment, including gender-based violence in our world of work.

Mr Speaker, before I proceed to seek that this Honourable House exceeds to the Violence and Harassment Convention 2019, may I briefly inform the House that Papua New Guinea being a member state of the ILO is also bound by the constitution of the ILO.
Therefore, it is obligatory that adopted instruments must be submitted to the competent authority, which is of course this important House, our National Parliament.

Mr Speaker, for that matter, this Honourable House will note the instruments adopted in June 2019 during the 108th session of the International Labour Conference, which included the Violence and Harassment Convention 2019 and its accompanying recommendation (No.

206).
206).

Mr Speaker, on the 12 June 2021, Mr Charles Abel, then as Chairman of the Special Parliamentary Committee on Gender-Based Violence, tabled its first report on its inquiry work into the extent of gender-based violence in our country.
I commend Mr Abel, the Honourable Allan Bird, the Honourable Powes Parkop, the Honourable Aiye Tambua, Mr Michael Dua, Dr Allan Marat and Mr Ginson Sauno on the outstanding work of the committee, which had outlined 70 recommendations for immediate actions, that calls for holistic efforts towards the eradication of all forms of violence and harassment.

Mr Speaker, I believe we all agree that we can no longer afford to have our women’s voices and those of marginalised groups be silenced anymore.
Action must be taken to ensure that gender-based violence and harassment is prevented, and when it does occur, those affected can speak up in safety and security, and can obtain justice.

Mr Speaker, in the context of gender-based violence, violence and harassment against women in the world of work hampers women empowerment and the access to and progress in the labour market and its rippling effect can culminate to a larger extent.
It affects the sustainability of the economy in general, and perpetuate occupational gender segregation.

Violence and harassment against women are often rooted in unequal gender power dynamics, 16 gender stereotypes, multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination, patriarchal values and historical inequalities between men and women.

Mr Speaker, obviously a transformative cultural shift must start.
Mr Speaker, in the same accord all women and men have the right to live and work free from violence and harassment.

However, while this is generally accepted, violence and harassment remain pervasive throughout the world of work.

It affects all jobs, sectors and occupations.


We will not lie to ourselves that violence has not touched the agriculture, domestic work, education, fishing, the garment sector, the health sector, journalism, mining, public offices, military, the law and justice sector, informal sectors of employment, and the list goes on.
It has serious consequences for workers, their families and communities, as well as for enterprises’ reputations and productivity, and the tainted outlook to a large extent can affect investment opportunities that impedes global supply chain and a workplace productivity.

Mr Speaker, in recent times global movements have raised their voices against this phenomenon calling for real change to achieve safe, healthy and respect to work environments for all women.
There is hope and it is coming from the world of work itself.

Mr Speaker, the adoption of these international legal instruments at the International Labour Conference would not have been timelier.

The international community comprising of leaders in the world of works had paid attention to the voices that have gone or continued to go unheard, the agonised cries of pain that never stop, the justice that never gets fairly served.

Our workers, our employers, and our workplaces are no different.
Mr Speaker, for the first time, the right to a world of work free from violence and harassment, including gender-based violence, has been articulated in an international treaty.
12/06 Mr Speaker, may I state also that our National Constitution on a similar emphasis to the ILO's Declaration of Philadelphia affirms that all human beings irrespective of race, creed or sex have the right to pursue both their material wellbeing and their spiritual development in conditions of freedom and dignity of economic security and equal opportunity May I conclude in stating that every Member in this Honourable House has this important responsibility to promote a general environment of zero-tolerance to violence and harassment for our people and our country.
Motion (by Mr James Marape) agreed to – That the question be put.

17 Motion – That the Parliament take note of the paper – agreed to.

Paper noted.

MOTION BY LEAVE Mr JOHN ROSSO (Lae – Deputy Prime Minister - Minister for Lands, Physical Planning and Urbanization and Minister for Labour and Immigration) – I ask leave of Parliament to move a motion without notice.

Leave granted.
MOTION TO WAIVE SECTION 117 (3)(a) OF THE CONSTITUTION – CONSENT OF PAPUA NEW GUINEA TO BE BOUND AS A PARTY TO THE TREATY Mr JOHN ROSSO (Lae – Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Lands, Physical Planning and Urbanization and Minister for Labour and Immigration) – I move – That, in accordance with Section 117 (5) (a) of the Constitution, this Parliament waives Section 117 (3) of the Constitution which requires a treaty document to be presented to the Parliament for at least 10 Sitting days, before Papua New Guinea can be bound as a party insofar as the provision applies to ratification of the Violence and Harassment Convention, 2019 (No.190) and Violence and Harassment Recommendation, 2019 (No.206).
Motion (by Mr John Rosso) put – That the question on the motion be agreed to.

With the concurrence of an absolute majority as required by the Constitution, the motion so agreed to.
18 TREATY DOCUMENT – THE RATIFICATION OF THE LABOUR INSPECTION CONVENTION, 1947 No .81) AND THE TRIPARTITE INTERNATIONAL (LABOUR STANDARDS) CONSULTATION CONVENTION, 1997 (NO 144) – STATEMENT AND PAPER – PAPER NOTED Mr JOHN ROSSO (Lae – Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Lands, Physical Planning and Urbanization and Minister for Labour and Immigration) – Mr Speaker, pursuant to statute, I present the following papers: (a) The ratification of the labour inspection convention, 1947 (No.81) and (b) Tripartite International (labour standards) Consultation Convention, 1997 (No.
144) I ask leave of the Parliament to make a statement in connection with the treaty documents.

Leave granted.

Mr Speaker, once again, I am honoured to present to this Honourable House, two pieces of international treaties that comprise international labour standards.

These treaties commonly referred to as the ILO Conventions are essential frameworks to the fundamental principles of rights at work and lay the comparative advantage for domestic and global investment confidence.
Mr Speaker, these international treaties include the Labour Inspection Convention, 1947 (No.

81) and the Tripartite Consultation (International Labour Standards) Convention, 1997 (No.

144).
144).

13/06 The Labour Inspection Convention refers to ensuring the application of the various labour laws in the workplace whilst the Tripartite Consultation Convention gives recognition to enabling and ensuring consultations between representatives of the government, of employers and of workers on matters directly relating to labour standards; an essential tool for reaching collective decisions for a better workplace practice.
Mr Speaker, firstly, may I state that the wisdom by our forefathers executed in the drafting of the Constitution of Papua New Guinea had laid out the guiding principle to 19 recognize essential direction we must take to drive our country into the future, whether it is at the national or international level.

Our intentions must be set out on a clearly defined path.
Mr Speaker, in this 21st century most institutions around the world in the field of labour and social policy are undergoing profound, rapid and dramatic changes.

These changes are characterised by the diffusion of new technologies, flow of ideas, the exchange of goods and services, the increase and decrease in capital, financial flows, the internationalisation of business and business process with the constant movement of persons, especially working men and women is reshaping the world of work.
Mr Speaker, as we become increasingly aware of the need for stronger and more effective labour administrative services, in order to meet the challenges of rapidly changing global economy, we must join the global strategy for the modernisation and re-invigoration of labour inspection systems as well as enhancing tripartism for improved and strengthened governance in labour administration.
Mr Speaker, the government has a key role to play in helping to promote and achieve social justice in a constantly changing environment.
The Labour Inspection Convention 1947 and the Tripartite Consultation (ILO) Convention of 1974 continue to be fully relevant in the 21st century and should inspire the policy direction among other aims, purposes and principles, in strengthening the national labour administration, to ensure compliance with labour laws and also establish sound labour, industrial relations and employment policies in consultation with workers and employers.
Surely, when there is better understanding of the work environment, we must ensure to have better working relationships, prosper with increased productivity.

Mr Speaker, in particular, the Labour Inspection Convention No.

81 remains the principle international reference for labour inspection services and is as relevant today as it was seventy years ago.

It has become one of the most widely ratified of all ILO conventions.
In fact, 147 countries out of a 187 member states of the ILO have ratified this convention, a highly regarded international framework used by labour administrations all over the world.

Mr Speaker, I would like to further state that often times we hear reports of the roles of labour inspectors being abused.
However, by ratifying this convention we now call for drastic action by those responsible in labour administration and its regulation to ensure well-trained, competent and qualified persons to carry out the inspector’s role.

It is the call we make in the strongest manner to restore high levels of professionalism, competency, transparency and accountability into labour administration.

This is something that we currently lack in our country.
20 Mr Speaker, as we pledge our commitments in line with international obligations to ratify these two specific conventions, let me state that this government has recognised the significance of a new trade orientated foreign policy.

A policy that is focused to increase trade with key components comprising labour, migration and the transfer of knowledge and skills.

This surely places a labour market, its production models and investment opportunities at the centre of attention.
For this, and essentially, international labour standards can never be overlooked.

Mr Speaker, we must strive to ensure competitive domestic framework and the various working arrangements are in line with the key focus for improved and relevant regulation, compliance and strengthened confidence in our national governance systemic and administrations.
14/06 Better Terms and Conditions of Employment Mr Speaker, with our aim at achieving decent work in the aspiration of every working individual that includes enforcing the Minimum Wages Act.

A lot of our companies currently do not pay the minimum wages.
Wrongful termination, discrimination, unfair dismissal, paying wages below the set wages, hazardous work environment, forced labour, human trafficking and the list goes on, are some of the many and increasing non-compliance issues in the various work arrangements sectors and industries.

These we have to enforce.


Mr Speaker, this, therefore, draws down to the key component of pursuing institutional development and establishing effective service delivery mechanisms with the recognition of upholding the fundamental principles of rights in the world of work in line with globally accepted standards.

Mr Speaker, the focus and the direction that the Government takes must be sustained in an effective, coherent, cohesive and coordinated approach.
The call for policy shift in strengthening public service administrations is precise and clear, placing emphasis on economic growth and strengthening our national security.

Mr Speaker, I would like to conclude that the realisation of establishing a robust labour administration mechanism is to have clear directional policy initiatives.
I must commend the management and staff under the Ministry in the Department of Labour and Industrial Relations to have new national policies endorsed by NEC under our Government earlier last year.

These included the National Employment Policy 2023-2032 which was launched by our Honourable Prime Minister on 5 May 2022, the National 21 Training Policy 2022-2032, which I launched on 11 November 2022, followed by the endorsed Labour Market Information Policy 2022 –2032 on 16 December 2022.
These initiatives have set the department on a direction for immediate review of a few legislations which are currently being progressed including the Employment Act, Industrial Relations Act, the Workers Compensation Act and the Occupational Safety and Health Legal Framework.

The structural adjustment scheduled for the department is also being currently implemented which includes the organisational restructure plan for its headquarters and all its labour offices in all our 22 provinces.
Surely, the department has embarked on a pathway that is realigned and responsive and progressive to ensure our Government’s goals and objectives.

Thank you, Mr Speaker.

Mr JELTA WONG (Gazelle – Minister for Fisheries and Marine Resource) – I move – That the Parliament take note of the paper.

Mr Speaker, I thank the acting Minister for Labour and Industrial Relations for bringing this statement on these two very important areas that have been left suppressed for so long.
Finally, we have a government that is now protecting our people.

The unprotected are now protected.

We will never realise how many years have gone by where so many people have gone through courts just to seek justice and they were suppressed.

So, I thank the good Minister for bringing this in because the protection of our people is what our Government is now doing today especially our workforce which adds to our economy.

This paper will be the game changer going into the future.
And now we have brought Papua New Guinea up to the world standards in labour and industrial relations so thank you very much, Mr Minister.

I also thank the Government for ensuring that the changes to this amendment will go ahead.

Thank you, Mr Speaker.

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

Motion – That the Parliament take note of the paper – agreed to.

Paper noted.
Paper noted.

22 15/06 MOTION BY LEAVE Mr JOHN ROSSO (Lae – Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Lands, Physical Planning & Urbanisation, Labour & Immigration) – I ask leave of Parliament to move a motion without notice.

Leave granted.
MOTION TO WAIVE SECTION 117 (3)(a) OF THE CONSTITUTION – CONSENT OF PAPUA NEW GUINEA TO BE BOUND AS A PARTY TO THE TREATY Mr JOHN ROSSO (Lae – Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Lands, Physical Planning & Urbanisation, Labour & Immigration) – I move – That in accordance with section 117 (5) sub section (a) of the Constitution; this Parliament waives section 117 (3) of the Constitution which requires treaty documents to be presented to the Parliament for at least 10 sitting days before Papua New Guinea can be bound as a party so far as that provision applies to ratification of the: (a) Labour Inspection Convention 1947 No:81; and (b) Tripartite Consultation International Labour Standards, Convention 1997 No:144.
Motion (by Mr John Rosso) put – That the question be agreed to.

With the concurrence of an absolute majority as required by the Constitution, the motion so agreed to.

Mr SPEAKER – The motion must be supported by an absolute majority of 59 Members.

Those in favor of the motion please stand.

(Voting in progress) 23 Mr SPEAKER – We have absolute majority; Mr Deputy Prime Minister, thank you.

Mr Pila Niningi – Point of Order!

Is the Parliament doing the right thing?


The requirement is for 59 Members absolute majority.

Here, they are just doing a head count.

Isn’t it supposed to be recorded?

And who are the Members who have voted for this; again, are we doing the right thing?

Mr SPEAKER – Honourable members, let me address the point of order.
Your point of order is in order because as it is a constitutional requirement, we will have to record the number of votes that supported the motion, so let me ask those in favor to please stand.

The Parliament voted (the Speaker, Mr Job Pomat, in the Chair) – 16/06 (Voting in progress) 17/06 (Voting in progress) 18/06 AYES – 81 NOES – 0 Motion passed with the concurrence of an absolute majority as required by the Constitution.
DEPARTMENT OF SPORTS – DEVELOPMENT OF SPORTS AND SPORTS FOR DEVELOPMENT – SPORT POLICY IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGY: GOING (GO) RURAL TO GO GLOBAL – MINISTERIAL STATEMENT – MOTION TO TAKE NOTE OF PAPER 24 Mr DON POLYE (Kandep – Minister for Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology, and Sports) – Thank you, Mr Speaker.

The copies if the statement will be circulated on the Floor.

Last week, 166 copies were delivered to Parliament.
Mr Speaker, I will seek the indulgence of the Chair and the Parliament to bear with me, as I will be delivering a comprehensive statement with regards to the implementation strategy of the national sports policy or plan, that the Honourable Prime Minister James Marape, presented some time back.

Mr Speaker, it is with great pleasure I present a ministerial statement to this Honourable House as Minister for Sports.
The statement that I presented in the last Parliament session was on higher education, research, science and technology sector, of which I am also the Minister responsible.

Before I proceed, let me take this opportunity to thank the Prime Minister, the Honourable James Marape, for according me the honour to serve under his leadership as Minister for Sport, as well as Minister for Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology.
Sport growth and development synergises well with higher education, research, science and technology, as these two areas address one common thing directly; ‘Integral Human Development’.

19/06 Mr Speaker, let me take this opportunity to thank the good people of Kandep for having faith in my capability to represent their social and economic development aspiration in the 11th Parliament, thus express my sincere appreciation that I shall do all my best to serve them with distinction.
Mr Speaker, from the outset, let me inform the Honourable House of my absolute support of the Marape-Rosso government's development priorities for our nation not just in Sports, Higher Education Research Science and Technology but in a holistic perspective especially in agriculture and livestock, environment and climate change.
Mr Speaker, I have fully embraced the strategic directions in Prime Minister's Inauguration Speech to the Parliament on 22nd August 2022 and I shall do my extreme best to make his statements bear fruit by my endeavours and successful implementation of the National Sport Policy 2020-2050, in its present form or as reviewed in the five years ahead.

25 To me, my managing, facilitating, supporting and guiding sports to grow and develop is directly enabling integral human development in PNG.
I am cheerful and serious with this job and I make sure we achieve those objectives.

Mr. Speaker, through this Honourable House, let me inform the people of Papua New Guinea that I have discovered the following in the sports sector.

There is strong leadership and management in the sports sector in general and specifically I am encouraged by the spirit, the energy and the focus in their various sports federations as to achieving their objectives.
I have personally interacted with them on various federates and I can tell this Parliament that young people out there are very enthusiastic and the energy level is high to move this country forward in terms of sports as long as this Government supports them.

Mr. Speaker, I have seen a strong sense of corporate or sports governance.
As Minister for Sports, I am proud to announce that volunteers who are mostly passionate Papua New Guineans make up the membership of the boards, committees and sub committees that exist in the Sport Federations.

They comprise of volunteers in majority and their dedication to Sports is very encouraging and inspirational.

Let me emphasise that during any activity in governance, leadership is the corporate responsibility and is very important.
I have seen in the sports space these volunteers are doing an excellent job and they may not be perfect but I am here to facilitate them.

I have noticed that over 90 per cent of leaders, managers, facilitators and other key people in the sports industry are either temporary or permanent volunteers.

These volunteers are truly committed to the growth and development of sport in the country.

I have established that there are some very keen and strong supporters of sport in the country too.
Most sports promoters and sponsors are from the corporate sector and let me sincerely express my profound gratitude to them all.

I have annexed a list of sponsors that immediately come to mind such as National Gaming Control Board, Kumul Petroleum, Santos, Kumul Consolidated, National Fisheries, Digicel, Trukai, SP Brewery, Telikom, Be-Mobile, Lae Biscuits, Paradise Foods Ltd and others at the national, provincial, district and ward levels.
This list is by no means exhaustive but each corporate and individual knows that the Prime Minister, I and the Government acknowledge their priceless support to sports in PNG over many years.

Mr. Speaker, I am of the firm view from my observation that I on behalf of the Marape- Rosso government will; 26 (a) facilitate the sector leaders and participants to do what they are doing best.
I will let them lead and I shall follow their leadership to give them the facilitation that they require for sports to flourish.

(b) happily contribute by working hard and smart to maintain and build infrastructure to support them in sports in order to ensuring that the young sports people do achieve their individual aims and the objectives of their federations.
I will divert the interest of the young people from negative activities in society to the positivity of sports (c) enhance and develop sports as a way of life in PNG.

20/06 Our sports culture will develop.

I will make sport become professional business of employment as well as health and fitness culture.

I will make sports become a strong economic tool for achieving national development aspirations as well.
(d) promote sports in schools and education systems and I’m happy that Minister for Education is working together on this.

It is proven that the power of sports in promoting quality education is complementing.

physical exercise sporting drills combined with life skills making learning enjoyable for kids.

Sports will play a bonding role and will help students learn important skills to function socially.

It has both physical and psychological benefits to learners.
Hence, will contribute towards achieving United Nations Sustainable Development Goals No.4, which is quality education.

Those who participate in sport will have higher school grades and will record better school attendance.

Those ones engaged in sports also acquire virtues and positive attributes, such as team work, self-discipline, increased self-esteem, hard work and determination.

Sports also creates a good platform for learners to get educational scholarship to achieve their career goals.
Mr Speaker, as Nelson Mandela once said, ‘’sport has the power to change the world’’ When used effectively, sports will not only help as achieve Sustainable Development Goal No.4, quality education, but also act as a powerful tool in achieving the other sixteen Goals.

It has a power to transform and make new true talents, promotes teamwork and enhances togetherness.

Mr Speaker, what is the National Sport Policy all about?
Let me inform this Honorable House, that the National Sport Policy 2020-2050 (NSP) is one of the best policies I have read 27 to date.

It clearly articulates the future direction of sports, emphasizes on sport as a key development sector and the simplicity of its application.
Let me commend the former ministers of Sport, the boards and management of Papua New Guinea Sports Foundation, the policy review secretariat, key stakeholders in all four regions and individuals who work tirelessly to put it together.

I commend the Minister for Internal Security; he was one of them who participated in putting the policy together.
It is the desire and inspiration of the Marape-Rosso government to not only take back Papua New Guinea and make it a richest Christian nation but more importantly, leave no child behind.

This vision to leave no child behind forms the foundation of a sport development and sport for development in the country as we usher in a new era of sports delivery.
Mr Speaker, the Honourable Prime Minister, Mr James Marape, launched the National Sports Policy that I am now as the responsible Minister will guide the implementation.

The implementation strategy which I am now articulating is called the ‘Going Rural to Go Global’.

The National Sports Policy articulates seven key focus areas: (1) sport development and sport for development.

(2) sport governance and management.

(3) sport implementation.

(4) sport resource.

(5) sport participation.


(6) sport higher performance.

(7) sport research education and training.

Mr Speaker, the overarching systematic and well-coordinated guidelines and frameworks assume and promote a conducive working relationship between the core-implementers of the policy, comprising National Sport Federations, Papua New Guinea Olympic Committee, provincial governments, local level governments and the National Government.
Mr Speaker, it is my intention to seek not only government support for sport but mobilizing innovative ways of financing sports as a significant cross-cutting sector that has always had the potential to transform the lives of our people.

I believe sport has the biggest opportunity to shape the thinking and behavior during the formation years of eight to eighteen years in the life of a child.
Development psychologists tell us that zero to eight years of a child in the formation years when the child develops a personality trait and after the age of twelve the child becomes more attentive to social influence and behaves accordingly even when social influence is wrong.
28 Mr Speaker, the policy has reinstated and emphasized the significant contribution of the National Sport Federations which comprises over 90 per cent volunteers who use their own resources and time to develop sport in the country with minimal or nil Government support.
It also captures that the National Government decides to adequately resource the National Federations in the ambition to see sport development reach the length and breadth of the country.. 21/06 I have a duty to create a sustainable pathway for sponsoring these Sport Federations to exist independently with success.
Mr Speaker, like every successful policy implementation, the exercise requires adequate and sustained resourcing from various sources not excluding the State through its annual budgeting process.

The PNG Sports Foundation has embarked on a sport policy execution strategy alluded to earlier, called; "Going (Go) Rural to Go Global" (GR2GG).

It is focused at "leaving no child behind" through vehement sports development and using sports for development.
So, if you are not doing anything else, sport is the way to go.

The 30-year National Sport Policy and the 5-year Corporate Plan work is in progress and the Go Rural to Go Global strategy will in turn guide the organizational structural reform.

The implementation of these plans must be made realistic and brought to fruition if all work together through an effective governance and sustainable resourcing system.
We want to see sports grow, developed and participated by many at the grass roots level; the districts level, the local level govemment level, the ward committee level and at the village where village people get involved as a normal way of life.

We envisage close and sustainable collaboration at all levels of govemment amongst the Provincial, Local Level and District Development Authority levels of governance.
The National Government through the PNG Sports Foundation will work with them to build capability in the regions, provinces, districts and council ward levels.

Through this cohesion and synergy, appropriate knowledge and skills, adequate support and close partnerships will be mobilized and activated to enhance growth of sports throughout the country.
There are over 40 sport federations in PNG and they will be driving their codes of sport to the next level when such conducive and facilitating climate is created.

The PNG Olympic Committee and other Global Key Stakeholders will play their part to transform the lives of our youth through athletics and sports.
29 I have begun my work in the sports space to ensure we achieve the synergy and cohesiveness in the country so that we not only make sport a way of life and culture for the ordinary people, but give our athletes and sports people the necessary support to achieve high performance level sports development.

Going Rural M Speaker, this strategy connects the entire "sport value chain" or the sport development process from the ward/village sport nurseries through to professional sport in the global arena.
It provides the platform at the ward level for a 6-year-old to harness his or her knowledge, skill, attitude, self-discipline and mental maturity through sport over a 10-year period.

Not only will she or he grow up to be aware of the miracle of health and fitness skills and discipline, education and sports, but also be enlightened with the negative impact of substance abuse, crime, teen pregnancies, lack of education and purposeless life etc.
The enlightenment of the negative aspects of life leamt will help one learn and acquire understanding and knowledge, skill and discipline, vision and determination to succeed in a professional or amateur sport and pursue quality life in the absence of further education or formal employment.
Mr Speaker,Going Rural to Go Global Implementation Strategy (National Sports Policy 2020-2050) will have the following strategic approaches undertaken: (i) Restructure and Reculture for Sports Restructure of the Governance Organizational systems under the National, Provincial and Local Level governments administrations is a priority to ensure appropriate positions are created or strengthened to position sports as an integral human growth and economic tool.
Sports can only grow to stimulate other socioeconomic growths when given the attention and care it deserves at every level of the governance of society.

Legislative reviews and policy reforms will become necessary to drive sports from all perspectives.

(ii) District and Village Support for Sports Growth Mr Speaker, the ward committee system enshrined in the Organic Law under each Local Level Government ward councilor should be reactivated and restored to full functionality.
The wards of every local level government are integral part of the whole government system of PNG.

The ward councilors and the local level govemment (LLG) play the most important role of leadership, management and administration activities at the village 30 ward level.

The ward councilor and the ward committee on behalf of the LLG play the role of developing and governing the ward which is at the grassroots level.
22/06 It is right here that the sports skills, talents and aspirations must be harnessed, cultivated and groomed whilst the sports person to be is still young and versatile in the mind.

It is here at the village where we want to see partnership forged between ward council, ward committee and churches or with small medium enterprise and big investors to grow sports talent and interests.
We will ensure that a district sports body is established in each district to manage and grow sports at the ward/village levels.

District sports competition can be held to enhance and strengthen the growth of sports.

The provincial sports co-ordination and development bodies to work with various district sports committee to grow sports talent and skill.

The provinces can host sports tournaments where districts compete to determine provincial championships.
The provincial championships can then determine regional sports tournaments.

We must change PNGs leadership mindset to focus on the human being development more than the other aspects of development.

Mr Speaker, in other words, the financial and human resources allocated to infrastructure and economic development should match equally important integral human development.

Sports skills and talents development in our young must be given utmost priority at the socio- economic development level.
The investor and corporate sector mind also should change to focus on sports at the grassroots levels in terms of availing sustainable financial support.

The following are the areas of financing modality to grow and develop talents and skills for sports and healthy lifestyle.

This facility should have sporting as an important component of the fund that youths are engaged in sports at the wards and district levels.
The youths today who find it more lucrative in crime, lawlessness, and abuse and negative choices of life can find sports activities and the impact of positive sports attitudes a good catalyst for diverting their youthful energy away from negative temptations into sports.

Therefore, the energy and power of youth that could have been diverted into negative areas can be re-diverted to achieving positive objectives in life and living good lives through sports.
The Provincial Services Improvement Program (PSIP); this facility can also be used in part for facilitating sports activities in the provinces.

Provincial governments can spend additional funds on sports as an investment.

31 The tax credit schemes (TCS) and community service obligation (CSO) programs should provide a reasonable component for sports in the local and provincial areas where the investments are located as well as in other parts of the country.
By law a specified component of TCS/CSO funds should be directly and specifically made available in law for youths' development by sports.

The private sector, NGOs, churches and other donors; these special citizens can form partnership at all three levels of governance with ward and district level, provincial level or at the national level.

This and other stakeholders can partner with PNG sports foundation to participate in sustaining development of skills and talents, in sports, health and fitness.
Mr Speaker, the Papua New Guinea Sports Foundation Board is comprised of eight (8) members who represent the private sector as well as the sports industry.

The chairman Mr Ian Chow and his Deputy chairperson Ms Auvita Rapila, both of whom I place full confidence will deliver the sports policy of Marape-Rosso government through the strategy I present today.

The board will work with all stakeholders and participants both within and without the sports industry.
The board is charged with the mandate to ensure there is good governance and accountable leadership at the top level and it transcends horizontally and vertically of the sports administration structure.

This is to say there will be collaboration, cooperation and mutual respect with other state agents, departments and private sectors to create the synergy for sports to grow.
23/06 In the same token, the sports management and administration of all federates of sports will be entrusted the task of developing various sporting activities to flourish effectively.

The board will be responsible for putting a sustainable resourcing mechanism in place for the perpetuation of individual sport for many years to come to create a sustainable financing strategy.
PNG Sports Foundation Management will closely guide the management team in achieving the following (1) National Sports Financing Strategy The Management has been entrusted to create a long-term sustainable financing modality.
The following options are embarked upon and some of which I would like to say thank you to the Prime Minister, to the Deputy Prime Minister and the cabinet for already making decisions on them: 32 (2) The Marape-Rosso government has allocated 10 per cent of the proceeds of the National Gaming Board to be provided as grants to Sports Development every fiscal year.

Mr Speaker, let me emphasize this that this has never happened.
In the past the proceeds that go to the National Gaming Board has other areas of expenditure except sports but it’s the first time the Prime Minister himself through his cabinet decided that we must have a 10 percent that will go directly into growing sports or driving the strategy of sports that I am discussing with Parliament.

The Marape-Rosso government has also made available another K10 million to building the Australian Football League (Aussie Rules) stadium in Port Moresby.
Mr Speaker, money was made available because if you look at the other stadiums in Port Moresby and in other parts of the country, we don’t have a stadium for Aussie Rules and our national team the Papua New Guinean Mosquitoes are the champions in the Asia Pacific Region and now the Prime Minister has rewarded the sporting code with a stadium.
The Marape-Rosso government has made a policy decision to give tax exemptions to private sector and corporate citizens who support and promote sports in PNG and that’s already happened.
I’m not just talking about things that will happen, we have already started work and the decision has already been made and I am thankful to the Prime Minister’s cabinet and the Prime Minister himself that those companies who are really with a sincere heart supporting sports not just at the national level but also at the grass root level, we will consider giving them some tax exemptions that Treasury and Sports will discuss in due course in consultation with those companies who are supporting sports.
International Support (Grants) from Sports organizations like FIFA, World Olympic, Development Partners like Pacific/Aus Partnerships and Carbon Trade Credit Financing or by the use of PNG's Intellectual Property Rights.

Those are other areas that we are looking at how to create that innovative financial strategy Commercialization of sports facilities and assets.

The stadiums, aquatic center and other sports facilities can be turned into money making businesses.
The management will ensure quality is assured and quality management is put in place for proper financial audits and accountable application of resources.
Junior Sports Development Mr Speaker, the management has been tasked to create pathways for junior sponsorship in the following ways: (1) Establish National Talent Academy 33 Under a newly established National Talent Academy, PNG Sports in partnership with some of the football sports like AFL, soccer, rugby union and rugby league, et cetera, will conduct development programs within schools and communities in all parts of PNG and tap into the bursting talents in our young people.
(2) We will create Sports - Education Sponsorship Programs.

The management will explore pathways of sponsoring young PNGeans to study overseas but affiliated to playing club sports simultaneously in those countries.

(3) We shall establish partnership with overseas based sports clubs to supply PNG youth or junior sports talents under PNG Government direct sponsorship or via bilateral support.
24/06 Engaging PNG diplomatic missions to generate overseas interest in the development of sporting pathways, while locally we will develop similar talent pathways that will be linked to the international talent pathways.

I have mentioned there some of the partnership approaches we proposed to embark on including partnerships with Australian rugby league clubs, partnership with Australian or New Zealand rugby union clubs, partnership with English or European soccer Clubs.
Strengthen and build upon Pacific Australia Sponsorship already existing for Australian Football League (AFL).

This is one of a success story I mentioned earlier.

Other modes of sports like combat sport; aqua sports, Olympic sports, Paralympic sports and many more like archery, shooting, pool, do have special space in our PNG culture.
Those guys out there and in some Pacific countries shooting at each other with bows and arrows, we put them to do archery and and those who want to spear each other, we can teach them javelin.

Mr Speaker, it’s better to convert the energy applied on the negative areas to something positive.

So, you want to spear your brother then go do javelin or shotput.

to show your muscles.

For instance, canoeing, Mr Speaker, I have good news, you come to Kandep we are canoeing, similar to Manus people.
I introduced this as a sports competition in Kandep last Christmas and the women beat the man in the lake.

So, with wrestling, archery, javelin, shot- put, running and iron man/women competitions and so on, Papua New Guineans can resonate very well culturally.

Those things we have lived with and our people can compete in those sports in the global arena.

Mr Speaker, I am encouraging, promoting and giving Papua New Guineans a modern uplift in these traditional, cultural-oriented sporting activities.
Our people can achieve 34 wonders in the long term if we continue to consistently and persistently promote sports in that perspective.

Sports Infrastructure Up-Keep and Development Mr Speaker, we are thankful that we already do have some world standard sport facilities in Papua New Guinea and that’s very true.
The Sir John Guise Stadium, the Tax Credit Stadium (Santos Football Stadium), the Goroka Sports Institute, Sir Hubert Murray Stadium and other sports facilities in the provinces to position PNG as a sporting nation.

I am grateful that such asset we do have and I am very careful we do not lose them.

Losing of these international facilities will only happen as a result of negligence to do maintenance and renovations.

The PNG Sports Foundation has the obligation to care for these facilities.
Some of the financing plans I alluded to earlier will aid the maintenance and rehabilitation of this worthy sports infrastructure.

As we desire to build new big capital projects, I will continue to remind our Government and this Honourable House that sustaining maintenance of the existing assets must be given priority number one let alone for Sports.

Mr Speaker, development of new sports infrastructure also does require our attention.
I through the Marape-Rosso government will partner with all provincial governors and their governments as well as the local level governments to establish and maintain decent sports facilities, at least to preserve a sports field as the first step.

I through the Marape-Rosso government sports policy intervention will; i.)

Establish a sustainable sports infrastructure maintenance program for the worthy facilities that we have at hand.

ii.)
ii.)

Open dialogue with Governors and the local level government councils to position sports development in their jurisdiction in terms of creating sports facilities and providing sports field.

Most sports suffer from lack or absence of basic sporting infrastructure in both urban and rural areas.

Schools in the district don’t have basic infrastructure to support school and junior sports development.
For instance, I am informed by PNG rugby league that the performance of the Kumuls and Ochirds will not change if we continue to ignore school sports and junior development throughout the country due to the absence of basic facilities.
Mr Speaker, PNG rugby league has school and junior development programs and competitions that cannot be run in schools throughout the country due to lack or absence of basic sports facilities while a 16-year-old old Australian has as 10 years of rugby league experience because he or she started when he was six years old.

35 25/06 And at 16 years old, a PNG player has only three years of rugby league experience.
Mr Speaker, I can recall back to when I was in Mt Hagen High School and Havi Community School in the Western Highlands Province, I saw different types of sports facilities there.

Now in our schools, you cannot even find a playing field.

I have seen in Mt Hagen High School that all the school fields are gone.

Mr Speaker, we have to revisit the areas that we have gone off-track.

Sports is important because it is health and life.


Sports facilities, development and school, and junior development in all sports including rugby league, is the only pathway to greater performance and achievements.

It is not surprising that Kumuls continue to falter at international events.

Kumuls performance at the highest level will not improve if we continue to ignore school sports and junior development pathways.

Hence, my implementation strategy ‘go rural to go global’.
We are revisiting and reviewing how we are approaching sports in general, including rugby league.

Mr Speaker, we are creating new and strengthening existing dialogue with sports development partners to build new sports facilities.

The world soccer body FIFA, in my meeting with them last year, have indicated building a soccer training facility in the colder highlands in Tambul, in Tambul-Nebilyer District, Western Highlands Province.
I was tempted to move it to Kandep because it is colder than Tambul, but I did not.

Mr Speaker, at this juncture, let me make a fundamental statement.

The worthy people of Kandep, the great electorate that I represent in this House, have urged me strongly to lead FIFA to build the soccer training center in Kandep, which is on the other side of Mt Giluwe, on the other side of Tambul.
I have rejected that Kandepian proposition, simply because Kandep has had recent tribal warfare’s that destroyed the National Agriculture Research Institute (NARI) at Murip, a primary school and a church at Kitali.

Trade stores, houses and lives have been destroyed and lost by mere folly and stupidity of tribalism.

For me to establish an international sports facility, an important gift of FIFA will be rewarding tribal fights and the deaths it caused.
I will not be blackmailed by voters to reward the negative.

I will lead the sectors entrusted to me as such that the Marape-Rosso government does not reward destruction, failure, corruption, or the mediocre.

Therefore, the facility will be built at Tambul.


Mr Speaker, I will instead through the stout support of the Prime Minister, the PANGU Party and other coalition partners in the Marape-Rosso government, partner with FIFA to build a world standard soccer training facility in Tambul, Western Highlands Province.

I will also 36 work under the government to build a world-standard Australian Football stadium in Port Moresby, next to Rita Flynn Netball Courts on the Colts ground.
Mr Speaker, the only sporting code that has done so well in any international competition is the Australian Football League (Aussie Rules).

The PNG Mosquitos are the World Champions only outside of beating Australia.

The PNG Mosquitos have been the international champions for three times winning the international cup competition.
The international cup competition is a competition amongst 18 countries, these countries being Ireland, New Zealand, Japan, Tonga, Samoa, Nauru, and Canada to mention some of them.

However, whilst other sporting codes have a stadium with amenities, AFL has no proper field or stadium and yet we are the champions.

We as Marape-Rosso government will reward success stories, like PNG AFL by adequately facilitating them to prosper more strongly.

We will build that stadium from the K10 million.


I am meeting with the Australian High Commissioner this afternoon to partner with them because the cost will be high due to inflation so we will need another K10 million to build the stadium.

Mr Speaker, in addition, AFL has the most organized and advanced sports development programs presently in operation.
The key programs that AFL in PNG have are; • Smart Start Niu Kick (major sponsor, Paradise Food Ltd), • Development Academy and Talent ID Carnivals, • Schools and Community Competitions, • Junior Binatangs, South Pacific & Kuraku Tours, • Senior Community football competitions, • Pilai long Senis.

All these sports development programs support gender equality and participation.

They (AFL) have a high-performance pathway in place and they are the success story and we cannot continue to ignore.
It is only fair that a decent world standard AFL stadium be built for them to reflect the level of youth's interests and bursting talents that is present in the country.
26/06 In regards to digitalization of sports, I will work with the relevant ministers, departments and state agencies and public sector to create proper national identification and inventory of PNG population not through centralized systems that we have seen so ineffective but through 37 effective provincial government and local level government system.

Our sports people and athletes can be properly registered and identified for assistance where possible.
The local level government ward system and the district system sports support programs will be registered and reviewed accordingly in a digitalized information management system.

Mr Speaker, let me touch on the area of dieting and nutrition, sporting is not just a money earner.

Health, physical fitness and happiness is not just for playing a particular sport.

Sports is not only to win a competition.

Sport and sporting activities entails everything good.

lt is everything.
lt is everything.

Sports nourishes one's entire life.

Hence, we can all agree that nutrition for sports is indispensable to health and fitness.

Somebody once said that "One is what one eats".

Nutrition is what nurtures the mind.

Sometimes I wonder why there is a strict process for preparing food.
For instance; there is very special process for preparing beef meat based on how the cattle is fed, animal cruelty is replaced with care and responsibility, how it is slaughtered and butchered, how it is stored, cooked and eaten.

Amazing science we know of today is beginning to reveal that the eater of a meat of cattle not treated cruelly is not cruel to oneself as against the eater of meat of livestock treated cruelly, who in turn displays some cruel violent behaviours of oneself.
Treatment of animals for food consumption, therefore does affect the consumer.

I told my people of Kandep that if you want to kill a pig and eat please don’t kill it violently because when the pig squeals and feels pain and despair and all that is stored in the meat and when we to eat the pig we will become like the pig itself.

(Laughter in the Chamber) Mr DON POLYE - We have challenges in PNG as to our diets and nutrition and the knowledge of it.

We ought to improve on that.


People's physical stature and fitness in general depends on what they people eat, beginning from embryonic development to fetus development stage and onto reaching adulthood.

Quality dieting and nutrition is indispensable in human life if the aim is to mould and shape quality humans.

We cannot feed ourselves with substandard diet or nutrition our entire lives and expect super performance in one event or enjoy quality life and longevity.
We must now give up eating non-food substance like betelnut, drugs or unhealthy foods like fast food take-aways or steroid-filled chickens to eating quality food to achieve quality humanness in ourselves.

Soft drinks and alcohol should be consumed less and more quality fluid should be taken more.

38 27/06 We must now give up eating non-food substance like betel nut, drugs or unhealthy foods like takeaways or steroid-filled chickens to eating quality food to achieve quality humanness in ourselves.
Soft drinks and alcohol should be consumed less and more quality fluid should be taken more!

I am looking at a plan to ensuring that our children are provided free eggs and milk or cheese every morning at schools or for parents to provide eggs and milk or cheese at home.

I want to see bones and statures of our children grow to big and tall sizes!

Using myself as an illustration, I Don Pomb Polye am 170 cm tall, a little obese at 103 kg by the Body Mass Index (BMI).
I am middle age but I want to look younger.

Nonetheless, I want to ensure through the sports strategy that I am presenting today that my good children grow to two (2) meters height, fitter, healthier and much stronger than me at my age at present.

My own life analogy is at average true for all Papua New Guineans.

Positioning or Restoring Sports as a Mandatory Activity In Schools Through School Curriculum The objective of the Marape-Rosso government is to make sports a culture or way of life.
I aim to do everything I can to preoccupy the mind of our youths from 6-year-olds up to teenage level with positive energy and goodness by harnessing the talents or skills of sports in them.

Mr Speaker, let me repeat that when the young mind is filled with the positivity of health and fitness, sports and glory, education and employment, personal progress and development, the mind has no room for drug addictions, alcohol abuse, lethargy or loss of self-esteem.
Talking of health and fitness and to make it a way of life or culture for the Papua New Guineans, it must start at the earlier part of a citizen's life.

Sportsmanship, exercise and a healthy lifestyle developed in childhood will defeat lifestyle diseases, depression, addiction, alzymers/dementia, immune deficiencies and a host of killer diseases and health problems that Papua New Guineans have become prone to in today's modern world.
“Too much work and no play make Tom a dull boy”, I will work with all to ensure sports becomes integral part of human in the Nation.
PNG Sports Foundation and I will undertake the following activities to achieve the objectives I have mentioned above: Work in partnership with colleague ministers for Education and the Department of Higher education, research science and technology (my department) to ensure that the school curriculum does signify sports as a mandatory activity in the institutions whether be in general education or higher education.

I want to see sports carnivals enjoyed by schools.


I am eager to 39 have Higher education and technical education introduced and restored into their operations sport’s competition so that sports camivals do take place amongst the institutions.
Work with the department of education, department of Higher education, Research science and technology, private institutions, schools, universities and colleges to ensure sports fields and appropriate sports facilities are built and established in these institutions as a requirement for accrediting an institution or school.

A certain level of sports should occur and be made mandatory for all schools and educational institutions, both private and state owned.
Existing legislation and policies will be looked at to ensure sports features well throughout the whole level of the education system from the primary level up to the university and TAFE/TVET level.

Ensure that there is sustainable funding made available to the schools, universities and TAFE/TVET for sports, growth and development every year.

28/06 We acknowledge that an athlete’s development and growth is limited to the capacity of the current coach or technical official.
More effort needs to be put in to capacity building of administrators, coaches, technical official’s and sports teachers.

Those involved in sports science and sports medicine, all of whom have an important role in the country.

We are all so used to seeing technical officers graduating from serving as an active athlete once they retire.
The PNG Sports Foundation is changing strategies and embarking on ensuring our young sports population are trained to be coaches, technical official’s and even administrators.

This approach is being built on the fact that not everyone will become a champion athlete.

However, if they can’t, why can’t they become a world-class technical official or coaches at major international events.

There is nothing stopping a young educated Papua New Guinean mind at interpreting sports rules better.
The objective of the Marape-Rosso Government is to make sports a culture or way of life.

I aim to do everything I can to preoccupy the mind of our youths from 6-year-olds up to teenage level with positive energy and goodness by harnessing the talents or skills of sportsmanship in them.
Mr Speaker, let me repeat that when the young mind is filled with the positivity of health and fitness, sports and glory, education and employment, personal progress and development, the mind has no room for drug addictions, alcohol abuse, lethargy or loss of self-esteem.
40 Work in partnership with colleague ministers for Education and the Department of Higher education, Research science and Technology (my department) to ensure that the school curriculum does signify sports as a mandatory activity in the institutions whether be in general education or higher education.

I am happy that it is progressing very well.

Law Order and Sports Mr Speaker, moving on to law and order.
A good law and order condition is a key conductor for success in the growth and development of sports.

We are working with Police and local authorities to combat lawlessness to create a happy environment for sports to flourish.

For example, the PNG Provincial Games which was originally scheduled to be held in Southern Highlands Province in 2022 had been cancelled and deferred until peace and normalcy returned in SHP.
The games have been transferred to Port Moresby and Central Province as joint hosts with PNG Sports foundation involved under a tripartite arrangement.

Similarly, the New Guinea Islands (NGI) youth games were also postponed to later date to be hosted in another Province at a request of the honourable host Governor, Honourable Michael Marum for want of improved law and order and drought reasons.
The PNG Sports Federation will continue to partner with law enforcement authorities to eradicate lawlessness and create conducive environment for sports to grow.

I will provide cheerful but strong facilitation for sports activities to grow and mature throughout the country; in villages, in wards, in districts, in provinces, in schools and in the higher Institutions, in the towns and cities so that sports become a good way of life.
The powerful stamina and the energy of the youth will be focused in the positivity of sports activities!

Through the Marape-Rosso Government, we will create these activities and opportunities, in order that the youth do not get lured into the wrong path of life or misled into negative activities in the society.

Where we direct the most powerful energy of humanity, the strength of the youth in our country, is very important!
Unless a youth is ill or disabled, the youth's energy is never lethargic, nor idle.

It is always actively used.

The question is, where should we guide that energy to be applied on or to what sector of life should the youth power be directed to?

Sports and economy Mr Speaker, the successful growth and development of sports depends on the success of PNG's economy.
Macro-economic stability, micro-economic activities, prudent management of both public and private sectors, resources and improvement of household 41 income (per capital income) dictate how well sports would be holistically conducted in the country.

29/06 Macro-economic stability, micro-economic activities, prudent management of both public and private sectors, resources and improvement of household income (per capital income), dictate how well sports would be holistically conducted in the country.
Promoters, Investors and Sponsors of Sports like micro, small, medium enterprises, traditional investors of sports in the country and ordinary citizens will need to be fed by a healthy economy in order to partner with the state to cultivate and nourish the sporting codes to prosper.

Cash flow to the consolidated revenue will need to be consistent and in surplus to meet sports budgets sufficiently to aid sports thrive.
As an illustration; a K4 million was budgeted for building an AFL stadium and associated infrastructure in the 2015/2016 National Budget but due to economic downturns experienced then, the funds were cut in a Supplementary Budget and consequently no monies were allocated for the purpose.

We in Sports will show responsible stewardship by managing wisely and spend to key target areas of sports only under a strong governance and leadership culture.
Only then will we be sure to attract additional support from the Marape-Rosso Government, or from the assistance of promoters and sponsors of sports and athletics.

It is unfair and unjust if funds are abused or misapplied and yet more resources are requested.

Sports Tourism Mr Speaker apart from the Papua New Guinea Olympic Committee who hosts national events and conference in country.
The national federations entity that can also bid to host in the international event such as Oceania qualifiers, if sporting facilities are continually maintained at the required world standards.
This in turn creates jobs and boosts tourism, in particular sports tourism which then has a flow on effect such as the contribution of the economy, the increased exposure and the use of our main sporting facilities such as the National Sporting Institute up in Goroka for Pacific Island nations in the Oceania region and other nearby countries, Mr Speaker while on this subject of required world standards, I have accepted the challenge to support and assist the structures and systems in place for Papua New Guinea to win our first ever Olympic medal.
We attend a multi sports event on an annual basis, we’re looking at creating history by winning PNG’s first ever medal at the Olympics which is the highlight of all multi sports events.

We have won medals at the Commonwealth games and 42 the Pacific Games multi sports events such as the Olympic afford the opportunity for individual sports such as weight lifting, karate, boxing, judo, archery and taekwondo to really stand out and be of value to Team PNG with dedicated support.
Let me say a little bit on the 2032 Olympic Games in Brisbane next door to us.

we are preparing for it through our Team PNG performing strategy with a goal of getting our first ever Olympic medal.

Over the next few years, we can maintain our sporting facilities being a host in the international sporting events in the country.
We envision becoming one of the leading training and competition hubs in the Pacific for other Pacific Island nations to come and utilize our facilities such as the high training altitude and facilities at the National Sporting Institute in Goroka in lead up to the Brisbane 2032 Olympics.

By then we should have students who have progressed through the schooling sporting systems into their local clubs and national competitions before exposure to the international events leading up to the Olympics.
Mr Speaker, part of the road to Brisbane 2032 is our desire and goal to win a Pacific game on foreign soil.

We have won the games twice on home soil when we have hosted it.

However, we are yet to win the Pacific games away from home.

With these strategies in place and the support, we will be able to fulfill this goal.

Global Pathways – Professional Sports Mr Speaker I kindly ask you and the House to briefly look at the international sports platform tabulated below.
The diversification of sports in PNG is helpful to preparing PNG sports talents for a broader spectrum of sporting activities.

The Marape-Rosso government will establish 30/06 The diversification of sports in PNG is helpful to preparing PNG sports talents for a broader spectrum of sporting activities.
The Marape-Rosso will establish mutual understanding and partnerships with the international sports governing bodies to grow sports in PNG with the aim to, in due course, develop skills in our sports people that will help them participate in the international events illustrated.

Mr Speaker, I have also highlighted the potential market value in United States Dollars (USD) to give some economic prospect in the sports industry.

Correspondingly it does appear.


Mr Speaker, is the list of some countries that PNG can partner through our bi-laterals, or by our trade and economic agreements to factor sports in as a socio-economic component 43 of the partnerships.

I will lead accordingly through the Marape-Rosso Government to negotiate our path up to the global level which is one of our sports peoples' prime destinations.
Mr Speaker, I think, the list I put contains all the different modes of sport on the left and I’ve also indicated the money value and the value was compiled with my department.

(Refer to the Ministerial Statement to see the table containing the list of different mode of sports and the money value).

There, we Papua New Guinea stands to create all these pathways that have alluded through this strategy up to us arriving at the international level.
And we start small from the rural area but we work persistently with the strong focus to arriving at the global standard.

Mr Speaker, nothing happens overnight.

Sometimes, in this country we think we can just do something in one or two years in just one competition.

Mr Speaker, my position on this is completely different.

We must culture ourselves.

We must prepare our people and make it a way of life and let people believe in it.
Let’s believe in health and fitness as they believe that sport is not just any other thing for competition or to win a medal.

The sports must be of an essence to their livelihood that children and us need to promote and I ask all Members of Parliament, all levels of governments, private and the public sectors that the government does have some incentives to give.

Mr Speaker, the issue here is a strategic that I am implementing, the Prime Minister’s own policy that he launched last two years ago.
This is a strategy and I’ve put a committee together and they are working as to how they will go step by step down to the grassroots level.

So, we convert our young people from doing the negative things into doing the positive things through sports and we can become a better and healthy country like the Australian Prime Minister said here.

He said “a healthy people can build healthy economy” and we can be healthy through quality and active sportsmanship.

Thank you.
Thank you.

Mr RAINBO PAITA – I move – That Parliament take note of paper and the debate be adjourned for a subsequent sitting.

Debate adjourned.

44 GOVERNOR-GENERAL ELECTIONS – STATEMENT BY THE SPEAKER Mr SPEAKER – Thank you, Honourable Members, before I move the motion, I want to inform this Honourable House that according to the law, the election of the Governor- General will take place on Thursday, tomorrow.

ADJOURNMENT Motion (by Mr Rainbo Paita) agreed to – That the Parliament do now adjourn.
The Parliament adjourned at 1.30 p.m. 45